Boy Scouts of America to vote on gay scout resolution

IRVING, Texas, May 22 (UPI) -- Backers of a resolution to allow openly gay youth to join Boy Scouts of America vow to continue to fight even if they lose this week's vote.

Zach Wahls, founder of Scouts for Equality, told The Dallas Morning News his members want "to make the BSA the strongest it can be." "Scouts for Equality will continue its efforts until discrimination is no longer a word associated with the BSA," Wahls said.

More than 1,460 BSA delegates gather in Grapevine, Texas, Thursday to vote on a resolution allowing gay youth to participate in scouting.

Resolution supporters included BSA's national leadership.

President Wayne Perry, a Seattle businessman, said all children belong in scouting.

Opponents charge if the resolution passes conservative families will pull their sons out of the organization.

"The BSA's own study shows that they will lose 200,000 to 400,000 kids," said John Sternberger, an Orlando, Fla., lawyer and Eagle Scout who is leading the fight to defeat the resolution.