Win Mcnamee / Getty Images

With the Boy Scouts of America set to vote on a policy that would allow openly gay youths to participate, activists ramp up the volume on their protests.

After years of emotional debate, the Boy Scouts of America are considering a proposal at their annual meeting to allow gay youths to participate openly in the popular organization for the first time.

The exclusion of gay Scouts has been the subject of much wrangling and soul searching in the century-old organization -- from local troops and councils to online petitions to national board meetings. The dispute was even heard by the Supreme Court, which said 13 years ago that as a private membership organization the BSA was free to decide who it would admit.

Here is a rundown of what is at stake in the vote, which is scheduled to take place Thursday among the 1,400 delegates of the National Council gathered in Grapevine, Texas.

What would the new membership policy look like?

The proposal would lift the organization’s ban on openly gay youth participants, but it would continue to bar gay adults from being Scout leaders.

Subject to gut-wrenching debate over morality and rights, the proposal would impact more than 100,000 scouting units, such as Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops, that involve nearly 3 million youths and more than 1 million adults. Generations of Scouts have weighed in on the issue in private and in public, with partisans on both sides threatening to withdraw from participating depending on how it is resolved.

Why is the scouting organization considering this change now?

BSA leaders won’t say exactly why now, but more than a decade after the Supreme Court said the organization was on solid legal ground in excluding gays, the debate quite simply won’t go away. Last summer, the Boy Scouts reaffirmed their anti-gay policy, after a two-year examination by a committee. Since then, some local chapters have been pushing for a reconsideration.

Meanwhile issues related to gay rights -- such as gay marriage and adoption -- are gaining wider public acceptance, and lobbying campaigns by Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian who was ousted from her role as den mother last year, and Zach Wahls, an Eagle Scout who was raised by two lesbian mothers, kept the debate in the public eye. Activists have also pressured corporate sponsors, many of which have non-discrimination clauses tied to their giving, to withdraw funding unless the policy is changed.

Stephen B. Thornton / Stephen B. Thornton for NBC News

Pack 215 Cub Scouts recite the Pledge of Allegiance at their pack meeting at Eagle Heights Baptist Church on Tuesday in Harrison, Ark. The church's pastor has said it will not stay on as sponsor if the policy is changed.

Who is for the proposal, and who is against?

It’s unclear exactly how many scouts and councils -- which oversee the scouting units -- are on each side of the debate, and we’ll have to wait for the results of the secret ballot to see which side is victorious. Some councils have publicly said they will not continue if gay youths are allowed, while others have called for gay adults to be included too.

Religion looms large over the debate. The Scouts explicitly invoke God in their membership guidelines, and more than 70 percent of Boy Scout units are sponsored by religious groups. One of the Southern Baptist Church leaders, Dr. Frank Page, last week implored the Boy Scouts not to change the policy. But The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints – the BSA's biggest charter partner-- has given tacit endorsement to the plan; the National Catholic Council on Scouting has yet to take a position.

Even Barack Obama and Mitt Romney weighed in on the debate during the presidential race. Perhaps one of the most important voices, BSA President Wayne Perry on Wednesday wrote an op-ed in USA TODAY supporting the inclusion of gay boys.

Under the proposal, what would happen to an Eagle Scout who is gay and wants to volunteer as an adult? That wouldn’t be allowed?

That is the big criticism of this policy in more progressive quarters: That life-long, successful scouts essentially will be banned from the organization on their 18th birthday because they are gay. Conservatives also note the tension inherent in the policy, saying it could be a slippery slope: They believe allowing gay youths would undermine the legal underpinnings of the Supreme Court decision, ultimately leading to gay adult volunteers being admitted into the organization.

Will individual local troops be allowed to exclude gay youths if they have moral objections?

In short, no. Here is how Deron Smith, spokesperson for the BSA puts it: “If passed, no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone.” This has led some parents and Scout leaders who object to homosexuality to consider alternatives to Scouting, for fear that the resolution might pass.

If gays are allowed, will parents be able to object, for example, to their son sharing a tent with a gay Scout?

This is a real concern among some parents, as evidenced by its inclusion on the BSA’s internal survey on the issue. But Scouting leaders haven’t addressed the matter directly. Instead, they refer generally to maintaining a “supportive and safe environment for young people.” The organization has created a task force to make sure the policy could be implemented smoothly, and they are looking into how other organizations have handled these issues.

If it passes, will this proposal end the infighting, or is this just the beginning?

The BSA may hope this vote will end the debate, but more likely, it will touch off a whole new one. Some troops may disband. Those affiliated with Southern Baptist churches, for example, could lose their charters. And more liberal Scout leaders will lobby to have gay adults included as well -- an issue that is not going to fade anytime soon.

If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the possibility of a change in the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

Related:

• Scouts await decision on gay membership
• Boy Scouts consider ending ban on gay members, leaders
• Scouts propose allowing gay scouts, but banning leaders
• Mormon church OK with ending Scouts' ban on gay youth

With two words — "I'm gay" — NBA player Jason Collins made sports history Monday, drawing widespread praise from fans, ex-teammates and two presidents.

"Jason's announcement today is an important moment for professional sports and in the history of the LGBT community," said a statement from Bill Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea has been friends with Collins since their days at Stanford University.

