New Boys Scouts president Bill Gates would include openly gay Scoutmasters

Bill Gates, former Secretary of Defense and director of the CIA, is the newly elected president of the Boy Scouts of America.

In one of his first interviews as BSA president, Gates says he would have included openly gay adult Scoutmasters during the organizations debate on gay scouts. But now he says it would be too problematic to revisit the issue at this time.

Via Gay Star News:

‘I was prepared to go further than the decision that was made,’ Gates told the Associated Press the day after he was elected.

‘I would have supported having gay Scoutmasters, but at the same time, I fully accept the decision that was democratically arrived at by 1,500 volunteers from across the entire country.’

Gates went on to say he fears the contentious issue of gay scout leaders may cause bigger divisions within the BSA, and so he does not want to open up the gay debate again.

‘Given the strong feelings — the passion — involved on both sides of this matter, I believe strongly that to re-open the membership issue or try to take last year's decision to the next step would irreparably fracture and perhaps even provoke a formal, permanent split in this movement — with the high likelihood neither side would subsequently survive on its own’ he said.

During his time as Defense Secretary, Gates was instrumental in ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for US Armed Forces.