Political Quotes

“I rise in support of the Helms amendment. Since 1910, for the past 91 years, the Boy Scouts of America have been instilling in young boys the values of personal responsibility, community, and duty to God, respect for individual beliefs, and patriotism. Millions of boys have become better citizens because of the availability of Scout troops in their communities. I respect the message of the Boy Scouts and respect their commitment to instilling these ethical and moral values in young boys. Unfortunately, there are some who do not respect the Boy Scouts' message. Some school boards are taking action to prevent the Boy Scouts from distributing recruitment information and holding meetings and not, as has been suggested, because some more appropriate group needs the space but because of what the Scouts believe. That is why I have chosen to speak today to voice my concerns regarding the discrimination the Boy Scouts are facing and to support the Helms amendment that will allow the good work of the Scouts to continue in schools. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Boy Scouts' first amendment right of association to create their own criteria for Scout leaders, even if that means prohibiting homosexual leaders in order to uphold its focus on strong moral values.”