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By Marietta Nelson
Sun Staff

A week ago, 19-year-old Darrell Lambert's biggest worry was getting his nephew Jon to kindergarten on time.

But by Wednesday morning, Lambert was being whisked via a chauffer-driven car to Seattle to tape an appearance for Fox-TV's "The O'Reilly Factor."

Such is the powerful response to issues involving the Boy Scouts of America's controversial membership policies.

Lambert, an atheist and Eagle Scout, has been given a week by Boy Scout leadership to change his views on the existence of a supreme being or lose his position as assistant scoutmaster with Troop 1531 in Port Orchard.

His public announcement of the situation Monday set off a debate from the checkout lanes at Costco to the airwaves of CNN. It captured the attention of Scouts around the nation, including two groups dedicated to changing BSA's

membership policies that disallow gays and atheists.

Lambert's story appeared on KING, KOMO and KIRO TV news Tuesday night. He was heard locally on radio talk shows hosted by Dori Munson and John Carlson and Seattle's National Public Radio station, KUOW. Nationally syndicated radio show host Tom Leykis interviewed him Tuesday night. "Good Morning America," CBS News and CNN called, too, with promises of stories and interviews later this week. A reporter for The New York Times, in town to cover the D.C. sniper story, interviewed and photographed Lambert on Wednesday afternoon.

"I had no idea it would be like this, but it's really good because I'm getting the message out," said Lambert, talking on his cell phone on the way to Seattle Wednesday morning.

By late afternoon Wednesday, the South Kitsap High School graduate wasn't intimidated by all the attention.

"I've kind of had to get past that point," he said.

Lambert was lauded and lambasted for his stand on the policy he's known about since he joined scouts 10 years ago.

On KIRO 710AM, callers to Dori Munson's show were evenly divided in their opinions about Lambert.

"I just want to know why he would want to change an organization that has been put in place to teach people about God? Why doesn't he start his own?" asked "Nancy" of Kirkland.

But "Jeff" of Redmond, said: "Good job, Darrell, for sticking up for yourself. I think this is pure religious arrogance."

On "The O'Reilly Factor," combative host Bill O'Reilly wanted to know why Lambert couldn't just develop a belief before next week.

"If they've given you an out, why don't you take it?" O'Reilly asked. "Believe in the wind. Believe in something. Can't you just believe in nature?"

Mark Noel, founder of Inclusive Scouting, an organization based in New Hampshire and dedicated to changing BSA's membership policies, said Lambert's appearances are powerful.

"Most people just go away quietly. Opportunities like this to spread the word are few and far between," said Noel, who was dismissed as a scoutmaster in 2000 for being gay. "It's essentially a real powerful case study to show how the BSA's policies really don't fit, really don't reflect its membership."

Noel said members of Inclusive Scouting are Scouts who love Boy Scouts and don't want to abandon the program just because they don't agree with its current leadership.

"If people who don't like the program start to leave the program, it ideologically purifies itself. We want Scouting to be available to more kids, not less. The problem is, there is so much good left in the program," he said.

If Lambert is ousted from Scouts, he becomes part of a small fraternity, including Noel and James Dale, who have been expelled for being gay or atheist and have fought their battles publicly.

In 1998, after a long legal battle, 16-year-old twins Mark and William Randall won the right in a California state court to be awarded their Eagle badges, even though they refused to swear an oath to a god.

In 2000, in the case of Dale, who is gay and was a Scout leader, the Supreme Court ruled that, as a private organization, Boy Scouts can close its membership to gays and atheists.

Lambert said he always knew that the Scouts required a belief in a supreme being. As a young Scout, he struggled with faith. He decided in ninth grade that he was an atheist, though he attended a church youth group and studied the Bible until he was a junior, just to make sure his convictions were strong.

"I believe in science. That's the most comfortable fit for me," said Lambert, who shares his atheism with his sister Jodi. Lambert lives over Jodi's garage and baby-sits her three children while also attending Tacoma Community College. Jodi and Darrell's mother, Trish, is the scoutmaster for Troop 1531.

Many parents of boys in Troop 1531 agreed Monday to sign a letter of protest about Lambert's situation. They will send it to Brad Farmer, an executive with Chief Seattle Council, the organization that governs Boy Scouts in West Sound, and ask him to reconsider expelling Lambert, whom they consider a valuable mentor for their boys.

On Monday, Lambert shared his view with the parents that he wants the national Boy Scouts organization, based in Texas, to return control over membership to local troops. That way, local families can decide whom they want to include in their troops, he said.

If the Scouts revoke his registration as a leader next week, Lambert said he will appeal the decision to the Scouts' regional governing body. If that's unsuccessful, he will appeal to the national office.

Noel, who sent the appeal papers to Lambert by express mail Tuesday, held little hope for the process.

"I have never heard of it being successful," he said.

If Lambert's appeals are unsuccessful, the parents of Troop 1531 must decide whether to retain Lambert as a leader and risk losing their troop's charter with the BSA. Without the charter, the troop is not legally a part of BSA and its boys cannot participate in Scout activities.

Tied into the complicated BSA governing process is the "charter holder," which is a sponsoring organization required for each troop. Troop 1531's sponsoring organization is the chapel of Washington Veterans Home at Retsil, where the boys meet each week.

Ron Hempel, Retsil's chaplain, said the chapel has little to do with the troop's governance, except providing it a place to meet. Nearly two years ago, Hempel gave a prayer at Lambert's Eagle Scout award ceremony.

"Darrell is honest, and he's a fine young man. He's got integrity," Hempel said.

But, if the BSA revokes the troop's charter, Hempel said he would not stand in its way.

"I stand by the Supreme Court's decision. I thought that it was the proper decision," he said, adding that, "this is a hard issue. I think everybody should go real slow and give him a chance to think. We all go through struggles with faith, especially as young people."

On the radio Wednesday afternoon, Lambert told Munson that he would fight the issue one step at a time.

"I want to be part of this organization, I want to put it back the way it originally was," Lambert said.

At the end of the show Munson asked, "Is there any chance you're going to find God in seven days?"

Without missing a beat, Lambert, now accustomed to the spotlight, responded: "Is there any chance you're going to forget God in seven days?"

Published in The Sun: 10/31/2002