Rainier Beach Delegation to Chief Seattle Council

The delegation from Rainier Beach to the Chief Seattle Council's annual retreat was last week. We tried to deliver a packet that contained this cover letter. Unfortunately we weren't permitted to leave the information we'd brought, and not even 5 minutes were freed up on the agenda to hear our concerns.  Below is a copy of what was prepared but could not be delivered:

Seattle, WA 98118

TO: Members of Chief Seattle Council Board

DATE: 5/15/2014

RE: Status of Troop 98 and Pack 98

Dear Members of the Board and Guests,

This packet contains the original Charter of Troop 98, as well as the letters revoking my membership from the BSA, and the letter revoking the Charters of Troop 98 and Pack 98.

Also are included are letters from our elected officials, who unanimously express concerns over actions taken by National BSA as well as this Council. In those letters they urge you to be true to our obligations to each other, and to the values and virtues of Scouting. They urge you to reject the spirit of discrimination that that is so foreign to our beloved city, and to act to restore these Units fully intact back to our community.

I hope you will review this information and consider their request. Attached with this packet is an “Inclusive Scouting Knot.” This knot is earned by wearing it. Wear it with pride. More information about the badge can be found here: http://www.inclusivescouting.net/isa/

The youth in our community, as well as their parents, need to know that they can “Come out and Scout(™)” without concern their friends will not be able to participate fully with them, or that they will be criticized by their peers or coworkers for participating in an organization that fails to support and defend their LGBT friends (or themselves) fully.

We can all be fully proud of the work we do, and the involvement we have in the Scouting movement, as we provide an uncomplicated and full-throated defense of our own people. Let’s all of us stick up together for our Troop 98 and Pack 98 of the Thunderbird District, and for the idea that Rainier Beach United Methodist Church must determine appropriate adult leadership, and in so doing we stick up for all the gay kids and gay and lesbian adults we work and play with, who put in the long hours and share the joys and pains that bring so much to so many Scouts and Scouters in our town. Let us no longer require their silence.

Thank you for your time,

Yours in Scouting,

Geoffrey C. McGrath, MSW
RBUMC Youth Leader of Troop 98
Eagle Scout 1983


The Packet contains these documents:

Washington Governor Jay Inslee
Seattle's Mayor and all nine City Councilmembers
Rod Dembowski, King County Councilmember, District 1
King County Executive Dow Constantine
King County Councilman Dave Upthegrove
40 Washington State legislators
Washington State Congressional Delegation