Recently, Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company values families, and tries to embody a family-values culture. He said:
We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.
Cue the liberal boycott and subsequent conservative buycott. It seems like the fastest way to boost a business’s sales is for liberals to try and boycott it for espousing conservative ideals. Remember Whole Foods? CEO John Mackey published in op-ed in 2009 saying that he did not support Obamacare and that it would raise the cost of doing business. Liberals boycotted, and then all of a sudden the health food stores were jammed with freedom (and deodorant!) loving people trying to figure out the difference between 'organic' and 'hormone-free.'
So liberals decided that Chick-fil-A hates the gays, even though that’s not even close to what Dan Cathy said, and therefore must be made to pay for their intolerant ways! Conservatives, eager to stand up for Dan Cathy and his first amendment right to freedom of speech, organized a buycott for Wednesday, August 1, at Chick-fil-A franchises across the country.
It worked. The restaurants in every corner of the nation were packed. Because tasty chicken and free speech are awesome.
As I perused Facebook yesterday, I saw several posts from apolitical friends saying that they were ‘sad’ or ‘scared’ for the future of this country when so many people would go out of their way to support ‘hate.’ It occurred to me that too few people understand what this is about, because it really has very little to do with gay rights.
Chick-fil-A has never refused to serve, or even hire, someone based on his or her sexual orientation. The company does not have an official position on gay marriage; they just value traditional marriage. Having an opinion that marriage is between one man and one woman is nothing new, and in fact is a position held by Barack Obama until very recently. Let me repeat: Chick-fil-A has never, ever discriminated against the homosexual community.
Dan Cathy dared to express a completely valid opinion, and liberals tried to vilify him for it, with the goal of shutting him up. Conservatives rallied around his right to speak his mind in the best way they could: Boosting his business.
Now here’s your feel-good story of the day ... how did the supposedly intolerant Chick-fil-A employees treat protesters accusing them of hate? They passed out cold water to them. Oh yeah, Chick-fil-A is totally evil. Or something.
Do you think Dan Cathy was out of line or within his rights by expressing his opinion on marriage?
Image via Randy Son of Robert/Flickr
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Comments 64
Hmmm. I wonder if people would have preferred Cathy LIE about his opinion/beliefs when he was asked. He did not volunteer his view, he was asked a question, and answered it honestly.
Wonder how many other owners/CEO's of major companies agree with Cathy but would never speak that? THere are companies who openly support gay marriage and give money to its support and companies who support tradition marriage and give to support that. Then the vast majority don't state a view either way. At least Cathy was honest when asked.
the sodomite community is now planing a "kiss in" where they go into their local chick fil a and make out with their lover. Yep google it it's real. sad but real. the whole purpose of it is to one try to either force them to change their minds or two force them out of business either way it is disrepect for themselves and others.
It's not just Liberals boycotting. I hope that people take the time to understand the legitimate concerns that people have with the organizations their money is being donated to. Of course, I'm really just sick of hate, and the quips about 'deoderant' made you lose respect IMO Jenny.
I get that it's tough being a conservative blogger on here, but since we aren't majorly represented on this site it'd sure be nice if you took a moment or two to not spew crap like that. You can make a great point without it, and that stuff really detracts.
A portion of his donation went to an organization that is working to make homosexuality a death sentance in Uganda. DEATH just for being gay and that is acceptable to you Jenny? That is just free speech? Killing people for their sexuality, how christian of you, now wonder the Romans fed you people to the lions.
Want to know what the point of this boycott is?
That Mr. Cathy can support whoever he wants; and so can I. Not one cent of my hard earned money will go to an establishment that gives that money to groups that advocate inequality and intolerance. One of the very few powers left to individuals in a capitalistic society is the power of the dollar. It's MY money and I CHOOSE where to spend it.
I choose tolerance; love and acceptance. If you choose fear and hate; please, enjoy your hate deep fried.
Wow. I'm standing up and calling that offensive.
And I've seen some crazy comments on here.
They weren't talking about where his money goes until they saw those long lines at CFA.
Actually they were. I know several people who boycotted them "before it was cool" (including my brother), long before Cathy ever had that interview, and that is their reasoning. I know several people who just recently started boycotting them because they had no idea about it and their issue is they don't want their money going there. That's the whole point.