A petition drive to reinstate a Louisville Boy Scout leader who said he was forced to resign because he is gay has gathered more than 2,000 signatures. Greg Bourke, who had volunteered with the organization for five years, stepped down recently after the pastor at the church where his troop meets said the facility might lose its Scouting charter if he stayed.
A Boy Scouts policy enacted in 1991 and reaffirmed in July doesn't allow gays to join. Bourke said after the affirmation, he wrote to Boy Scout executives asking whether he was still welcome was told he didn't meet "scouting's membership standards."
The Courier-Journal reports the petition to reinstate him has gotten signatures from state Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, TV and radio personality Terry Meiners and several Eagle Scouts.