"It is also the straightforward statement of a good man who wants no more than what so many of us seek: to be able to be who we are; to do our work; to build families and to contribute to our communities."

A White House official also said that President Barack Obama even called Collins to "express his support" and said he was impressed by his courage.

On her Facebook page, Chelsea Clinton said she was proud of her pal "for having the strength and courage to become the first openly gay athlete in the NBA."

It's not just the NBA. Collins, 34, is the first openly gay male in any of the four leading professional team sports in America. He came out in the pages of Sports Illustrated in a first-person essay.

"I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay," he wrote.

The journeyman free agent, who most recently played for the Washington Wizards, said that while he started thinking about revealing his sexual orientation in 2011, it was the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 that made him decide now was the right time.

"Things can change in an instant, so why not live truthfully?" he wrote.

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Jason Collins, seen here during a Nov. 15 game between the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets, has revealed he's gay.

Collins' declaration reverberated across social media and the sporting world, though it remains to be seen what long-term effect it will have on the world of professional athletics.

Hudson Taylor, head of the anti-homophobia non-profit Athlete Ally, said that while the immediate reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, other closeted players and lesbian and gay amateurs will be watching closely to see how Collins fares in the weeks and months ahead.

“He’s a free agent, so that’s certainly something to consider. How does it look if he doesn’t get picked up?” Taylor said. “We need to make sure that should he not continue as a player, that it’s for athletic reasons and not for any others.”

Support from NBA players and officials poured in quickly.

"The time has come. Maximum respect," Steve Nash of the Los Angeles Lakers tweeted.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said Collins has been an exemplary player during his 12 seasons in the NBA and the league is "proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue."

Collins' most recent team called him a leader on and off the court.

"We are extremely proud of Jason and support his decision to live his life proudly and openly," Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said.

In recent years, and especially over the past few months, professional athletes and league officials have paved the way for an active athlete to come out.

Phoenix Suns president Rick Welts came out in a newspaper article two years ago. NFL linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo said in April he knew of several players who were gay. NFL punter Chris Kluwe signed on to a Supreme Court brief supporting gay marriage.

And Roger Goodell, the powerful commissioner of the NFL, said last week that harassment against a gay player would be unacceptable.

Taylor, of Athlete Ally, said the reaction to Collins' coming-out will be the deciding factor in whether others follow in his size 17 Nikes.

"What's most important is that we have allies speaking out because that’s what's going to lead to a second, third, fourth, fifth athlete taking that step," he said.

Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, said he expects more athletes to come out "now that this glass ceiling has been broken," especially given the positive response so far.

"The reaction has shown that the country is ready for this," he said.

In his essay, Collins chronicles his incremental path to living as an openly gay man — from conversations with family members, to wearing a jersey with the No. 98 to reference the 1998 hate murder of Mathew Shepherd, to his decision to break the news before someone else did.

"I'm glad I'm coming out in 2013 rather than 2003," he wrote. "The climate has shifted; public opinion has shifted. And yet we still have so much farther to go."

Tennis legend Billie Jean King, who came out as a lesbian in 1998, said Collins' statement was cause for celebration, but only a first step.

"I look forward to the day when the news of anyone coming out, is a non-issue and once we reach that point we will know we have arrived," she said.

Not everyone was cheering.

Miami Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace tweeted -- and quickly deleted -- this comment: "All these beautiful women in the word and guys wanna mess with other guys SMH..."

After being slammed online, Wallace posted an apology of sorts.

WFAN radio host Mike Francesca cautioned his listeners not to call in with "dumb jokes" but also shrugged off the news as "a dramatic attempt to sell magazines."

"It means less than nothing to me that there is a gay player out there in the NBA," he said.

"Will it be a problem in the locker room?" he added. "With some players it will be."

Collins said he plans to march in Boston's Gay Pride Parade on June 8, alongside a straight friend, Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy, his college roommate.

"For as long as I've known Jason Collins he has been defined by three things: his passion for the sport he loves, his unwavering integrity, and the biggest heart you will ever find," said the congressman.

"Without question or hesitation, he gives everything he's got to those of us lucky enough to be in his life. I'm proud to stand with him today and proud to call him a friend."

NBC News' Erin McClam contributed to this report

This story was originally published on Mon Apr 29, 2013 6:31 PM EDT

Richard W. Rodriguez/AP file

Boy Scouts hold signs at the "Save Our Scouts" prayer vigil and rally in front of the Boy Scouts of America' national headquarters in Irving, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2013.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has given tacit approval to the Boy Scouts’ proposal to allow gay youth to join, saying they “appreciate the positive things” included in the plan to end the organization's controversial ban on gay boys.

The Boy Scouts of America last week proposed allowing gay youth – but not adults – to participate in the private youth organization. That came two months after they floated the idea of allowing gays and lesbians of all ages to join, a proposal that was denounced by the conservative religious groups that make up a bulk of Scouting.

“We are grateful to BSA for their careful consideration of these issues. We appreciate the positive things contained in this current proposal that will help build and strengthen the moral character and leadership skills of youth as we work together in the future,” the LDS church said Thursday in a statement posted to their website.

