The Boy Scouts of America could decide this week to lift the ban on gay members. The debate has sparked a strong reaction from supporters and opponents.
This week, a group of scouts and their families delivered a petition to Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas urging an end to the gay ban.
If the ban is lifted, individual troops could still decide on their own whether to allow gay members. That will make for some difficult decisions for those on the Grand Strand and Pee Dee who have been involved in scouting for many years.
Aaron Varnam of Myrtle Beach achieved Eagle Scout status 11 years ago. He says Boy Scouts are supposed to help people at all times, so discriminating against one group based on sexual orientation seems to go against what scouting teaches.
"You should allow all people in, all races, creeds, colors, sexuality, it doesn't matter," Varnam said.
Still, Varnam says he knows some parents would feel uncomfortable having their children watched over by an openly gay scout leader.
"It shouldn't be an issue, but people are going to make it an issue, either way," Varnam said. "From my moral standpoint, I don't think it's an issue."
But other Eagle Scouts disagree.
On a recent WPDE Facebook story David Cottingham said, "If this takes place (allowing gay members), I will send them back this Eagle Scout badge which I have had for 53 years and has been displayed on the wall of every office I have had since I started working."
If the ban on gay members is lifted, Myrtle Beach Scout Master James McIlrath may have to deal with the consequences.
"As far as an individual leader, my sole focus is on what's best for the boys," McIlrath said.
McIlrath says he hopes the decision will be made based on what's right or wrong and not on where public opinion might be headed, or on economic pressures.
"You can't have it both ways. You can't say we're principle-based and we don't like this but complain because whatever company decides they don't want to contribute to you or support you."
For McIlrath's Troop 850, the decision about allowing gay members would have to be made by the troop's charter organization, St. Philip Lutheran Church of Myrtle Beach.
Rev. Hank Moody says church leaders at St. Philip would likely decide it on a case by case basis, with no hard and fast rule.
