The Boy Scouts of America national board has delayed a possible reversal of the organization's long-standing ban of homosexual members.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside of BSA headquarters in Irving, Texas Wednesday, urging the board not change the rules that have been in place for more than 100 years.
"If this happens we have already made plans that we will be shutting down our troop and turning in our charters," said Scout Master Darrel Russell. "It's no longer a safe place for our boys and we aren't alone."
Pressure from gay-rights activists and corporate sponsors who have pulled funding in the last year have forced the BSA to rethink the policy, only seven months after affirming the ban.
On Monday a group of scouting families delivered more than a million signatures on petitions supporting a change.
"When you tell a child they're not good enough, when you tell a child their parent's not good enough, it takes a toll on that child. And so, it's not okay anymore," said Jennifer Tyrrell.
Religious groups, which charter 70-percent of scouting units, are split over the issue.
The group will take up the controversial issue again at the BSA national annual meeting in late May.
-- Jay Gray reports