“The current BSA proposal constructively addresses a number of important issues that have been part of the ongoing dialogue, including consistent standards for all BSA partners, recognition that Scouting exists to serve and benefit youth rather than Scout leaders, a single standard of moral purity for youth in the program, and a renewed emphasis for Scouts to honor their duty to God."

The Mormon church tops the list of membership enrollment numbers, with 431,000 youths participating in LDS-sponsored units as of Dec. 31, 2012. That was followed by the United Methodist Church at 364,000 and the Catholic Church at 274,000. More than 70 percent of Scouting units are chartered to faith-based groups.

The Boy Scouts said Thursday in a statement that it was pleased the LDS church was “satisfied that the BSA has made a thoughtful, good-faith effort to address this issue.”

“For nearly 100 years we have worked together with the mutual goal of building the moral character and leadership skills of youth. We believe kids are better off when they are in Scouting, and the program is successful because of its relationships with valued chartered organizations like the Church,” the statement said.

The Boy Scouts’ policy has increasingly been a sore spot for the organization over the last year, following the dismissal of a den leader because she is a lesbian and the denial of the Eagle Scout rank to a California teen because he is gay.

The BSA’s National Council will vote on changing the membership policy on May 23. Its biannual “The Voice of the Scout Survey,” conducted earlier this year, for the first time included questions on gay membership.

Among the 280 administrative local councils, half recommended no change, 38 percent recommended a change and 14 percent took a neutral position, the Scouts said.

"While perspectives and opinions vary significantly, parents, adults in the Scouting community and teens alike tend to agree that youth should not be denied the benefits of Scouting," the organization said last week in a statement.

If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the BSA's proposed change to the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

Beck Diefenbach / Reuters file

Gay marriage supporters cheer during a rally moments before hearing that Proposition 8 had been overturned outside the Ninth Circuit Courthouse in San Francisco, Calif., on Feb. 7, 2012. A federal court later declined an appeal to revisit California's gay marriage ban in June, clearing the way for the Supreme Court to consider whether the ban violates the U.S. Constitution.

Gay rights groups cheered the Obama administration’s weighing in on a landmark Supreme Court case to allow same-sex marriage, while opponents decried the move as “war.”

But ultimately, constitutional and Supreme Court scholars say the government’s action of filing a legal brief on Thursday in support of repealing California’s Proposition 8, which bans gay marriage, will have little impact on the outcome of the case though it would carry some symbolic meaning.

Previous administrations have weighed in on cases brought to the nation’s highest court in which they were not directly involved -- such as the Truman and Eisenhower presidencies over the desegregation of schools, and the Reagan administration urging the justices to overrule the legalization of abortion, said Michael Klarman, a Harvard Law School professor and author of “From the Closet to the Altar: Courts, Backlash, and the Struggle for Same-Sex Marriage.”

“I don’t think that the government’s brief (on Prop. 8) would be that influential and I don’t say that because I think in general that’s the case, but I think everybody already knew what the administration’s position was,” he told NBC News.

“The president has made this such a salient issue and has been so clear about his position that I don’t think the brief really adds anything that we didn’t know,” he added, referring to Obama’s calls since last May for same-sex couples to have the right to marry, including his reference to the issue in his 2013 inaugural address.

Obama administration steps into gay marriage battle

The justices will hear oral arguments on Prop. 8 on March 26, with a decision expected in June.

In the legal filing, the Justice Department went further than the California case and suggested it was unconstitutional to block gay couples from getting married in at least seven other states where civil unions are offered instead. Those states, the department said, violate the Constitution if they offer civil unions to gay couples but deny them the right to marry.

While the administration takes no position in its brief beyond those states, its reasoning would have even broader implications. If the administration's legal theory were ultimately accepted, no state could, under constitutional guarantees against discrimination, deny same sex couples the right to marry.

But the administration is technically not a litigant to the Prop. 8 case, like it is in the other case that the justices will hear in late March over the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law barring recognition of same-sex couples.

G. Edward White, author of "The American Judicial Tradition: Profiles of Leading American Judges” and a Supreme Court scholar at the University of Virginia School of Law, said he thought the legal impact of the administration’s move in Prop. 8 would be “virtually zero.”

“I really don’t think one should attach any legal significance to this particular intervention,” he said before the brief was released.

Noting that Obama “been quite late to alter his view on same-sex marriage” -- he did so last May, announcing he supported it -- White thought this was a way to remind everybody that the administration “has now officially changed its mind on the issue.”

“My takeaway is really that this is a symbolic act on the part of the administration,” he said. “They’re doing it for political currency purposes. The justices are going to understand that’s what it is.”

William Eskridge, a professor at Yale Law School and a constitutional law expert who has authored many works on legal issues facing same-sex couples, said he didn’t think the brief would “necessarily change any minds” or be “as important for the outcome of the case” as the separate filings this week by about 130 notable Republicans as well as large businesses in support of same-sex marriage.

Clint Eastwood to Supreme Court: Drop California's ban on same-sex marriage

Klarman, of Harvard, agreed, saying he thought the brief by the Republicans could influence Justice Anthony Kennedy, whom he considers the swing vote on gay marriage.

“I think someone like Justice Kennedy … is interested among other things in how much political backlash there would be to a ruling in favor of gay marriage. The fact that there's so many Republicans now committing to support it is highly relevant,” he said.

