HSBC Bank -v- Boy Scouts

[Anonymous Poster]

Last month the HSBC bank in Auburn NY announced they would no longer be allowing the Boy Scouts to meet in the bank building because HSBC doesn't agree with the Scouts policy on homosexuals.
Today Cayuga County told HSBC they are closing all county accounts with HSBC and moving county money to another bank. The City of Auburn also announced if the bank follows thru and kicks the scouts out the city will be changing banks too.
The bank continues to say the Scouts must find another meeting place.

 

[RoyJackson]

Sounds like the bank is playing "chicken" right now. They'll lose...

The Supreme Court said the Boy Scouts don't have to admit gays...and since the Scouts are a private organization, they don't have to follow certain "affirmative action" (God, I hate that BS legislation!!) laws.

I go with the city and county on this one.

However, I think the Scouts policy is wrong (I'm Libertarian, not, repeat not, multicultural or "Politically Correct" (another despised term!!!).

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Cuts both ways doesn't it? Now we will see if "principle" or "profit" is more important to the bank.

PitbullMidwest
Eagle Scout with Bronze, Gold and Silver Palms

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Pitbull,

I think "political correctness" rather than "principal" is what they are standing on.

also an Eagle Scout,

 

[Wingnut]

I wonder who they're trying to impress? Are they trying to get rid of middle class customers and concentrate on the "others"? Seems somewhat strange to me as I keep seeing statistics on how the homosexual population is still a very small minority.
The United Way tried that here in Michigan ... and very quickly backed down when they discovered that they were going to lose more than half of their funding.
My United Way donations are earmarked for the Boy Scouts. And I vote with my wallet ... any business with an attitude like this bank's immediately loses my trade.

 

[Chuck52]

Bill & Wingnut,

Who knows? Maybe the officer of the bank who made the decision actually feels that the Boy Scouts are discriminatory. I recall when they Boy Scouts made their stand. I wasn't sure how I felt about it, though I have known many homosexuals over the years. I decided that as a private organization, it was their right. You can't legislate morality or even decency, though both our major political parties keep trying to push their own versions. Anyway, if the Boy Scouts, as a private organization, have the right to exclude homosexuals, it would seem the bank has the right to limit access to their facilities. If they do this and it costs them business, and they continue the policy, follow your own conscience. However, in that event they would seem to have their own principles as well.

Chuck

 

[gws]

The bank is within its right to make whatever rules they like, but So am I when it comes to where my money goes.

 

[looch]

Well said, Chuck.

 

[RoyJackson]

If they do this and it costs them business, and they continue the policy, follow your own conscience.

The bank, as any corporation, have a responsibility to their customers and stock holders.

If a decision such as this costs them business, the bank management are betraying both the customers and stock holders.
As long as they follow the law and ethical standards...well, their "principles" are secondary.

 

[Chuck52]

<font color=blue>If a decision such as this costs them business, the bank management are betraying both
the customers and stock holders. As long as they follow the law and ethical standards...well, their "principles" are secondary.</font color=blue>

True. Of course, it might also gain them some business. I personally wouldn't move my accounts based on this, either way, but then I'm not all that big a fan of the Boy Scouts anyway. I'm sure there are variations around the couintry, just like with various local branches of, for instance, the Red Cross. However, when I dealt with the local Boy Scout organisation as a scout leader a few years ago, I was struck by how much of a business it had become since I was a scout years ago. The local employees of the organisation seemed more interested in the business of scouting than in the spirit. As I say, I'm sure that varies with different locations, and this was long before the recent controversy about gays began. All that said, you should certainly respond to your own principles.

BTW, as I said earlier, I don't believe morality or decency can be effectively legislated. As an American, for instance, I believe I have the right to discriminate. I do not believe there should be laws to regulate what I can say or think, and that the latter is clearly ridiculous anyway. That said, I also believe in trying to treat people with the respect I would wish to receive, and that by so doing I will "legislate" my own behavior.

Chuck