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The Boy Scouts of America released a statement saying it will take action on the resolution at its national meeting in May to allow its millions of members to offer input on what has become a controversial matter.
Some White Plains residents, like Michele Edelstein, believe any bias against gay members or leaders is unfair.
“It’s too late,” she wrote on The White Plains Daily Voice Facebook page. “There view on gays is the reason I will never allow my son to join.”
While shopping Wednesday in White Plains, Hector Delgado told The Daily Voice he thinks no one should be excluded from the group.
“No matter the classification, you have to treat people as human beings,” he said.
A Daily Voice poll showed a majority of respondents believe the ban should be lifted, and a plurality believe local chapters shouldn't be allowed to continue refusing gay members. But more than 40 percent of respondents said the Boy Scouts of America has the right to maintain the policy.
Marc Andreo, Scout executive of the Westchester-Putnam Council of the Boy Scouts, could not say what lifting the ban would mean for the local troops until the council is notified of the discussion's outcome.
"We're aware of the ongoing discussion among the national leadership of the Boy Scouts of America regarding the national membership policy and are encouraged by the ongoing dialogue," Andreo wrote in an email. "Our goal has always been to provide the best youth leadership and development program with the best volunteer leadership to as many young people as possible."
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