“I think it matters that Obama was re-elected," he also noted. "If there were a President Romney who would be committed to opposing the decision then I think, you know, a swing justice might be more hesitant. I think it matters that Obama is president and I think it matters that Obama already came out in favor of this, but I don’t think the brief really adds much information.”

Though the experts don’t expect the legal briefs to carry much weight among the justices, parties on both sides of the issue were roused by the move.

ProtectMarriage.com, which brought the legal challenge to keep Prop. 8 on the books after the state of California decided not to defend it, decried the effort, calling it a “frontal assault” on the law by the Solicitor General in an email to supporters.

The group also said the bid was “a stunning declaration of war against the longstanding meaning of marriage and its obvious ties to society’s interesting in both mothers and fathers raising the next generation.”

Meanwhile, the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the sole sponsor of the challenge to Prop. 8 that also organized the brief by moderate and conservative Republicans as well as Libertarians, welcomed the government to its side.

“The brief filed by the Solicitor General is a powerful statement that Proposition 8 cannot be squared with the principles of equality upon which this nation was founded,” the group said in a statement. “AFER looks forward to having Solicitor General (Donald) Verrilli and the federal government by our side as we make the case for marriage equality for all before the Supreme Court.”

Related:

Once 'inconceivable,' Republican leaders sign pro-gay marriage brief
Widow to Supreme Court: Same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional
US asks Supreme Court to strike down law denying benefits to same-sex couples

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Actor and producer Clint Eastwood is seen in September 2012 in Westwood, Calif.

Clint Eastwood has joined about 130 self-described moderate and conservative Republicans in signing a brief to the Supreme Court arguing against California’s Proposition 8, which bans marriage for same-sex couples.

Former Bush administration officials, including Paul Wolfowitz, deputy secretary of Defense, and Tom Ridge, former Pennsylvania governor and Secretary of Homeland Security, also were among those who signed the brief, which argued that the Constitution prohibits denying same-sex couples access to the legal rights and responsibilities of marriage, according to a copy of the brief released Thursday by the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

Breitbart.com, which first reported that Eastwood had signed the brief, said he was a "long-time Republican with strong libertarian leanings," who had "become increasingly vocal politically." Eastwood's conversation with an empty chair representing President Barack Obama on the final day of the Republican convention briefly became a major topic on the campaign last fall.

The nation’s high court will hear arguments in the case on March 26. Thursday is the last day for briefs to be filed in the case, and officials told NBC's Pete Williams that the Justice Department will urge the court to approve gay marriage in California.

Six other former governors, including Jon Huntsman of Utah and Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, and ten former and two current members of Congress signed the brief, which was organized by AFER. Members of the George W. Bush, Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain presidential campaigns also signed.

In the brief, the group said it was better for children to grow up with married parents, and that legalizing same-sex marriage would ease couples’ access to benefits and rights afforded to heterosexual couples but would pose “no credible threat to religious freedom or to the institution of religious marriage.”

They noted that many of those adding their names did not previously support same-sex marriage. But since a number of states have allowed gays and lesbians to wed, they, "like many Americans, have reexamined the evidence and their own positions and have concluded that there is no legitimate, fact-based reason for denying same-sex couples the same recognition in law that is available to opposite-sex couples."

Rather, they “concluded that marriage is strengthened, not undermined, and its benefits and importance to society as well as the support and stability it gives to children and families promoted, not undercut, by providing access to civil marriage for same-sex couples,” the brief continued.

Some on the list included who have had a change of heart on the issue include Meg Whitman, the Republican candidate for California governor in 2010, and David Frum, a special assistant to Bush from 2001 to 2002.

Once 'inconceivable,' Republican leaders sign pro-gay marriage brief

Numerous briefs have been filed in support of Prop. 8 by 20 states, religious groups, academics and legal scholars, as well as many against by businesses, labor unions, veterans, California plus thirteen states as well as the District of Columbia, and gay rights and religious groups.

National Football League players, Chris Kluwe, a punter for the Minnesota Vikings, and Bredon Ayanbadejo, a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, also filed a separate brief in the case that was released Thursday afternoon. The pair has been outspoken supporters of gay rights.

The California Supreme Court said in 2008 that the state had to allow same-sex marriage, and for a short period, some 18,000 same-sex couples wed in the Golden State. But with the passage of Prop. 8 later that same year, gays and lesbians were later prohibited from marrying. Various lower courts said the law was unconstitutional, with the most recent one determining such a fundamental right like marriage, that gays and lesbians had once enjoyed, could not be taken away.

The Supreme Court will also hear arguments in late March on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriage. The Obama administration has encouraged the justices to strike down Section 3. In its argument, the administration noted that Proposition 8 and similar measures in other states were evidence that anti-gay discrimination remained a major problem.

Related:

Widow to Supreme Court: Same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional
US asks Supreme Court to strike down law denying benefits to same-sex couples
Supreme Court to take up same-sex marriage issue

Darrell Byers/Reuters file

Scouts attend a prayer vigil at the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas, on Feb. 6, 2013, while a decision to change the membership policy banning gays was being deliberated. The BSA decided to postpone that decision until May.

