This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Re "Boy Scouts' decision on gay members pushed to May" (Tribune, Feb. 7):

As a boy, I participated in the Scouting program and benefited from what it offered. It wasn't only about first aid, building a camp fire and merit badges. The underlying goal was building character and becoming better citizens through community service projects, looking out for others and learning responsibility.

The Scout Law encourages Scouts to be "trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent." To be relevant in today's world, it would help to add "tolerant" and "non-judgmental" to the Scout Law.

Discriminating against others, for whatever reason, seems counter to all that the Scout spirit represents.

I applaud the Boy Scouts of America for considering that excluding others sends a negative message to their young men and is not in the best interest of the future of their organization.

Bill Laursen

Sandy