Urgent and Timely Memo to the United Way Board of Directors

To:

David L. Cohen, Esq., Chair and 215-864-8900 and 8999 fax and cohendl@ballardspahr.com
Christine James Brown, President and CEO
And, to Members of the United Way SEPA Board
215-665-2500. 215-665-2601 and 2602 fax cjb@unwepa.com

From: Rita Addessa at 215-772-2001 and 2004 fax. www.op.net/plgtf and plgtf@op.net
Date: September 18 for September 19, 2000 Board Meeting
RE: Our Repeated Request to the United Way to Defund Discrimination, e.g. the Boy Scouts and any part thereof.

Executive Summary

While we appreciate the President and CEO’s willingness to share this note with you, the Task Force regrets that it has been denied the opportunity to appear before the Board to discuss our views, and that United Way has elected not to invite institutional leaders, both gay and non-gay, to discuss the Board’s soon decision re: its continued funding of the Boy Scouts of America and parts thereto. We remain willing to engage in public discourse about this matter [1].

In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in the matter of the BSA vs. James Dale, private corporations and United Way organizations across the country have determined that it is morally unconscionable to continue to fund the BSA’s legally sanctioned policy of bigotry toward and discrimination against gay youth and adults (see www.Lambdalegal.org for detailed information).

The Task Force agrees. It is our view that it is immoral to fund bigotry and discrimination, and further, that it is immoral to fund any part of a BSA related organization (e.g. "Learning for Life"). One can choose either to fund discrimination, in whole or in part, or not to fund discrimination, in whole or in part. One cannot do both [2].

Similarly, the BSA, which claims that it is a "private" organization, affirmed erroneously by the U.S. Supreme Court, cannot have it both ways. Private organizations which promote discrimination and by inference violence against an entire class of people (i.e., gay youth and adults) have no right to public funding, directly or indirectly.

We recommend that the United Way SEPA completely disassociate itself from the Boy Scouts of America and any part thereto, and that it cease to provide any form of succor, support, and funding for any part of the BSA organization or programs, directly or indirectly. We recommend that the United Way enforce its membership contract with the Boy Scouts inclusive of Section II. G and H re: non-discrimination and Section III. B and C re: termination and penalties.

We strongly recommend that the United Way attendant to its Fall 2000 campaign issue a clear public statement (1) affirming its own inclusive non-discrimination policy and membership contract requirements; (2) condemning the Boy Scouts and any organization that espouses bigotry; (3) affirming the value and integrity of all human beings, inclusive explicitly of lesbian and gay people as well as of bisexual and transgendered people; and (4) committing itself to funding our own underserved communities, an unfulfilled United Way promise; and (5) committing itself to increase funding for organizations that serve all youth and which do not discriminate and which do not espouse bigotry or prejudice towards other human beings (e.g. Girl Scouts; National 4-H Council; Girls and Boy Clubs).

If the United Way fails to disassociate itself from the BSA, and, in contrast, decides to fund the BSA or any part thereto, it will have betrayed its public trust and, in concert, contributed unambiguously to an environment in which gay men and lesbian women are three times more likely to experience criminal victimization than USA adults overall and in which one of every two gay and lesbian people experience discrimination in employment, housing, and in public accommodations [3].

This is a time when the United Way must decide, clearly and publicly, whose side it is on.

Notes:

[1]. Plgtf began negotiations with United Way leadership in 1989 about this matter, continuing in 1992-3 and resuming in 1994-5. Please see your correspondence files.

The Task Force has also provided detailed analysis of the United Way’s extraordinarily generous giving to discriminatory organizations (e.g. one-half million dollars to the Boy Scouts and millions of dollars to the Catholic Archdiocese) in contrast to its non-funding of the Lesbian and Gay Task Force, and other gay focused organizations.

[2]. An analogy may help here. In the 1950’s the local Boy Scouts maintained race-segregated Boy Scout camps. The objective: to maintain white supremacy which reflected the USA government’s official policy, now unofficial. Organizations that funded the BSA funded racism. In the instant case, the BSA exclusion of gay youth and gay adults is intended to sustain heterosexual supremacy, similarly the USA’s official policy, with exception. Organizations that fund BSA fund heterosexism and homophobia. It is not possible to fund part of an organization or associated organizations without supporting the national organization’s official discrimination policy.

[3]. See, the Plgtf Year 2000 Study of Discrimination and Violence Against Lesbian and Gay People in the City of Philadelphia and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Larry Gross, Ph.D.) The study can be found on our web site at www.op.net/plgtf

Relevant Documents:

1. A legally binding membership agreement and contract between the United Way and BSA (II.G, H re: discrimination and III.B and C re: termination and penalties for non-compliance)

2. The Philadelphia Human Relations Act, as amended, September 9, 1982 inclusive of sexual orientation

3. Useful Web site: www.lambdalegal.org and www.op.net/plgtf