A proposed law in California to remove a state tax exemption for youth groups like the Boy Scouts that don’t allow gay members would set a dangerous precedent, according to an association of nonprofits.

The legislation, introduced by Democratic State Sen. Ricardo Lara on Tuesday, would deny exemptions from state corporate taxes and taxes on items such groups sell. It would also require them to pay corporate taxes on donations and other forms of income.

Lara and LGBT advocacy group, Equality California, said the bill was aimed at groups like the Boy Scouts of America, which has faced increasing protests over its longstanding policy banning gay Scouts and leaders. An expert said she believed it was the first time such a law had been proposed, though it follows the loss of corporate sponsorship dollars to the BSA due to the policy.

The California Association of Nonprofits, which has 1,500 member organizations, said it opposed the legislation in its current form, even though the group opposes discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity as outlined in the bill, SB 323.

“ … we are against using the tax exemption as a way to compel change in a nonprofit's policies,” Kris Lev-Twombly, the group’s director of public policy, wrote late Wednesday in an email. “Stripping nonprofits of tax exemption on ideological grounds is a slippery slope. Nonprofits are the embodiments of free speech in our society. When we disagree with a nonprofit's policies, we should vote by moving our donation dollars and our volunteer feet elsewhere.”

The association said it is difficult to estimate how many of California's 50,000 nonprofits could be impacted because there is no reliable data on how many discriminate based upon sexual orientation. 

“To lose state tax exemption in California could be significant for a nonprofit organization,” he said. “The bill is narrow in the sense that the provision applies specifically to youth organizations, but the question is how many organizations in California might be found to discriminate as outlined in the bill.”

The law would require two-thirds approval of both houses of the state legislature to win approval. Lara said the state already bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations and government programs.

“Our state values the important role that youth groups play in the empowerment of our next generation; this is demonstrated by rewarding organizations with tax exemptions supported financially by all Californians,” he said in a statement. “SB 323 seeks to end the unfortunate discriminatory and outdated practices by certain youth groups by revoking their tax exemption privilege should they not comply with our non-discrimination laws.”

The Boy Scouts of America declined to comment on the legislation, which comes about two weeks after it postponed a decision on whether to end the policy at the national level and leave local sponsoring organizations free to decide for themselves whether to admit gay Scouts.

The BSA, a private youth organization, said it had received an outpouring of feedback on the membership guidelines after the potential change was announced in late January, and that it would take action on the issue at its national meeting in May.

Boy Scouts: We need more time for decision on gay membership

More than two-thirds of Scouting groups are affiliated with religious bodies. Among the top religious sponsors, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have called for more time to discuss the issue, while the Southern Baptists on Tuesday passed a resolution rejecting the proposed change, according to the Baptist Press.

Pat Read, an independent consultant for nonprofits and foundations nationwide, said she believed such legislation was a first. However, she said there was a precedent, noting a 1983 Supreme Court case in which the IRS said it would no longer provide tax exempt status to private schools that practiced racial discrimination – a fight the federal tax agency won.

Read said the bill would have a financial impact and could potentially deter people from making donations.

“When the federal government or a state government stands up and says that this nonprofit is not a good nonprofit because of some policy it has adopted, it affects the ability of people to support that group, it affects how much money it has available to support its programs versus paying taxes, and it affects public opinion about the value of its work,” she said by phone from Boulder, Colo. “And all three things are important and all three things are at stake in this legislation.”

She said this legislation could wind up in court if it is approved, noting private organizations would likely object and say, "you have no right to try to tell us what to do.”

“Some of them will be saying, you know, 'well tough we don’t need the tax exemption,'” she added. “But there will be a price to be paid for that.”

If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on how your troop, pack or council is handling the BSA's decision on the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com. We may use some comments for a follow-up story, so please specify if your remarks can be used and provide your name, hometown, age, Boy Scout affiliation and a phone number.

Related:

'Nasty internal fight' or 'strategic pause': Boy Scouts supporters weigh delay on gays

After years of heartache, gay Scouts and supporters react warily over proposal to lift ban

'Gravely distressed': Religion looms large over Boy Scouts decision on gays 

Gay teen denied Eagle Scout: 'Change is happening' over Boy Scouts anti-gay policy

A Cub Scout pack in Maryland has decided to jettison its gay-friendly membership guidelines under threat of losing its Boy Scouts of America charter, according to a statement on the pack’s website.

Pack 442 of Cloverly, Md., had adopted a non-discrimination policy that read: “Pack 442 WILL NOT discriminate against any individual or family based on race, religion, national origin, ability, or sexual orientation.”

But over the weekend, the pack posted a notice on its website reading: “Due to pressure from the National Capital Area Council of BSA, Pack 442 was forced to remove its Non-Discrimination statement in order to keep our Charter (set to expire Jan 31^st). This Non-Discrimination statement, previously posted here, welcomed ALL families.”

The pack’s position ran counter to the Boy Scouts’ membership guidelines, which ban openly gay members or leaders. 

Activist groups stepped up their campaign to end the longstanding ban last year after California teen Ryan Andresen was denied the Eagle rank because he is gay, and following the dismissal of Jennifer Tyrrell as den leader of her son’s Tiger Cub pack in Ohio because she is a lesbian.

