To: David R who wrote (204773 ) 11/26/2001 2:39:32 PM From: David R Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 769670 Homosexuals and the Scouts continued: First of all, there is a well-understood issue among all youth organizations and schools , that adults who are sexually interested in children and youth will seek out employment where children are easily accessible -- schools, youth groups, camps, Boy Scout troops and so on. So responsible youth organizations have traditionally been cautious in recruiting and hiring to screen out those who might pose a risk. But the two major homosexual activist education groups aggressively lobbying our nation's schools have experienced embarrassing incidents in the past year that reveal a shady side to their idea of "safe" leaders. In August 2000, the president of the Toledo chapter of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) who led an anti-Boy Scout rally there, turned out to be a convicted child molester. John Helmstreet, who admits to being a homosexual, had organized a protest in front of a Boy Scout council building. Helsmstreet confessed in 1992 to molesting a 10-year old boy. When asked if he thought the Scouts should exclude homosexuals, he did not respond. GLSEN was a co-sponsor of the protest.1 Helmstreet is still listed on the Toledo PFLAG web site as chapter chairman. That chapter meets ironically, in an Episcopal church. A school social worker who was a leader of the Chicago chapter of GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) was arrested last August in an Internet investigation. Dave P. Thomas of Chicago was charged with indecent solicitation of a child. The boy, who was identified as being between 13 and 16, had met with Thomas on many occasions for sex.