As U.S. presidents approach the end or their term in office, questions always arise as to what their legacy will be.
For Barack Obama, his legacy will be subverting the rule of law. Mr. Obama disagrees with federal drug laws, so he simply hasn’t enforced them. Likewise with immigration, Mr. Obama disagrees with the law of the land and since he does not have the votes to change the law, he chooses to ignore it.
Some may suggest this is just politics as usual, but it is not. It is a deliberate effort to implement policy by personal preference rather than by the manner prescribed in the U.S. Constitution.
The example now being set from the White House is that if you don’t like the rules, ignore them.
This example is now being followed in society - including in one of America’s most honored, and honorable, organizations, the Boy Scouts of America.
The Boy Scouts have long had a rule against gay troop leaders. The gay lifestyle contradicts with the spiritual roots of the Boy Scouts and scouting by its very nature, puts young men in close proximity with others, including their troop leaders.
Despite the rule, the Greater New York Council of Boy Scouts, and others, have hired openly gay adults.
The president of the Boy Scouts of America, Robert Gates, who previously served as secretary of Defense and as director of the CIA, said he won’t ask his board to change the no gay Leaders policy. Instead, Mr. Gates will disregard the rules and not penalize any troop that breaks them.
At a national meeting of Boy Scouts of America this week, Mr. Gates even went so far as to say, “We must deal with the world as it is, not as we might wish it to be.” What kind of a message is that to give young men and future leaders? Don’t stand by your principles. Don’t try and improve the world. Simply accept the lowest common denominator. Mr. Gates’ comments are an embarrassment.
Mr. Gates doesn’t like the rules of a 105-year-old organization, but realizes trying to change those rules would tear the Boy Scouts apart. So he is applying the Obama doctrine. Don’t change the rules. Just ignore them and do whatever you want.
Nice legacy.
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