Theresa Phillips, committee chair of Pack 442, said her group had the same motivations.

“I think we need to start at this level,” she told NBC News on Saturday. “We need to teach the boys … respect for other people and their lifestyles.”

A call placed to Phillips on Monday seeking comment on the removal of the policy was not immediately returned. It was not clear if the pack would continue to accept all families under a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach similar to the one used by the military until it was rescinded last year.

Cub Scout pack may lose charter if it keeps gay-friendly policy

The pack’s member families approved the non-discrimination policy last August, and it was discussed in detail with district leaders and the regional council, to which the pack belongs, from August through October.

The issue appeared to be settled, but when the council “contacted us a few weeks ago pressuring us to remove our statement, we attempted to negotiate a rewording of the statement that would represent a compromise on the matter, but ultimately NCAC leadership felt only removal of the statement would be acceptable,” the pack said on its website.

“It's clear to us that they chose this time to bring that up because they knew that we needed to recharter at the end of January,” Phillips said.

Scout Executive Les Baron, a council leader, confirmed to NBC News on Friday that the pack could lose its charter if it maintained the policy: The “policy of the Boy Scouts are what they are and my job is to not bring into (it) my own personal feelings.”

The pack committee had been split on a way forward, which prompted a poll on whether they would keep the policy and possibly not be rechartered, or if they would remove it and return to a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy welcoming all families.

The poll, which ended Friday night and was conducted on the pack website, came out 53 percent in favor of reverting to “don’t ask, don’t tell” and 47 percent backing the new policy, said Phillips, who voted in favor of explicitly including gays and lesbians. The poll had called for a two-thirds majority, she said.

The Boy Scouts reaffirmed its ban on gays and lesbians in 2012 following a two-year confidential review.

A national BSA spokesman, Deron Smith, said in an email on Friday that the private organization "has policies that all councils and local units agree to follow."

Related: 
Gay teen denied Eagle Scout: 'Change is happening' over Boy Scouts anti-gay policy
Eagle Scouts return badges to protest policy banning gays
Boy Scouts: We're keeping policy banning gays

After publishing a story Thursday on Eagle Scouts who have returned their medals, badges and other regalia to protest the Boy Scouts of America policy banning gays and lesbians, we received more than 100 emails from current and former Scouts, many of them quite emotional. A selection of those messages is included here.

“I am an Eagle Scout from 1961 in Wyoming and my son is an Eagle Scout from 1995 in Arizona. We both agree with the BSA in not allowing gays into their organization. That is their constitutional right to have parameters and requirements for their membership. The LGBT community is the antithesis of what Scouting stands for. It is their right to protest and disagree. But the power of a few should not be able to change the traditions and history of the scouting movement for everyone else. It they don't like it, maybe some other group would better accept their beliefs, ideals and lifestyles.”
-- Dale Hunt, 64, Tempe, Ariz., Eagle Scout

“I am very proud of earning the rank of Eagle Scout, and I am also proud of the BSA for sticking to their guns in the culture wars. I am saddened by those who feel it is necessary to return their Eagle badge but they certainly have the right to do so while this is still a free country. The BSA is a completely private organization and is free to make a stand for their values. It is sad to see so many other organizations abandoning their values on the altar of political correctness. What part of the Scout Oath: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the scout law; To help other people at all times, to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight” do they not get?
-- Roger M. Devaney, 50, Spokane, Wash., Eagle Scout

Courtesy of Jad Davenport

Jad Davenport, who earned the rank of Eagle in 1983, says he sent his medal back to the Boy Scouts of America on Thursday, Aug. 2, after reading a story on NBCNews.com.

“I earned my Eagle Scout in 1983. After reading your story I pulled the badge - one of my most prized possessions - from my safe and with a heavy heart mailed it off to the Boy Scouts. … I only regret not doing it sooner.”
-- Jad Davenport, 46, Denver, Colo., Eagle Scout

“I earned my Eagle Scout award in 1965 in Iowa at the age of 14. My card is signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.  My Court of Honor was attended by my parents, my four grandparents, my scout leaders and fellow scouts, my teachers and coaches, my Lutheran minister, and special friends of my parents. It was a very big deal in a small Iowa town in the mid-1960s. I truly loved my Scouting experience -- and the arduous pathway I traversed in earning my Eagle. Yesterday, I returned my Eagle award to the Boy Scouts of America. I was immensely proud of this achievement for 47 years. No longer. My children are proud of my humble gesture in returning the award. My dad, had he lived to see this, probably would have thought I am crazy. I would have assured him that it is the right and honorable thing to do -- at least for me.”
-- Steve Barghols, 61, Oklahoma City, Okla., Eagle Scout

"I achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in 1964 in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, my career has taken me from working in the White House under President Jimmy Carter to a decade of selling computers for a very conservative Atlanta based 'good old boy' corporation. Since 1991, my life-partner and I have run an LGBT Community Center in the town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware which is often referred to as the 'nation’s summer capitol.' In all those years, no matter how upset I may have been with the national leadership of the Boy Scouts of America, I never considered returning my Eagle Scout badge. Even though I was 'gay as a goose' when I earned it, I did in fact earn it, and there’s no way they are getting it back. I only hope other eagle scouts feel as proud of their achievement as I do of mine."

