I honestly don’t know what’s sadder, that California has made it illegal for state judges from being Boy Scout leaders or that a law professor at a Catholic college is cheering them on.
The LA Times:
When the California Supreme Court voted last week to prohibit state judges from belonging to nonprofit youth organizations that practice discrimination, Julia Kelety was not surprised..
The issue, which had been roiling through the legal community for the last year, had triggered vigorous debate, giving Kelety, a Superior Court judge in San Diego County, time to prepare.
Committee chair for Boy Scout Troop 24, she has already begun to consider a successor before she begins dialing back her commitment to the 30 boys in her troop.
Although the court’s unanimous decision did not explicitly mention the Boy Scouts of America, there was little doubt that it was the intended target. The organization, which lifted its ban on openly gay boys younger than 18, still prohibits gay and lesbian adults from serving as staff or voluntary leaders.
“My hope is that the Boy Scouts will change its policy before the new rule is implemented next January,” Kelety said, “but whether they will be able to do it in a year, I don’t know. The organization relies on support from significant religious groups who have issues with gay leaders.”
Gerald Uelmen, a law professor at Santa Clara University, believes that the decision will increase the pressure on the Boy Scouts to change their policy.
“I’m proud to see the California Supreme Court following the moral example of the Walt Disney Co.,” Uelmen said, referring to Disney’s decision to cut funding to the Boy Scouts based on Scouting’s policy toward gays.
Why do Catholic colleges employ such people?
Uelman is most well known as one of the lawyers on OJ Simpson’s “Dream Team” of defense lawyers and is credited with originating the line, “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.” He’s also known as the lawyer who pushed for a right to “medical marijuana.” Yeah, I’m putting “medical marijuana” in quotes.
Santa Clara University must be so proud.
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