Keeping with recent tradition, the American Legion continues to defend not only the bigotry of the Boy Scouts of America, but also the ability of the government to support that bigotry.

According to a Press Release:

"As the leader of the 2.7 million American veterans who proudly claim membership in The American Legion, I am calling upon you and your colleagues to place your immediate and fullest influence behind efforts to stem the attacks on the Boy Scouts of America and amend Title 42 to stop the cash flow to the ACLU in its tracks," [National American Legion Commander Thomas P. Cadmus] wrote.

"The courts are awarding the ACLU millions of dollars in taxpayer paid 'attorney fees awards' authorized under the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S. Code Section 1988," Cadmus added. "While the law was written with good intentions - to ensure legitimate victims of civil rights violations could obtain representation - it has been exploited by the ACLU in First Amendment 'establishment of religion clause' cases. ACLU profits from these cases at taxpayer expense. Title 42 must be amended to preclude this abuse."

It should be noted that Cadmus doesn't explain why it's OK that attorney's fees be awarded in cases of racial discrimination by the government, but not in cases where the government violates the Constitution's provisions on religion. It could be that he doesn't realize that he should support his claims, which doesn't speak well of his intelligence; it could be that he knows he can't support his claim and doesn't want that to be know, which doesn't speak well about his honesty. Either way, Cadmus comes out looking far worse than if he had simply refrained from defending bigotry and prejudice.

"As more Americans learn the ACLU adds insult to injury by collecting taxpayer dollars in the process of attacking the moral values of our nation, there will be a groundswell of 'We the People' united to stop this practice dead in its tracks," Cadmus said.

Let's be perfectly clear here: those "moral values" that "Commander" Cadmus is promoting is the discrimination against atheists and gays because they can't be "morally straight" or the "best kinds of citizens." If the discrimination were against Jews or Asians, the hateful bigotry of the position would be obvious, but in America bigotry towards gays and atheists continues to be accepted — even among veterans who like to style themselves as defenders of liberty, despite their vicious attacks on civil rights and equality.

Read More:

• Separation of Church and State 101
• Church and State News
• Boy Scouts of America
• Secularism 101