PBS Boy Scout show blasted Group says taxpayers foot bill for pro-homosexual program
By Jon Dougherty
© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com
One of the nation's largest traditional-values organizations has called on Public Broadcasting Service affiliate television stations not to air what it calls a "biased" documentary that attacks the Boy Scouts of America's policy banning homosexuals.
The Culture and Family Institute, a division of Concerned Women For America, in a statement released yesterday, said the PBS-affiliated "Point of View" program's newest documentary, "Scout's Honor," was "produced by homosexual activist filmmaker Tom Shepard," and was set to be broadcast last night "to coincide with 'gay pride' celebrations this month."
The documentary follows four critics of the Scouts' policy banning homosexuals, "including teenager Steve Cozza," who helped found "Scouting for All," a group "that portrays religious opponents of homosexual activism as bigoted extremists," said CFI.
In particular, the Culture and Family Institute is concerned that the program, which was funded by the Independent Television Service – a PBS subsidiary – is presenting a biased pro-homosexual agenda using, in part, taxpayer funds that came from many Americans who support the Scouts' policy.
"It's bad enough that pro-homosexual liberals are bashing the Boy Scouts, but by offering this film, PBS is involving the taxpayers in the assault on the Scouts," said Peter LaBarbera, senior policy analyst with CFI.
The film's press release said the documentary "chronicles a modern interpretation of the scouting ideals of courage and honor," moving from Petaluma, Calif. "to the Supreme Court."
"'To be physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight' – this is the Boy Scout pledge. Since 1910, millions of boys have joined. But today, if you are openly gay, you can't," says the film's synopsis. "Witness how one remarkable 12-year-old Boy Scout named Steven Cozza launches a grassroots campaign to overturn the Boy Scouts' anti-gay policy," it adds.
Tom Epstein, vice president of communications for PBS, defended the film, saying "it presents a very sympathetic look at the Boy Scouts, generally."
The story "is told through the eyes of these two people who are deeply committed to the Boy Scouts and who care about the Boy Scouts, and have taken on the task of trying to get them to change their position on this issue."
Epstein said the film's critics "probably have not even seen it," adding that it was a "non-political story."
"It's very much a personal story," he said. He also said the Boy Scouts leadership "was provided an opportunity to comment" about the organization's policy on camera, "but they refused." However, he said Shepard did interview Boy Scout supporters who showed up at the Supreme Court when justices ruled last year that the organization could exclude homosexuals if it wanted because it was a private organization.
Regarding the use of taxpayer funds in the making of the film, Epstein said PBS' "mission is to present a wide range of points of view about topical issues. This series, 'POV,' is about that. There are always individual films that represent" the views of individual filmmakers.
"We think our job is to bring interesting stories to light and let viewers make up their own minds," he said, noting that tonight's show "is one hour out of 2,000 programming hours we fill each year."
In explaining why he decided to make the documentary, Shepard said, "The real hook for me … was an examination of what enables gay-straight alliances in contemporary society, that is, what happens when gay and straight people come together to advocate for civil rights."
"There have been a number of important documentary films about the experience of gay people within American institutions and the oppression they face. There are far fewer films that address what enables gay and straight people to come together to work for social change," he said.
The website for "Scout's Honor", the CFI statement said, "reveals the film's bias. It lists several homosexual activists on its board of advisers, including Kevin Jennings, the executive director of GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Jennings' organization promotes acceptance of homosexuality in schools, and is pressuring schools across the country to take action against the Scouts."
Though a private, non-profit company, PBS is funded, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which it lists as an "industry partner."
"Authorized by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation that oversees the growth of quality, taxpayer-supported public television and radio in the United States," according to information published on the PBS website. "CPB receives funding from the federal government, disperses it for the production of public radio and television programs, and distributes direct grants for the operations of public radio and television stations."
According to PBS's annual financial report, the entity received $43.7 million in "CPB and U.S. Department of Education Grants" in 2000. Funding for FY1997 was only $27.5 million, but nearly doubled to $41.5 million by FY1998.
Total revenues for FY2000 were $488.9 million. There are 347 PBS affiliate television stations nationwide. The company says it reaches 99 percent of U.S. homes that have televisions.
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