Dan Cathy could have saved his company, Chick-fil-A, a lot of trouble. All he had to do was keep his views about family to himself.
Instead, he answered a question honestly. In a recent media interview, the company’s president and chief operating officer said what he believes and why he believes it. But his politically incorrect views are intolerable, judging from the anger of many on the left, including several big-city officials who are dead-set against his views.
In the interview, Mr. Cathy said he is “very much supportive of the family, the biblical definition of the family unit.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel took exception: “What the COO has said as it relates to gay marriage and gay couples is not what I believe. But more importantly, it’s not what the people of the city of Chicago believe.”
Spirited debates about controversial topics are an American tradition, but it didn’t stop there. The politicians began threatening to block Chick-fil-A’s plans to expand in their cities.
In a letter to Chick-fil-A, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino wrote: “I was angry to learn, on the heels of your prejudiced statements, about your search for a site to locate in Boston. There is no place for discrimination on Boston's Freedom Trail, and no place for your company alongside it.”
Proco Joe Moreno, a Chicago alderman, told Chick-fil-A to forget about its plans to build a second store in the Windy City: “I’m not gonna sit on the sidelines and allow them to come in when I know in my heart that they believe in discriminating against gay people.”
In Philadelphia, meanwhile, city Councilman James F. Kenney told Mr. Cathy to “take a hike and take your intolerance with you.” He also said he plans to introduce a resolution condemning Chick-fil-A at the next council meeting.
At this point, we’ve moved well beyond debate. It’s a free-speech issue now.
These officials did not merely express an opposite point of view. They threatened to use their political power to punish a man — and those who work for him — for saying something with which they disagree. The message this sent is crystal-clear and chilling: Conform to the “accepted” view, or else.
Mr. Emanuel and company spoke in breathless tones about how offensive Mr. Cathy’s beliefs are. Yet what could be more offensive than what they’re trying to do? What could be more, yes, discriminatory than using the power of the state to punish private viewpoints under the guise of standing up against discrimination?
“You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population,” Mr. Menino said. But the company does no such thing. Chick-fil-A hires employees and serves customers without regard to sexual orientation. The head of the company simply expressed his privately held view on the issue of family.
It’s not just talk. The Cathy family has been a model of corporate responsibility, helping tackle social problems and strengthen civil society. For years, they’ve taken concrete steps to strengthen families through the programs of its WinShape Foundation. Founded in 1984 by S. Truett Cathy, WinShape supports college scholarships, foster care and international ministries. It works hard to strengthen marriage, offering counseling and help for couples in crisis, saving marriages that were on the brink of divorce.
WinShape also works with other like-minded groups that seek to strengthen marriage in America. “It’s the kind of work that will take decades — even generations,” writes Jennifer Marshall, director of the DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at the Heritage Foundation. “And it’s not the stuff of headlines, which is why many Americans probably have no idea this critical effort is under way.”
What does make the headlines? False and outrageous charges of discrimination from opportunistic politicians with little respect for free-speech rights.
“We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles,” Mr. Cathy added in the interview that led to the controversy. After hearing the way he’s been treated since then, you have to wonder: Do we, in fact, live in such a country anymore?
Today is support Chick-Fil-A day and that is exactly what I did.
The place was packed as a statement against the bigotry, and intolerance of the far left.
It was a day of celebrating that the family unit of husband and wife is the best place for a child.
If you haven't gone out to a Chick-Fil-A today, then do so now.
If you are a Catholic or Christian, then stand against against bigotry by the Gay community and support the right of people to believe in the family unit.
Roger Cates told iReport he had lunch at Chick-fil-A in Owensboro, Kentucky, and planned to return with his family for dinner. Political leaders who have criticized the chain, like the mayors of Boston and Chicago, are hypocritical, he said.
"I think it is ironic that the so-called forces of tolerance and inclusion are calling for the exclusion of Chick-fil-A from cities simply because of the beliefs of their chairman. ... People that disagree with me have a right to their opinion, and I have a right to mine," he said.
Roger Cates told iReport he had lunch at Chick-fil-A in Owensboro, Kentucky, and planned to return with his family for dinner. Political leaders who have criticized the chain, like the mayors of Boston and Chicago, are hypocritical, he said.
"I think it is ironic that the so-called forces of tolerance and inclusion are calling for the exclusion of Chick-fil-A from cities simply because of the beliefs of their chairman. ... People that disagree with me have a right to their opinion, and I have a right to mine," he said.
The man never discriminate anyone, why should he hide his believe? since when fagots became a gender, I thought it was only a sexual preference. No one cares about where you put your penis, what you eating or sucking. Big deal the world facing bigger problems than right now, why sit here and worry about people who confuse abut their sexuality. Lets talk about global warming, finance issues put that nonsense back in the closet.
Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day: Long lines, few complaints
August 2, 2012 | 12:50pm
McGrew said he came to the restaurant to support Cathy's religious beliefs, even though he said he himself is not religious.
"I'm not getting myself involved in the issue of gay marriage and all that. I'm not getting involved in a religious debate," he said. "I'm getting involved in the government putting their thumb on a businessperson for his religious beliefs."
"The ability for a company to be able to believe what they want to believe and still have their doors open to whoever wants to or chooses to give their business — that's why I'm here," she said. "Yes, I am a Christian, but my strongest support stems from being a business owner. I want to believe what I want to believe and not be condemned for what I believe, and give people the freedom of choice, if they want to do business with us."
"I've been in line for over an hour, and I'm only about three-quarters of the way through," she said. "I'm hungry and yes, we came here for lunch, but I wanted to support Chick-fil-A for having the cojones to stand up for biblical values."
"That man — just like you or I — has a right to say, 'This is what I believe' and not be punished for it," Karen Kenney of the San Fernando Valley Patriots told KTLA. The Sleeping Giant is awakening!
In response to the Chicago alderman who said he would prevent Chick-fil-A from expanding in his area,
Adam Schwartz, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union,
declared that "the government can regulate discrimination in employment or against customers, but what the government cannot do is to punish someone for their words. When an alderman refuses to allow a business to open because its owner has expressed a viewpoint the government disagrees with, the government is practicing viewpoint discrimination."
Americans are free to eat or not to eat at Chick-fil-A. But we need to push back strongly against attacks on this company. If you're concerned, we hope you'll join us and hundreds of thousands of other Americans this week by giving Chick-fil-A your business. Defending freedom of speech never tasted so good.
Mr. Richards, a Roman Catholic, and Mr. Robison, an Evangelical Christian
