National Guard First Denies Then Allows Christian Scouting Group to Tour Facility, Citing Need to ‘Prevent Discrimination’
(Worthy News) - The Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has reversed course on its initial decision to ban a Christian scouting group from touring its training facility.
Troop PA-2717, part of the Trail Life USA alternative to Boy Scouts that, according to its website, teaches “timeless values derived from the Bible...set in the context of outdoor adventure,” originally requested to tour the National Guard facility in February before having its application denied in April.
“After researching the organization online, it was quickly discovered that the organization restricted membership to certain persons,” a National Guard spokesperson told Radio Host Todd Starnes, who investigated the matter.
“Army values and policy prevent discrimination against gender or sexual orientation within our ranks, which in turn led to the first-level reviewer denying the request,” the spokesperson elaborated of the Guard’s initial decision.
Trail Life was finally allowed to tour the facility, but only after contacting First Liberty Institute and the Independence Law Center, specializes in religious liberty cases, who penned a letter to the National Guard challenging it to abide by its First Amendment obligations and threatening legal action.