-- Steve Elkins, 62, Rehoboth Beach, R.I., Eagle Scout

“I applaud the decision from the BSA!! My opinion, if the BSA had ruled the other way ... I would be returning my Eagle Scout Award. And I am confident that my immediate family that contains 5 additional Eagle Scouts would also each consider the same action.” 
-- Steven Homer, 44, Dublin, Ohio, Eagle Scout and Scoutmaster

Courtesy of Chris Wren

“As for my personal stance with the scouts, I am torn. In fact, to see the divide publicly is one thing, but I see the divide in my family as well. My father (the first eagle in the family) is a firm supporter of the ban, he has very strict Christian views on homosexuality and frowns upon it. He is in support of the ban by the BSA. I, however, am on the other end of the spectrum. I believe that a person’s sexuality should not affect their membership in this organization. It in no way affects the boys, or the teachings of the organization, and helps support their ideals of “support your community.” I have my medal and certificate framed and hanging on my wall in my office, and many people have complimented me on it.  But with all the controversy surrounding the decision by the BSA, I have been considering turning my medal in as well. To date, I have not made a decision, because I am weighing the ramifications of my decision, but I do not support the BSA in this matter. This is a topic that has torn me deeply not only because of the organization, but because of the issues within my family.”
-- Chris Wren, 36, Dothan, Ala., Eagle Scout

“Although I didn't get to Eagle Scout, I was a Boy Scout in my teen years and earned many medals. It is a good organization for boys to belong to while growing up. They help build good values and leadership. I support their decision on the gay ban. The Boy Scouts have a strong tie with religion.  It doesn't mean the church or the Boy Scouts wouldn't help a gay in need, just that they don't support that life style. I feel that it is a person's right to return their medals, but it is a shame to turn in symbols of your own personal achievements. But I don't think a person can be a leader in an organization without supporting the policies of that organization.”
-- Randy Arrington, 54, Oklahoma (hometown not specified), Boy Scout

“It pains me to see so many Eagle Scouts returning their badges, but it brings me some relief to know that they are receiving such attention for doing so. Although I still struggle with that decision, I have chosen to keep my badge and speak out as a current Eagle Scout. I am proud of my accomplishments as an Eagle Scout, but I am ashamed of the affiliation that it has with BSA. Their policy tarnishes what so many have worked so hard to achieve, and, some day soon, I hope that they will end their policies of discrimination based both on sexual orientation and religion.”
-- Justin Bickford, 32, Gainesville, Fla., Eagle Scout

 “My 14 yr old son was to become a Life Scout at his next advancement. After he heard about the vote and the ban on gays, he said that he was done with the Scouts. This was his own decision and his reason was simple: 'How can I be a member of a group that says that I'm supposed to accept and help everyone....well everyone who isn't gay. It's not cool to change the rules so you can get what you want.' Losing Scouting is a very sad event for our family, but I think my son has already learned how to be: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent and he will have no problems living to help serve others....regardless of their race, creed, color, and sexual preferences. Returning his badges is one thing but choosing to cut his ties with the organization because he wants to stand for what he believes in, makes me proud! No longer yours in Scouting.”
-- Amy Francis-Bacon, 42, Cedarburg, Wis. Her son is Ethan Francis, 14.

 “I received my Eagle back in 1969 along with several palms. I've forgotten a lot in the years since, but many of the pledges I still remember. One of which went: On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. Sounds to me that a lot of those that said this pledge did so without meaning it and therefore did not deserve the award in the first place.  Doing my duty to God and keeping myself morally straight then meant and still means the same thing; regardless of how some chose to try and change it to fit their current ideas and desires.”
-- Eris Gilliard, 59, Orlando, Fla., Eagle Scout

“As an Eagle Scout of 17 years, I am seriously considering sending my badge back as well. Boy Scouts have been hijacked by people who have an agenda.  As a father, I have been struggling with what to do when my son reaches the age to become a Tiger Cub. Boy Scouts teaches some valuable life lessons and skills that no other organization out there can touch, but I can't willingly let my son be guided by the misinformed. Four parts of the Scout law are helpful, friendly, courteous and kind. Boy Scouts of America violates these four points by allowing intolerance within their ranks. It's hypocritical and sickening. Eagle Scouts are the "elite" product of what Boy Scouts of America can produce. It is our responsibility to represent the face of the organization and to lead by example. I applaud fellow Eagle Scouts that are taking a stand against Boy Scouts of America.”
-- Kevin Deal, 31, McKinney, Tex., Eagle Scout

“I'm also an Eagle scout, doggone proud of earning it, and doggone proud of the Boy Scouts of America for continuing their stance against gay membership in the Boy Scouts. I've been involved in the Scouting program for over forty years, why do I continue to volunteer as an adult leader - because I believe in the values taught by Scouting! We need more groups and individuals in this country that aren't afraid to take a stand in favor of traditional, time honored values. I, like thousands of others, was more than happy to participate in the "Chick-Fil-A" appreciation day yesterday to show my support for a business that has taken a stand in this matter, a stand that I believe is the right one. Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not anti-gay or homophobic, etc., nor am I deeply religious ..... but I believe in traditional makeup of a family, meaning a mother and a father that are married and living under the same roof, raising their children to be responsible adults.”
-- Darrell L. Brock, 55, Daytona Beach, Fla., Eagle Scout

