Jun 15, 2008 / 06:00 am
An eight-year-old Catholic boy cannot be a Cub Scout in Britain because he refuses to pledge allegiance to the Queen of the United Kingdom on religious grounds.
Matthew McVeigh, who lives near Glasgow, refused to recite the Cub Scout Promise because it requires swearing allegiance to the Queen. He was told he cannot become a full Cub Scout as a result, the Daily Mail reports.
“It's not fair. I don't want to say a promise that I don't believe in. I really enjoy the Cubs and don't want to feel left out or different from everybody else,” Matthew said.
Matthew’s mother, Tracy Anne McVeigh, said her son’s refusal to recite the part of the oath promising “to do my duty to the Queen” was a matter of principle. She said she was especially irked that other nationalities living in Britain can change the wording of the promise to accommodate their requirements.