Obama Comes Out Against Boy Scouts' Ban on Gays

When it comes to gays and the Boy Scouts, President Obama and the youth organization he serves as honorary president have agreed to disagree. In an email sent to the AP after three weeks of staying mum on the Scouts' recently reaffirmed policy of excluding gays as members and adult leaders, the White House yesterday said Obama opposes the policy—but he has no plans to resign as honorary president. The president "opposes discrimination in all forms, and as such opposes this policy that discriminates on basis of sexual orientation," read the statement.

The Scouts said in a statement that they respect Obama's opinion and believe that "good people" can disagree on the subject and still work together to "accomplish the common good." Mitt Romney hasn't spoken publicly about the Boy Scouts' policy in recent days, but a campaign rep says he stands by comments he made in 1994: "I support the right of the Boy Scouts of America to decide what it wants to do on that issue. I feel that all people should be able to participate in the Boy Scouts regardless of their sexual orientation." (More Barack Obama stories.)