Chick-Fil-A - Boycott or support?

[indianasmith]

I didn't want this to dominate the Random Thoughts thread, and I saw several people had posted on the topic there, so I thought I'd give it a thread of its own.

The owner of Chick-Fil-A, Dan Cathy, was asked in an interview what he thought about the topic of gay marriage.  He expressed what is the pretty much universal view among evangelical Christians, that tamperint with the definition of something we believe to have been created by God, was a very bad idea.  The interviewer knew the man was a Christian and no doubt wanted to elicit such a comment.  The response, initially, was a backlash from the left accusing Mr. Cathy of being a hatemonger, a bigot, etc, and several liberal mayors threatened (directly or indirectly) to run  the Chick-Fil-A franchise out of their cities.  This elicited a wave of response, from conservative and a few liberal sources, to show a Chick-Fil-A appreciation day, which happened yesterday and elicited a tremendous outpouring of support. Chick-Fil-A has long supported a wide range of charities, ranging from helping children with cancer and from low income neighborhoods, to socially conservative agencies like Focus on the Family (which are, incorrectly in my opinion, labeled as "hate groups" by many on the left).  It has been interesting listening on talk radio to the wave of responses from all over the spectrum, including a few gay callers who expressed support for Mr. Cathy's rights of Freedom of Association and free speech, even if they disagreed with his views.

Tomorrow the gay and lesbian community is staging a national "kiss in" at Chick-Fil-A, where they plan to come into the restaurants all over the country and "make out" in protest.

So, I know most folks here support gay marriage (and most of you know I do not), but my question is, does this flap help or hurt that cause, in your opinion?  Will seeing men smooching with men and girls smooching girls in the booth next to you influence your opinion on the issue?

(PS, I am NOT trying to start a flame war.  This forum is wonderful for its ability to hold such a discussion and keep passions in check, so let's play nice and have a good old fashioned talk about this!)

[Rev. Powell]

I would DEFINITELY go to Chick-Fil-A to watch lesbians kiss.

[indianasmith]

I think any number of straight males would do that!  However, in my experience, real life lesbians rarely look like the ones in the movies!

BTW, apparently Roseanne Barr said that "Anyone who eats at S**t-Fil-A deserves to get cancer."

Is it just me, or do folks on the left talk about tolerance a lot more than they practice it?

[Ed, Ego and Superego]

I'm not going to discuss left vs right, but:
1) Business exists to make money
2) Its stupid to exclude any money-holding segment of the populace from wanting to eat your sandwich. The dude can say what he wants, but its not clever if he is speaking in a way that refelcts on his business.
3) I like Chik-fil-A sandwiches a hell of a lot
4) I don't like extremists of any stripe.  Nor do I like flame fanners who just want to make mouth noise... Both Rosanne and Rush come to mind. They are all a buncha real world Trolls who would be banned if they showed up here.
5) I wish people would spend half as much effort as they do with this $#|+ doing things like crime prevention, feeding the hungry, picking up litter, walking the dog or any number of things that make the world a more pleasant place.


 

[Allhallowsday]

The left, the left, the left.  Quite a few Republicans have come forward supporting gay rights.  Does that make them liberals or leftists?  One must keep in mind it wasn't so long ago in this country that the color of your skin could cause you to be refused service in many restaurants.  We've come a long way from lunch counter sit-ins.  I support all people who want equal rights, despite others who have just as much a sense of entitlement to deny them. 

[indianasmith]

There are definitely some right wingers who are downright hateful, although I think that popular leftists, especially celebrities, get a free pass on speech that would spark national outrage if someone of a more conservative stripe said it. 

But this does obfuscate the issue a bit.  Roseanne's comment was rude and hateful  - much more so than anything Dan Cathy said.  Some people just like to talk ugly.

[Allhallowsday]

There are definitely some right wingers who are downright hateful, although I think that popular leftists, especially celebrities, get a free pass on speech that would spark national outrage if someone of a more conservative stripe said it. 

But this does obfuscate the issue a bit.  Roseanne's comment was rude and hateful  - much more so than anything Dan Cathy said.  Some people just like to talk ugly.

Okay, so why equate that loudmouth with "the left"?  Since when is she their spokesperson?

[El Misfit]

I think a war will be held, because the battle will reach a new height.
Seriously, it's their business, not the LGBT business. You guys know I support gay marriage, but raging a war with a fast food chain seems a little too extreme.

[indianasmith]

I was surprised by the number of radio callers today who support gay marriage (and a couple who were themselves gay) who still viewed this as a free speech issue and supported Chick-Fil-A!

BTW, AHD, Roseanne in her most recent book has completely embraced socialism and has appointed herself A left-wing spokesperson.  Certainly not the only one, but she is one of the louder voices out there on the far left fringe.  I find it odd that so many wealthy people suddenly turn on and seek to destroy the system that gave them so much!