 “I believe that the decision on Lesbians and Gays was wrong for many reasons. I have read a lot of resignation letters from Scouts, most of which were very moving and elegant. Many of them explained their decision using the Scout Law. Mine is very simple. A Scout is reverent -- We are all God’s creatures. I earned the Rank of Life -- I could not pass the swimming merit badge hence no Eagle. I have been active at the Unit, District, and Council level for many years and was recognized with the Order of the Arrow Vigil Honor. I am also a member of the Girl Scouts having served on the local Council Board of Directors as well as assisting my wife with her troop. My son earned Eagle and my daughter earned her Gold Award. My wife was a Girl Scout Leader throughout my daughter’s journey. We have been a Scouting family for many years. I recently resigned as a Boy Scout and from all my current positions.  I believe there are many others who are not Eagle who have also taken the same position.  I believe that Scouts and Scouters voting with their feet is the only message that will make a difference in policy change. It will happen someday; the sooner the better.”
-- Robert Walters, 64, Charlottesville, Va., Life rank

“I am an Eagle Scout from 1990 and am very proud of my time in the Scouts and what that time was able to do for me as a person. … I am very much in support of gay-rights and continue to be disappointed at BSA's choice to ban gays. I really do wish they would change their policy, as many other groups have, solely in recognition of society having changed since the organizations' founding. Just because they as a private organization can make this choice doesn't mean they have to, and it doesn't do any good not to be open. BSA leadership must know this. To me the policy runs counter to everything I learned from Scouting and my interpretation of the ideals I spent so much time memorizing and living by. I also think that it will contribute to a downward trend of participation in Scouting because people won't want to be actively affiliated with an organization that discriminates. That makes me sad. … I won't be turning in my medals. That is because I earned them with a clear conscience by working with leaders who weren't bigots and taught us what it meant to be free, e.g. not using our freedoms to restrict the rights of others. Eagle Scouts are a rare breed and many have gone on to great personal heights because of the experience. I think the BSA policy dishonors us all. Pressure to disassociate from the organization runs the risk of marginalizing the Eagle Scout honor and when that happens Scouting is finished. I hope the BSA comes to its senses soon!”
-- Jason Phelps, 39, Londonderry, N.H., Eagle Scout

“I am a currently registered scouter, and have been involved with scouting for the last fifteen years. The BSA is a private organization and has the right to establish their own policies. Those wishing to join a scouting program that includes homosexuals can easily do so by joining Adventure Scouts.”
-- Jim Brown, 49, Dallas, Tex., two sons and son-in-law are Eagle Scouts

“Until I joined the Boy Scouts, I had never excelled at anything in my life. But I loved scouting; I loved the camping trips, the outdoors, canoeing, the entire experience. And I did well in it. … By the time I started high school, I had changed. I had served successfully in leadership roles, I had earned the highest rank in scouting, and not coincidentally, I became an excellent student with nearly straight A marks. I had self-confidence, and I am convinced it was primarily my experience in scouting that set me on a course of success and achievement that continued long past my scouting days. … It was not until long after my scouting days were over that I learned gay people were not allowed to participate in scouting. I was very disappointed to learn this - I felt that BSA was clearly failing to live up to the high ideals of the organization that had been instrumental in shaping the person I had become. I felt a sense of shame that BSA was taking a stance that I regarded as discriminatory and immoral. I see no benefit at all, only harm that has resulted from this misguided policy. I believe the BSA has fallen greatly in stature and esteem is a direct result of how they have handled this issue. Most of all, I am saddened at the impact the policy has on gay youth, who have a hard enough time coping with a world that condemns them for just being what they are. These are exactly the kind of boys who would stand to gain the most from the positive, character-building experience that scouting could be for them. Instead, BSA's stance only serves to reinforce the notion that it's OK to discriminate against gay people, that gay people are somehow less worthy than the rest of us. I find such thinking appalling.”
-- Eric Last, 53, San Bruno, Calif., Eagle Scout

“I must say that I am appalled that anyone who has earned the rank of Eagle Scout not to mention any scout would even think of allowing gays to be a member of the Boy Scouts of America. I am a firm believer that people can choose whatever lifestyle they want but if they choose to be gay then they should be ready to take whatever consequences that stem from that decision.  …  The bottom line is an organization that is founded on teaching young boys to be responsible young men should not allow gays to be a part of that process. The choice to be gay is theirs to make but then accept the consequences.”  
-- Arthur F. Schultz, 52, Newberry, Mich., Boy Scout 

“Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts, offered his Scouts these words in 1945, which would become his final message:  “Try to leave this world a little better than you found it.” Given the wisdom and compassion he evidenced, and his high regard for all living things, I imagine a call for respect, understanding, and the eradication of prejudice and bigotry were implicitly contained in his message."
--  Vance A. Taylor, 60, Madison, Conn., Boy Scout

If you are a current or former member of the Boy Scouts and would like to share your thoughts on the membership policy, you can email the reporter at miranda.leitsinger@msnbc.com 

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