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T
he United Way o f the Colum-
bia-Willamette voted Oct. 20
to maintain its current stance
with regard to nondiscrimina­
tion policies at its agency partners.
Although this means the Boy Scouts of
America Cascade Pacific Council will con­
tinue to receive funding, the nonprofit did
not vote on the ongoing controversy
involving the Scouts, as reported by many
Portland journalists. T h e votes simply
upheld standing policies.
T he U nited Way came under fire last
summer when, after the U .S . Supreme
Court upheld the Boy Scouts’ right to dis­
criminate against gay men, it threatened to
pull its financial support of the Scouts. The
agency received hundreds o f complaints
from people threatening to pull their sup-
funding— leading to the policy review and
subsequent vote.
G reg Jackson
Stacey Graham, United Way communi­
U nited Way board member Maria Rojo de
cations vice president, said the board never heard
Steffey, former chief o f staff to City Com m is­
a motion or took a vote specifically about the Boy
sioner
Dan Saltzman, resigned in protest after
Scouts. It discussed policies that would be utilized
the vote. Sh e initially raised the issue of dis­
to address the Boy Scouts controversy and future
crimination and her disapproval o f the Scouts’
issues that might result in similar questions.
policy. R ojo de Steffey was on vacation and
A 1984 policy established that the United
could not be reached by Just O ut for comment.
Way would not attempt to “resolve differences
of opinion as to the moral standards o f the com ­
Saltzman said Sept. 26 that he supports with­
drawing
U nited Way funds from the Boy Scouts.
munity.” Graham said this policy was upheld by
a majority vote during the closed board meeting.
“C ivil rights is not a menu approach,” he said.
She said the United Way cannot weigh in on
Saltzman said if the U nited Way could not
every social and moral issue because it ultim ate­
resolve the issue, he would consider approach­
ly would divide the base support it enjoys and
ing the C ity C ouncil about rem oving the
wouldn’t be in keeping with its mission state­
agency ffom the city’s planned giving program.
ment: “Helping people, changing lives, making
G raham said the voting was not taken light­
every contribution count.”
ly. T he board members agonized over the issue
According to a press release, the agency’s
but remained focused on the agency’s mission
goal is to bring the community together regard­ despite their personal opinions, she said.
less of individual values or opinions and to help
U nder current policy, the U nited Way is able
people in need. It thinks this best can be accom ­
to contribute money to organizations that dis­
plished by maintaining a neutral position on
criminate, G raham said. Under federal law, the
divisive community issues.
only protected class in delivery of human serv­
Som e wonder how the gay and lesbian com ­
ices are the disabled.
munity became a value or an opinion. M ult­
T he U nited Way does have a nondiscrimi­
nomah County Chair Bev Stein, who sits on the
nation policy that includes sexual orientation
United Way board o f directors, said she doesn’t
for its board, staff and volunteers. Graham said
see sexual orientation as a moral issue but a civil
the agency is against discrimination but doesn’t
rights issue. “I was extremely disappointed with
require its partners to have such policies.
the position the U nited Way took.”
However, she expects the agency soon will
Stein did not attend the meeting in which
send letters to its member agencies and funded
the vote was taken because she was on vacation.
recipients urging them to adopt a nondiscrimi­
She disagrees with board members who insist
nation policy that includes sexual orientation.
the decision wasn’t based on money. “There is a
The decision to do so also was voted on during
severe concern to losing money,” she said.
the Oct. 20 meeting, reaffirming a policy adopt­
Although Stein is sympathetic about a possi­
ed in 1992.
ble financial loss, she thinks the agency made
T he U nited Way’s donor-directed giving
the wrong choice. But she doesn’t think the
program, in which supporters can determine
issue is over.
who will receive their money, had 83,000
“The decision will go the other way,” Stein
donors who supported the needs o f more than
said. “ It is just a matter o f time.”
450,000 people in 1999. T he agency, the Boy
Greg Jackson, a former Eagle Scout and a gay
Scouts’ largest donor, contributes more than
man, called the United Way’s decisions weak.
$250,000 annually to the group.
He said if any other minority was at the center
Nationally, 19 United Way chapters have dis­
of this issue, people would be outraged.
crimination policies that have affected their fund­
Jackson hopes people will contact the U n it­
ing to the Scouts. Six of those chapters adopted
ed Way to express their disapproval. Beyond
policies after the Supreme Court ruling.
that, he said, he encourages people to vote with
their pocketbook.
“A s a member of this community, I speak out
To reach the U n ited W ay OF THE COLUMBIA-
against the board’s lack of courage to send a
W illa m ette , call 503-228-9131.
clear message that discrimination, for everyone,
To reach the B oy S c o u t s OF AMERICA
will not be tolerated,” Jackson wrote in an Ore­ C a sc a d e P a c ific C o u n c il , call 503-2 28-9131 .
gonian guest editorial Oct. 26.
jn