[kakihara]

thats what the chick-fil-a thing is about? i had no idea, i heard it mentioned but never heard about a protest. left, right, blah, blah. i respect anybodies opinion or preference as long as its not ignorant or hateful. i also think that it is awesome that you people can disagree on these things and not argue. my opinion: every person on this planet should have the same rights period. not letting gays get married will not keep people from being gay. being gay is neither right nor wrong. why is gayness of such concern? is it contagious? i dont care about other peoples sexual preference, it has nothing to do with what i like. i dont want to see anybody making out in public, its rude and disgusting. i think making out in public is not going to help gay people, it will probably do the opposite. if god doesnt like gays, why does he keep making them? if jesus loves me and im a man, would that make jesus gay?

[bob]

I would say I was going to boycott Chick-Fil-A , however I've nver been there in my life....so they'll continue not to get my business.

[indianasmith]

To Kakihara - I think you are deliberately exaggerating to make a point.  First of all, you know and I know there are many kinds of love.  There is paternal love (for our children), romantic love (usually for only one special person at a time), sexual attraction (which may or may not be a kind of love, depending on who you ask), and altruistic love (a deep and unselfish concern for the wellbeing of others).

Why is it such a big deal in America?  Most Americans are Christians, at least nominally (something like 80% in the last national poll).  The Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, condemns homosexuality as a sin.  Sin, of course, implies choice.  A huge debate in recent years is whether sexual orientation is a result of nature or nurture. Different studies have come to mixed conclusions.  I guess, in answer to your question, the Christian position is that God made men and women, and men and women (for whatever reason) became homosexual.  The question about Jesus is, I think, a rhetorical flourish on your part, but if the question was sincere, NO.  Loving humanity enough to endure crucifixion in order to pay the price for their sins does NOT make him gay!

And I agree, making out in public is in poor taste, regardless of who does it.

Bob - I am usually a Chicken Express guy, but I will say that every Chick-Fil-A I have ever been in is clean, well run, and staffed by friendly, courteous people!

[Zapranoth]

What I am interested in seeing is this:  does the "new tolerance" practice what it preaches?

My favorite comment I have seen about the two sides of the issue:  someone posted on FB, "whichever side you are on, be nice to each other!"

[Allhallowsday]

To Kakihara - I think you are deliberately exaggerating to make a point.  First of all, you know and I know there are many kinds of love.  There is paternal love (for our children), romantic love (usually for only one special person at a time), sexual attraction (which may or may not be a kind of love, depending on who you ask), and altruistic love (a deep and unselfish concern for the wellbeing of others).

Why is it such a big deal in America?  Most Americans are Christians, at least nominally (something like 80% in the last national poll).  The Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments, condemns homosexuality as a sin.  Sin, of course, implies choice.  A huge debate in recent years is whether sexual orientation is a result of nature or nurture. Different studies have come to mixed conclusions.  I guess, in answer to your question, the Christian position is that God made men and women, and men and women (for whatever reason) became homosexual.  The question about Jesus is, I think, a rhetorical flourish on your part, but if the question was sincere, NO.  Loving humanity enough to endure crucifixion in order to pay the price for their sins does NOT make him gay...!

If the Bible is indeed an historic book, the context of how any debauched persons may have expressed themselves and been witnessed is the very beginning of stereotyping.  We are all individuals, of course.  Who else was there?  And kept their lip buttoned?  It's not that I think anyone's wrong.  It's that I see such as subjective.  I have known and know many gay persons, who embraced their gayness later in life, living previously as husband, wife, and perhaps childbearer or parent.  And finally admitted they always felt gay.  Again, I don't claim to understand any of it, but I do embrace equal rights, in this world anyway, for all.  Does this make me evil or Christian?  I think the debate about biblical interpretation of homosexuality masks deep, personal, prejudice.   Much has changed and will continue to, as long as human beings inhabit this planet.  If there is God, we must accept.  

[AndyC]

I'm just baffled by the whole thing. Really, there is personal conviction and there is running a business. Believe what you want as individuals. Support what you want on your time and with your money, but keep it professional around the business. A restaurant chain has a lot of employees who are affected by these decisions, franchisees who are affected, and customers who have beliefs of their own. A company does not need an official position on something that has nothing to do with the business it's in. If you are in the business of making chicken sandwiches, then make chicken sandwiches, and channel that conscience into responsible business practices and supporting charities that your customers will appreciate. Don't stand up as a company, speaking on behalf of its franchisees and employees, and start judging people who probably make up some percentage of your clientele and even your staff. It's unprofessional, it's irresponsible and it's arrogant.