This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

BSA Bike Journey to Drop Restrictions on Gays: D+3: A Scout is Loyal

Dave McGrath and son Joe are on a 1,800-mile journey from home in Idaho to Boy Scouts of America national meeting in Irving, TX to show support for allowing gays to participate in scouting.

 

"A Scout is Loyal." The second of the scout Laws. I've always said that our founding principles should guide our every action. The Boy Scouts of America's policy to discriminate against gay youths and adults is not part of our founding principles.

That policy was established first by secret memorandum at BSA headquarters authored by their corporate lawyer and their public relations front man. In 1978. When I as a 13-year-old scout. Thirteen years later - in 1991 - BSA HQs published a full-throated policy against gay boys and adults. Did they consult you when they did this? They didn't consult me - and I was a scoutmaster at a Mormon troop in Lakewood, WA.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I was also serving in the Army at the time. After publishing this rule Fort Lewis responded by rescinding permission for the Boy Scouts to use training facilities (e.g. the confidence course, shooting ranges, obstacle courses and parade grounds) on account of the discrimination policy.

This was an example of the private right to discriminate colliding with the public rights of individuals to not be faced with discrimination within the public sphere.You see? Discrimination works both ways: Discriminate in private, you will be forced out of the public sphere. Discrimination is not welcome in our America.

Find out what's happening in Los Gatoswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I was embarrassed as a scouter. All of a sudden we were not welcome on our traditional stomping grounds. I was ashamed of our corporate policy of discrimination.

I talked it over with my gay identical twin brother - fellow Eagle Scout Geoff McGrath. I told him I felt so strongly about the policy that I wanted to renounce my association with the BSA and burn my Eagle Scout card as a protest. My gay twin calmed me down. "Dave," he said, "Don't do something you'll regret. You have two sons now. Scouting at its best is an opportunity for fathers and sons to get together to go camping. Don't ruin that for yourself."

I remained a scoutmaster for another 10 years. Until 2000 when the BSA doubled down on its policy of discrimination and declared for the first time they were a "private" organization before the Supreme Court in the Dale v. BSA 2000 court case.

That was the last straw. I went from 100 mph as a scoutmaster to zero. I brought all our activities to a complete close and handed off responsibilities to a friend who took the reigns. Our troop had climbed the Grand Teton three times, circumnavigated Yellowstone Lake in cedar strip canoes we built in my garage (the forms are still hanging from the ceiling if any of you want to borrow them). We were a High Adventure Troop. Our troop hasn't climbed the Grand since. My oldest boy was just turning 12.

All my sons were scouts: cubs, webelos, scouts. Several of them attended Cedar Badge and are known as "Cedar Badge Boys." None of them stuck with it to become Eagles. You see, they had a problem with the BSA policy of discrimination against gay boys, knowing that my oldest son was gay, and knowing their beloved uncles Geoff and Mike were gay. Our troop remained loyal: they always reached back and constantly invited my sons - even the gay ones - to participate. Eventually, however, none of the boys could make it work in their own minds.

Loyalty. Our local troops were loyal - they reached back and constantly re-extend the hand of fellowship. BSA National? What have you done for my family lately?

Notes on the Ride through Salt Lake City

Joe and I have ridden 300 miles in three days packing 100 pounds of gear apiece. Joe woke up this morning pretty sore. I woke up with chapped lips. I’m glad that’s the only thing chapped! Two days ago Joe and I blogged from Snowville, UT. We paused for a couple hour recharge – we recharged batteries and bellies. Truck stop pizza never tasted so good!

We left Snowville under beautiful, sunny skies and warm temperatures. There is a long hill pulling eastward out of town and we got our first taste of riding the Interstate. After passing over Rattlesnake Pass we left the Interstate headed towards the Alliant Technologies (formerly Morton Thiokol) Rocket Center and the Golden Spike Railroad Memorial. Beautiful, hilly riding. Mostly light tailwinds. Perfect riding conditions Finally, we made it to the northern shores of the Great Salt Lake.

Salt marshes. Sandhill cranes, turns and pipers. Pelicans, geese, ducks, hawks. We actually saw a red tailed hawk take prey right in front of us – it came down unexpectedly from overhead and startled me.After we hit the Great Salt Lake we bore due East. Storm clouds over the Wasatch Front.  I got some pictures of birds, a portrait of Joe with the snow-capped Rockies behind him and the setting sun throwing beauty all around.

We looked ahead. I commented to Joe that we’d better pick up the pace – to see if we could get past the rain gusher coming in fast from the north. Then …  it hit us. It wasn't rain. It was dirt. We saw a farmer’s field get picked up whole from wind. And then dumped entire into our ears.  Two days later I am still cleaning the dirt out of our ears. I’m just glad it wasn't a dairy farm.

