Boy Scouts' sex abuse blacklist reveals decades of coverups

[MineralMan]

LOS ANGELES -- Over two decades, the Boy Scouts of America failed to report hundreds of alleged child molesters to police and often hid the allegations from parents and the public.

A Los Angeles Times review of 1,600 confidential files dating from 1970 to 1991 has found that Scouting officials frequently urged admitted offenders to resign quietly -- and helped many cover their tracks.

Volunteers and employees suspected of abuse were allowed to leave, citing bogus reasons such as business demands, "chronic brain dysfunction" and duties at a Shakespeare festival.

The details are contained in the organization's confidential "perversion files," a blacklist of alleged molesters, that the Scouts have used internally since 1919. Scouts' lawyers around the country have been fighting in court to keep the files from public view.

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_21559265/boy-scouts-sex-abuse-blacklist-reveals-decades-coverups?source=rss

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I woke up to this in my morning newspaper. There has been talk of these cover ups for a long time, but this report makes it pretty clear that systematic cover ups of sexual abuse was a norm for BSA officials. When will people learn that covering up such behavior is tantamount to encouraging it? First, it was the Roman Catholic Church that was exposed for hiding the truth about sexual molestation by priests. Now, the Boy Scout leadership has apparently done the same thing.

Apparently, shunning of atheists and gay scouting participants isn't enough for this organization. Now they've added shielding sex abusers to the list of noxious behaviors that are apparently deeply ingrained in the organization. I hope the light of day shines brightly on their failure to protect the very people they encourage to join.

[bullwinkle428]

1. Wow, it's almost like they've been taking lessons from the Catholic Church hierarchy!

[MineralMan]

2. They may also have independently developed

the idea that the organization is more important than its mission of serving boys. It's certain not an uncommon idea. Protecting themselves, rather than the people they serve, seems to be endemic in many organizations. It is particularly shameful when it involves sexual abuse of children, though.

Let's see people try to defend this. I'm sure some will.

[riderinthestorm]

3. Let me get this straight: gay and atheist scout leaders - bad! Pedophile scout leaders - good!

Despicable organization.

[MineralMan]

4. That seems to be their idea.

In reality, I don't think they actively encourage sexual abuse. But, when it occurs, they shuffle the abusers off and hide the fact that the abuse exists. That seems to be something that happens far too often in organizations that serve children. It's never surprising that pedophiles seek out such organizations as a way to access their victims. What should be surprising, but isn't, is that such organizations try to protect themselves more effectively than they try to protect the victims. That is the mark of a corrupt, self-serving organization.

Now, we are finding out about it, and the very same organizations are attempting to squash the revealing of that information.

The BSA is corrupt, self-serving, and is not adequately protecting the children they serve. Instead, they chose to protect the abusers. In my opinion, a number of people should be facing prison sentences.

[jsr]

5. What happened to the "Duty to God" stuff

[MineralMan]

6. Yah, that's a very good question, isn't it?

Apparently, the duty is more toward their fellow scout leaders and toward protecting them from prosecution. The boys? Well, they're just boys, so they'll "get over it."

Lots of people pledge to God when it benefits them, but forget their pledge when the pledge is inconvenient. But, you see, they can be forgiven for their misdeeds, after the fact, so it's OK.