City decision justified

IU's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Student Support Services Office is sponsoring the Sexual Minority Youth in the Heartland Conference, to be held July 19-21-- a mere week before the Boy Scouts of America plan to roll into town for their National Order of the Arrow Conference on July 27. The problem? There's not one, really, as the GLBT promises not to interfere with the conference that will bring 8,000 scouts to town. But the conflict reemerges now as the city recently withdrew their sponsorship of the GLBT's event, claiming organizers withheld information about the conference's true purpose.\nIn a letter to conference organizers, Deputy Mayor James McNamara stated that, "Clearly in the absence of full disclosure, the city -- like any community collaborator -- reserves the right to withdraw co-sponsorship of events that harbor hidden or unagreed-upon agendas."\nFirst of all, the GLBT event was formulated to be of educational descent, an attempt to educate educators who deal with homosexual students in the classroom, and the senstive issues that may arise. Teachers, counselors and principals from all over the state will be attending. It was not created to be a Boy Scout bashing parade. This we feel, should be clear.\nThe decision of the city, however, is justified. The city has no real obligation to sponsor the event. The Boy Scouts aren't receiving our tax money, and neither should the GLBT. Although the city may ideologically support the purpose of the conference, monetary funds aren't necessarily needed. It's unfortunate, however, that the city felt inclined to support the event from the very beginning, and then withdrew its support, assuming the GLBT had a hidden agenda. Their support should never have been given in the first place.\nThe city's decision to withdraw funding is justified because the city had no reason to support the event in the first place. It's justified because the Boy Scouts don't receive city funds. It's justified because as an entity of the University, the GLBT should receive University funding, not tax money, regardless of how important the cause.\n