Japanese Scouts' Visit Sparks Uproar Over Group's Co-host

A demonstration was held on the steps of Berkeley City Hall yesterday, capping days of a heated political dispute stemming from visiting Japanese boy and girl scouts-a battle that has captured international attention.

The rally came after a scheduled meeting between Berkeley Mayor Shirley Dean and a group of visiting Japanese boy and girl scouts sparked controversy because they were co-hosted by the Boy Scouts of America, which prohibits openly gay leaders.

In a case that ultimately left Japanese visitors without an official greeting at City Hall, Berkeley City Councilmember Kriss Worthington and his supporters railed against the anti-gay policies of the Boy Scouts of America. His threats of public protests prompted Dean to move the meeting to a private location, leaving the Japanese visitors

without an official greeting at city hall.

The meeting between the Japanese scouts and the mayor is a biannual tradition held for nearly two decades. The Japanese visitors were from Sakai, Berkeley's sister city.

Worthington, who is gay, apologized for embroiling the Japanese boy and girl scouts in the dispute, saying his actions could have marred their visit. He was praised by supporters for bringing up the issue of discrimination to the children.

"I am apologizing to the Japanese scouts and the girl scouts who do not have discriminatory policies," Worthington said. "They were affected by the mayor deciding to cancel the event-the city unceremoniously yanked the welcome mat from under the kids."

Worthington voiced his support of the Japanese boy and girl scouts and the Girl Scouts of America, which are also hosting the guests. Those groups do not have policies banning gays.

Worthington, a bitter political opponent of Dean, told her a meeting that included the Boy Scouts of America at City Hall would only be acceptable to him if they were educated about Berkeley's strong anti-discrimination stance.

Although Dean said the scouts could be hosted at City Hall legally, she decided to move the meeting to avoid a possible confrontation by Worthington and other protesters.

"I rescheduled this for another venue because I did not want not these young people to be caught at ground zero," she said.

While Dean said she strongly opposes the Boy Scouts of America's stance against gays, she said involving the Japanese scouts in a discussion about discrimination was not relevant, since the Boy Scouts of America would be at the official welcoming ceremony only as hosts.

She added that many local boy scouts oppose the national policy against gays.

Numerous e-mails have been sent to both Dean and Worthington from around the country, both lauding and blasting their positions. Worthington said he has received e-mails referring to his homosexuality with slurs.

Worthington contended that the rally served to help diffuse the situation. Dean, however, expected it would add to the conflict.

"I think its timing is unfortunate -it's a little like throwing gasoline on flames of a controversy," she said. "I don't think it accomplishes anything whatsoever."

Dean said she had been contacted by the Japanese press. Her meeting with the Japanese scouts is scheduled to take place today in an undisclosed residence.

Jury Komandant, co-chair of the Berkeley-Sakai Association, said he doubted the current situation with the visiting Japanese scouts would hurt relations between the two cities.

"I think what has happened is actually Mayor Dean did not snub the Sakai scouts-she just changed the location of the meeting."

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