Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton is the latest Orange County leader opposing a merger of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA with the YMCA of the Triangle over the latter’s policies on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

In a post on his Facebook page, Chilton concedes the local YMCA could benefit from the Triangle Y’s financial support but says that’s not worth aligning with an agency that does not treat gay members and employees the same as everyone else.

“You need to hear this: You are poised to make a really big mistake,” he writes.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA voted Dec. 14 to form a committee to discuss how and if the two organizations could share resources. One option is a management services agreement in which the YMCA of the Triangle would run the local one. Another is merging into one organization.

If the two merge, a decision board members say is still a long way off, the local YMCA would have to adopt the YMCA of the Triangle’s anti-discrimination policies which do not specifically protect members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Here's a look at today's local headlines. (Remember, for the latest on Hurricane Irene, see today's News & Observer and www.newsobserver.com)

BOY SCOUTS FIND NEW HOME: A local Scout troop will begin meeting at the American Legion Post next month after the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA broke ties over the Scouts ban on gay leaders and members.

COUNTY RESTARTS LIBRARY SEARCH: The Orange County commissioners may consider a site farther down on Hillsborough Road after rejecting the one close to downtown because of increasing costs.

LOVE IT OR HATE IT: We asked you what you think of "The Help," the come from behind story of black maids and more during the Jim Crow South and your letters are still coming in (got one already this morning). Read Carlton Koonce's story and our special commentary section today.

Lucas Selvidge starts a fire, Michelle Brooke kicks up a storm and associate editor Dave Hart takes on judgment calls in today's editorial about recent letters on the Scouts situation. We appreciate your feedback. Thanks for reading,

Mark       

A Chapel Hill Boy Scouts troop has found a new sponsor after losing its home over the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gay Scout leaders and members.

Troop 505 will move into the American Legion Post 6 on Legion Road next month, post commander Lee Heavlin said.

The troop had been asked the leave the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA center in Meadowmont after the YMCA board voted to extend its nondiscrimination policy to groups that use its space. The YMCA policy protects gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees and members.

The Boy Scouts had another year to find a new location, but the Legion Post’s offer was too good to pass up, said Scoutmaster Robert West.

“I can’t imagine a better experience than to have our boys surrounded by true American heroes as part of their mentoring experience,” West said. “It will be magical.”

Read the full version of this story Sunday in The Chapel Hill News and at www.chapelhillnews.com.
 

A reader, Sarah Lowry, says two letters about the YMCA and the Boy Scouts  in today's Chapel Hill News cross the line into "hateful rhetoric."

"I urge you to stop printing these letters,' she writes. "These types of letters can not be addressed by replies from other readers. There is a profound difference between presenting differing points of view and unthinkingly printing bigoted, hateful letters as though they are legitimate opinions of value in a civil forum. I support a right to freedom of speech and expression, but there is no right that guarantees space for the spewing of hateful rhetoric in the opinion pages of any newspaper."

Both letters responded to Molly De Marco's recent guest colum that said the Boy Scouts should adapt to the times and adopt inclusive policies like the Girls Scouts, who admit lesbian Scouts and Scout leaders.

"I would remind Ms. De Marco that the passage of time has no relation to the moral law," writes Alan Culton (full letter here). "Hitting an old lady over the head and taking her shopping bag was known to be a bad thing to do ten thousand years ago. If my wife caught me cheating I would not suggest to her that she adapt to the times - she would hit me over the head."

Tom Evans writes: "Why do LGBTQ's think that everyone should accommodate them? Is this self-justification of a defective "lifestyle"? Is it symptomatic of the dysfunctional mental processes plaguing this community? Who knows and who cares? Believe what you want, but keep it to yourselves and stop trying to bend everyone to the LGBTQ philosophy." (see full letter here.)

We have printed a dozen letters since the Y's decision to sever its relationship with the Boy Scouts over its opposition to gay members and leaders. (See original story here.) I don't think today's letters constitute hate speech, though they may offend some readers. I do think they show what some people in our community think about a controversial decision. What do you think?  

We continue to get letters regarding the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA's decision to end a relationship with the local Boy Scouts over the Scouts prohibition on gay and lesbians in leadership positions. Below are excerpts from two letters appearing in this coming Wednesday's Chapel Hill News.

Tell us what you think at editor@nando.com or below. Remember we must have your name and town or township of residence to consider your responses for the print edition. Thanks.

Reader Roger Gorman writes

"I agree mostly with [previous letter writers] that the ordinary boy joining the Boys Scouts is not in any significant danger of being led into a life of prejudice." 

"I was a scout in 1936. The problem does not come from the street-level attitude of the BSA, but rather from the top down, where scouts who believe in GOD and are suspicious of alternative lifestyles are somehow better than those who do not, or are not quite sure."

"The top leaders of the BSA prefer adherence to creeds which are by no means universal – theocracy vs no-theocracy, social purity vs open acceptance. If the BSA wants to be absolute, then it must accept the view of those who are less absolute."

Reader Earl Chesson writes:

My wife, Margaret, and I support the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA non-discrimination policy. As a prior board member and parent of a wonderful gay son, I support the CHCYMCA’s welcome openness to all.  All my children benefited from Y programs for many years. I cannot understate the importance to us of the nondiscrimination policy.

"We are glad that the CHCYMCA is standing up for this nondiscrimination policy as it makes a clear statement, particularly to our youth, that all people deserve to be  treated equally, regardless of their minority sexual orientation or gender identification. The nondiscrimination policy is the backbone of the YMCA’s mission for creating the nurturing environment for everyone, regardless of differences."
 

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA has sent the local Boy Scouts packing over the Scouts' prohibiting gay members from serving in leadership posts. The action, which will require the Scouts to leave the YMCA in a year, comes amid concern from local elected officials and others about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members and employees in a possible future merger with the Triangle Y.

Read staff writer Lana Douglas' story here, and tell us what you think. Did the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA do the right thing?  Or do you disagree with the local YMCA's decision.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA has released a statement saying it will seek to protect the the gay community as it considers a merger with the Y of the Triangle.

In recent weeks, members of the Chapel Hill Town Council and Carrboro Board of Aldermen have raised concern about how a merger might affect LGBT members and employees because the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA treats sexual orientation like other protected characteristics and the Y of the Triangle does not.

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen passed a resolution June 14 urging the local YMCA not to merge "unless the YMCA of the Triangle passes a non-discrimination policy which includes sexual orientation and implements a new appropriate membership policy."

In a press release the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA board of directors says it is talking about a future merger with the much larger Y in order to improve its current facilities and expand and improve services in Orange and Chatham counties.