I’m not a big fast food fan. An occasional trip to McDonalds is my only claim. And I usually regret that choice about a half hour after eating a Big Mac. I have never been to a Chick-fil-a and until they were in the news (last year?) because of a shooting at one of their stores, I didn’t know how to properly pronounce their name. I assumed it was a Chick Filla. I really never gave it much thought.
So they are back in the news now, as the President of Chick-fil-a, Dan Cathy, gave an interview to a Christian organization recently and in that interview he expressed his support for traditional marriage.
“We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”
I didn’t hear the interview, but no one has quoted him trashing gays or discriminating against them in his business. But in today’s odd America, publicly supporting one thing means condemning another and the progressives are now out to destroy Mr. Cathy and his business. It’s the new American Way.
First came the Muppets. In ending their relationship with Chick-fil-a, Henson said
“The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors. Lisa Henson, our CEO is personally a strong supporter of gay marriage and has directed us to donate the payment we received from Chick-Fil-A to GLAAD.”
Next came Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino. In his rather slanderous letter to Chick-fil-a, he says he doesn’t think the company should pursue its plans to open a restaurant in Boston near City Hall.
“When Massachusetts became the first state in the country to recognize equal marriage rights, I personally stood on City Hall Plaza to greet same sex couples coming here to be married. It would be an insult to them and to our city’s long history of expanding freedom to have a Chick-fil-A across the street from that spot.”
And now the City of Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel says
“Chick-fil-a’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.”
And city Alderman Joe Moreno says he’ll block Chick-fil-a’s plans to open a new restaurant in Chicago. He is reported to have claimed he has “an ace in his back pocket”, to cite traffic issues to block approval of the restaurant.
So let’s review. Henson is a private company and is free to conduct business as they choose. But they point to their devotion to diversity and inclusiveness while saying they are ending their relationship because Chick-fil-a’s CEO’s opinion differs from the opinion of their own CEO. Well that doesn’t make any sense. Where’s the diversity and inclusiveness in that?
But far worse than the small-mindedness of Henson, is the blatantly illegal bullying of the public officials in Boston and Chicago. Has Chick-fil-a broken the law? Under what authority do the cities of Boston or Chicago have the right to discriminate against a private company based on the religious beliefs of the company’s ownership? Has the First Amendment been abolished and I just didn’t hear about it?
No matter where you stand on the issue of gay marriage, you must agree this is wrong. This has nothing at all to do with gay marriage. It is about freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Menino, Emanuel and Moreno do not have the right to punish private citizens by damaging their livelihoods because of their religious or political views.
They are nothing but thugs, using their positions of power to intimidate private citizens. They need to be exposed as such and thrown out of office. They have no understanding of the rights of the individual and no respect for the law they have sworn to uphold.
And I think I’ll stop into a Chick-fil-a this weekend for lunch. I’m still free to make that choice.
July 26th, 2012 at 8:43 am
I read comments from one blogger who said the parking lot was full at Chick-fil-A last night.
This is going to backfire on the Militant Homosexual Pedophile Crowd, BIG TIME.
Look at the bright side. You won’t have to sit next to those sickos while you’re trying to eat.
July 26th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Eugene Volokh has a post on this topic. In it, he says:
“But denying a private business permits because of such speech by its owner is a blatant First Amendment violation. Even when it comes to government contracting — where the government is choosing how to spend government money — the government generally may not discriminate based on the contractor’s speech, see Board of County Commissioners v. Umbehr (1996). It is even clearer that the government may not make decisions about how people will be allowed to use their own property based on the speaker’s past speech. ”
In other words, the court has already ruled this action by Chicago (and Boston) illegal.
http://www.volokh.com/2012/07/25/no-building-permits-for-opponent-of-same-sex-marriage/
July 26th, 2012 at 10:27 am
“This is going to backfire on the Militant Homosexual Pedophile Crowd, BIG TIME.”
I wasn’t aware that pedophiles were all homosexuals or vice versa.
In fact, numerous studies on the subject refute that connection (despite the efforts of the Catholic Church).
.
http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/facts_molestation.html
Only one analysis, done by Cameron (for, surpirse, the Family Research Institute), refutes the myriad of other studies, but has been summarily debunked as not adhering to any known scientific criteria.
July 26th, 2012 at 10:37 am
Good article, Kathy. Free speech cuts both ways, of course. One party speaks, another is free to criticize the speech, boycott, etc. But when they use the instruments of government to suppress either side, then we have that familiar little bit of liberal tyranny on our hands.
July 26th, 2012 at 10:47 am
During the civil rights movement, the federal government spent considerable time and energy separating moral and religious beliefs from the law. Thus, federally protected groups – groups of people defined by race, ethnicity, and gender, that is, conditions of birth – were protected from discrimination by law. Specifically excluded was religion because that is deemed to be a lifestyle choice, not a condition of birth.
Often, moral codes and the law were one and the same. This nation made the conscious choice to separate them from the onset, but what is immoral as opposed to against the law has evolved over time, as one would expect. In my youth, in many states, homosexual acts were against the law. No longer. However, the debate over why some people are homosexual, rages on, and at its core is the issue of lifestyle choice as opposed to condition of birth. The federal government has not ruled on this debate, and until it does, it is not illegal to discriminate against people whose behavior is, by some, considered immoral. It may be bad business, but it is not against the law.
The political left, the champions of “separation of church and state”, the vanguards of “fairness” and “inclusion”, have significant problems following their own script on many issues, and this is most certainly one of them.
July 26th, 2012 at 11:29 am
“the values of Chicago”
JINO Rambo must be into the murder and FarryCan values.
@AOK
Yes here too. The line at CFA was long.
July 26th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Oops, surprise, typo
July 26th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
“And I think I’ll stop into a Chick-fil-a this weekend for lunch. I’m still free to make that choice.”
Remember, they’re closed on Sundays. They do that so their employees can have a day off for church or for their families.
I like Chick-Fil-A. I agree with your critical assessment of the elected officials overstepping their authority. The restaurant is a good, decent business that doesn’t deserve to be picked on.
July 26th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
and in NYC . . .
FREEZE ! ! !
DROP THAT BIG GULP . . . MISTER . . . NOW !
July 26th, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Good article.
And yes, we are planning to go to CFA on August 1. Twice if possible.
July 26th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
I’m gonna outlaw all of Barrys n Mitchs favorite grinds in Hawaii.
They (Barry n Mitch) dont share my values.
What would we call a fusion between classic American soul food and Muslim Middle Eastern diets ?
Someone answer me soon, or I’ll be up all night tryin to put this one together
July 26th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
” Muslim Middle Eastern diets ?”
Indonesian, to be specific.
July 27th, 2012 at 4:20 am
Couscous and medium-rare dog? Maybe with a ginger glaze?
July 27th, 2012 at 5:39 am
Does anybody know if Rahm was able to use the words “values” and “Chicago” in the same sentence with a straight face?
July 27th, 2012 at 5:52 am
Here’s an oldie but goodie.
What did one gay frog say to the other gay frog??
Hey! We do taste like chicken!!
Eat Mor Chikin.
July 27th, 2012 at 8:54 am
We used to get frog legs frozen.
Just the legs connected by a small piece of groin skin and cartilage.
Separating the little suckers with a 12 inch French knife was one of my more bizarre experiences in the kitchen.
And yup, they taste like chicken