We met wind advisory winds: “Winds steady above 35 mph, with gusts to 50.” We met them head on. Those gusts were above 50. Cars pulled over. Visibility went to 50 feet or less. Joe and I exercised our emergency protocol and went to ground.

Wasatch was going to be tougher than we expected. We waited out the brunt of the storm and considered our options. We decided to protect our eyes, and carry on. We made it to Brigham City. And called for help. Wifey and son were coming down to link up with my brother, sister, and father who were flying in the next day to join us on the Salt Lake City Tour. Brother, sister and father thought they were going to surprise me … but it’s hard to keep secrets on Facebook and GPS latitude. This is electronic scouting. Don’t you forget it!

We spent the night with David and Jeffery (funny that – my twin and I are David and Geoffrey!). They are a gay couple. They met on the Internet. The same year I met my wife. They are a lovely family. I hope you all get to know gay families. Their family blessed ours by taking care of us.

Salt Lake City

Saturday morning dawned very windy with variable skies. The wind advisory was in effect through 10 a.m. Joe and I started out together. We needed a break so mom took our packs and trailer in the car. Into the teeth of the Wind blowing out of the Ogden Canyon. Joe didn’t last: he needed the ballast of the weight of the trailer. He was literally blown off the road. We called for help, he got picked up, and I pushed ahead. 

We had a schedule to keep.

We met up in Farmington – at the trailhead for the Legacy Bike Trail. Wow! Did you know Salt Lake City has one of the most extensive and modern bike paths in the country? Just like clockwork, the wind died down. I had my trusty trailer again, and rode like the wind into Salt Lake City.

Flashmob

I’d called ahead and linked up with cadres and friends. We wanted to host a parade – but it turns out you need two weeks’ notice to get a parade permit. Downsizing our plan, and with late notice, the Salt Lake City cadres organized a flashmob. We agreed to meet-up at 12 noon on the dot. That meant  ensuring prior coordination happened: I knew my twin brother Geoff would be there. We arranged to meet at Constitution Park to switch from riding gear to our Boy Scout uniforms. There I was “surprised” by my dad, and sister. Didn’t I tell you Scouts are always looking ahead?

It was great to be joined by family. I thought my heart was going to explode. What would it feel like if you were gay and had been abandoned by your family or friends? I know gay people who have been. We rode together to the Salt Lake City Temple Square. I rode to give a statement. I rode to help the Church sing a new song. I had my cherry-red kazoo. But my friends handed me my fiddle instead.

After calling out institutions in the land which support discrimination. After calling them out and pointing out that their policies enable children to bully other children. After pointing out that our laws are good – but some of our policies need adjustment and that the very City of Salt Lake itself had just recently passed a comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance, that it was time for other institutions to follow suit.

I put down my kazoo. I picked up my fiddle. I played a new song: “Amazing Grace.” Have you heard it? ABC News, Fox News and the Salt Lake Tribune were there. I’ll provide links when I find them.

Our team then rode to the Salt Lake City Pride Center – a local LGBT support center with extensive services. The staff gave us a tour. I was struck by this fact: SLC has a large number of homeless gay youth. They believe this is so because if you are gay and come out to your foster parents, they force you out of the house. This is made worse by the fact that gay couples cannot adopt in Utah.  I am carrying unbearable sadness.

Salt Lake to Ogden

Did I tell you my sister and wifey rode a tandem into SLC with us? And my youngest son? There was no way they were going to keep up with us headed south along the Jordan River Trail. So we kissed them and our friends the Leecaster family goodbye, and our friend Alan Sumnall (my brother’s roommate from BYU days) guided us at a fast clip through the twists and turns of the Jordan Trail. Alan, my dad, my twin, and my son all rode along. I can say we have truly crossed over the river Jordan about 40 times.

Plans for Today

Joe and I will pull up and out of the Provo Canyon today. Joe is sore. I tried to shake him yesterday stretching out the legs and sprinting, but he hung like a tick. Towards the end, I was following him – he was drafting. Brother was in good shape. Between the five of us, we got five flats.

Mom has agreed to pull Joe’s pack to the top of the Canyon.  Joe has options: he could head back home to go get a car, or stay with me on the trail. He opted to stay. We’ll continue without support across Utah and northern Colorado. We need to take a couple of lighter days to recover from the mad dash from home to here. If we are late pulling into Laramie, we’ve made arrangements for either wifey or a cadre to reach back and pull us forward. Schedules … they are a relentless, merciless thing. We’ve kept our time on targets to this point … but we’ll need help later.

Be prepared ... for rain! Peace.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?