ILP 2 - Current Event

Michael Walsh

ILP 2

The second ILP is a small project of researching a current news event on Google News. First I went to Google News and reflected on all the current news topics, however I was specifically looking for something with exigence, or an urgent problem that demands a response.  Thus, I didn’t use any keywords, just paged through the most recent of news stories. I found a very recent article regarding the Boy Scouts of America and their policy on homosexuality.  The Boy Scouts are currently do not allow gay members or leaders however this new policy would reverse that old policy. The article seems to accurately describe both perspectives views on the issue however the article is written based on the movement to allow homosexuals into the Boy Scouts. Thus, it provides numerous statements from gay advocates that believe they should be allowed to join. Deron Smith an executive for the Boy Scouts of America released a statement, "Currently, the BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation,” (Hill 1) thus they are considering the movement which began in 2000. However, the article also points out the fundamental beliefs that the Boy Scouts of America were founded upon, mainly the “duty to God” (Hill 1). This principle therefore addresses the situation because they (The Boy Scouts of America) were founded to serve God, in addition to other things, however shows a key aspect of membership. Therefore this also bans atheists from becoming members of the Boy Scouts. This idea of religious based beliefs presents a correlation between gay rights in the Boy Scouts and the stance on the beliefs in the Church. The article also shows how the situation depends on the National Council and not individual Boy Scout troops, as this situation takes place in my hometown of Philadelphia, thus the ruling will have national influence. The article describes both sides on the topic however the article would be completely different if written based off one side’s views. For example, if it was written from a conservative’s point of view, who protested the movement to keep the active policy it would drastically change. All of the information would be negative to the new policies reflecting upon the core beliefs the Boy Scouts were established on. Therefore, the audience reading the article would have a skewed perspective on the matter. This could cause a chain reaction leading to a change on the exigence of the piece, leading the audience to believe there isn’t a urgent problem that needs to be resolved. However, an interesting aspect of the article is a quote from a former Eagle Scout – the highest honor in the Boy Scouts of America, who was gay and turned in his badge after learning about the policy. Thomas Ferrai said, "I believe it's a step in the right direction, I still strongly believe in the program” (Hill 1). I thought this was a unique perspective that encouraged the movement to change the problem. This could affect the readers to believe the policy should be changed. In response to my research methods I wouldn’t change what I did because I found an interesting topic with exigence that demanded assessment and allowed myself to create a view on the topic. I believe that article was a good informative article because it presented both sides of the argument without bias that allows the reader to interpret the information and create their own beliefs on the subject.

Hill, Miriam. "Boy Scouts May Reverse Policy, Allow Gays." Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia Inquirer, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 29 Jan. 2013.