At the Scouts annual meeting in April 2012, a "leader from the Northeast" presented a resolution that "would allow individual units to accept gays as adult leaders".

The Church of Satan has always accepted gays, lesbians and bisexuals since its foundation in 1966.

But the foundation noted that from 25 to 30 percent of Long Island residents said they did not accept gays, Muslims or immigrants.

That, perhaps, is one reason why Mr Clinton has dwelt particularly upon 'symbolic' politics: like making the armed forces accept gays or staffing his administration with an eye to ethnic 'balance'.

Satanists are pluralists, accepting gays, lesbians, bisexuals, BDSM, transgendered people, and asexuals.

In Oak Park, Ill., after seven Cub Scout troops decided that they would accept gays as leaders, the national headquarters forced them to disband in January.

Stephane Prud'homme said he would run for the Canadian Alliance because the party "truly wants to show that it accepts gays and lesbians, people who differ from the majority."