Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

[ergo sum]

Saturday, February 22, 2003 - COLORADO SPRINGS - Focus on the Family has urged United Way donors to withhold contributions to Big Brothers-Big Sisters because the group allows homosexuals to mentor children.
"This sort of thing is going to hurt kids because without funding we have to let staff go and limit our number of mentors," said Robin Rogers, executive director of Colorado Springs Big Brothers-Big Sisters.
Bill Maier, a vice president with the Colorado Springs-based evangelical Christian ministry, urged the boycott Thursday on the group's daily radio show. Maier said in a statement that Big Brothers-Big Sisters is forcing its chapters to accept homosexuals as mentors.
But Noreen Shanfelter, a spokeswoman for Big Brothers- Big Sisters of America, said the nonprofit group does not require agencies to match gays and lesbians with children. Instead it has a nondiscrimination policy, she said.
In July, Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America told its 500 affiliates it could not exclude adult mentors on the basis of factors such as race, religion or sexual orientation.
Focus on the Family criticized the policy, and James Dobson, the ministry's president, rescinded his endorsement of the organization.
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E53%257E1197062,00.html