Fascism takes root in America via...Chick-Fil-A???

[Bloodshot Scott]

ATLANTA -- All of a sudden, biting into a fried chicken sandwich has become a political statement.

Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain known for putting faith ahead of profits by closing on Sundays, is standing firm in its opposition to gay marriage after touching off a furor earlier this month.

Gay rights groups have called for a boycott, the Jim Henson Co. pulled its Muppet toys from kids' meals, and politicians in Boston and Chicago told the chain it is not welcome there.

Across the Bible Belt, where most of the 1,600 restaurants are situated, Christian conservatives have thrown their support behind the Atlanta-based company, promising to buy chicken sandwiches and waffle fries next week on "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."

The latest skirmish in the nation's culture wars began when Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family." In a later radio interview, he ratcheted up the rhetoric: "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, `We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.'"

That fired up gay rights advocates, including a group that waged a campaign against the company in recent years by publicizing $3 million in contributions that the Cathy family foundation has made to conservative organizations such as the Family Research Council.

"This solidifies Chick-fil-A as being closely aligned with some of the most vicious anti-gay voices in the country," said Carlos Maza of Equality Matters.

A Chicago alderman vowed to block a Chick-fil-A proposed in his district, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel supported him, saying, "Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values." Boston Mayor Thomas Menino wrote in a letter to Cathy: "There is no place for discrimination on Boston's Freedom Trail and no place for your company alongside it."

In announcing it was pulling its toys, the Jim Henson company said it has "celebrated and embraced diversity for over 50 years." It directed its revenue from the Chick-fil-A toys to GLAAD, a leading gay rights organization.


On the other side of the debate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, declared next Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" to support a business "whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values." Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who like Huckabee ran for president as a darling of social conservatives, joined the cause along with religious leaders.

"As the son of a dairy farmer who milked many a cow, I plan to `Eat Mor Chikin' and show my support by visiting Chick-fil-A next Wednesday," the Rev. Billy Graham said in a statement, referring to the slogan in the company's ads, which feature cows urging people to eat poultry.

The Rev. Roger Oldham, spokesman for the Southern Baptist Convention, said many Christians want to support businesses owned by fellow believers, and the loyalty intensifies "when Christians see a fellow Christian being persecuted."

"They will come out of the woodwork when a theologically based position is being politicized by individuals for their own purposes," he said.

The Cathy family has never hid its Southern Baptist faith. Since Dan Cathy's father, Truett, opened the first Chick-fil-A in 1967, the restaurants have been closed on Sundays, and the company refused to reconsider during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, sacrificing profits. It also boasts that the Chick-fil-A Bowl is the only college football bowl game with an invocation.

Chick-fil-A posted more than $4.1 billion in sales last year, most of it below the Mason-Dixon Line. Just 14 of its restaurants are in the six states and the District of Columbia where gay marriage is legal. Massachusetts has just two locations, both more than 10 miles from Boston. Illinois, which does not have same-sex marriage, has around a dozen, though only one in Chicago.

The company is well-positioned to come through the criticism relatively unscathed, even if it loses new markets in the North and elsewhere, University of Georgia marketing professor Sundar Bharadwaj said. He said that is because Chick-fil-A basically reflects the politics of its customers.

At a downtown Atlanta Chick-fil-A on Thursday, customers were divided over the company's stance.

"If you're a Christian, you believe in the Bible. The Bible says homosexuality is wrong. (Cathy's) absolutely right," Marci Troutman said over her breakfast.

Her business partner, Steve Timpson, said he chose not to eat at Chick-fil-A: "You've got to be more tolerant if you're going to operate in the wider market in this country."

Nearby, Dustin Keller offered another view of Cathy: "It's his opinion. He's entitled to it. I'm just here to eat."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...d=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1_lnk2&pLid=184660

Wish we had one here. I would support them just because I do not support fascists.

 

[Mayhem]

Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Willis? :dunno:

 

[xfire]

Wish we had one here. I would support them just because I do not support fascists.

I'm a little puzzled by that statement. You support theocrats?

I like Chick-fil-A and really don't care about their corporate culture or values. It's pretty un-American to discriminate but as long as they're not turning people out of their restaurants, I don't see what the fuss is about.

 

[Will E Worm]

Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain known for putting faith ahead of profits by closing on Sundays, is standing firm in its opposition to gay marriage after touching off a furor earlier this month.

:clap:

 

[StanScratch]

Their CEO might have a right to say what he says about homosexuals, just as homosexuals and their supporters have a right to boycott his company. Simple enough.

 

[Will E Worm]

Their CEO might have a right to say what he says about homosexuals, just as homosexuals and their supporters have a right to boycott his company. Simple enough.

Nah. They are shoving their beliefs down people's throats! Shameful! :nono: :tongue:

 

[Mayhem]

Tell us Will, how do you shove a belief down someones throat?

 

[StanScratch]

Nah. They are shoving their beliefs down people's throats! Shameful! :nono: :tongue:

Yes, Chick-Fil-A is indeed shoving their anti-homosexual agenda down people's throats...for once, you are right.

 

[PlumpRump]

I'm a little puzzled by that statement. You support theocrats?

I like Chick-fil-A and really don't care about their corporate culture or values. It's pretty un-American to discriminate but as long as they're not turning people out of their restaurants, I don't see what the fuss is about.

To be theocrats, Chick-fil-A would have to be a form of government. Stop bomb-throwing.

 

[xfire]

To be theocrats, Chick-fil-A would have to be a form of government. Stop bomb-throwing.

And what's the "fascists" comment? A rainbow?

 

[The Yak]

Nah. They are shoving their beliefs down people's throats! Shameful! :nono: :tongue:

When Christian groups boycott retailers who say "Happy Holidays" are they "shoving their beliefs down people's throats" or exercising their rights as consumers to spend their money where they want?

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

It has become political:

Initially, I had some traffic concerns with their plan. But then I heard the bigoted, homophobic comments by Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy, who recently came out against same-sex marriage.

There are consequences for one's actions, statements and beliefs. Because of this man's ignorance, I will deny Chick-fil-A a permit to open a restaurant in my ward.

I've been in discussions with the company for the past nine months. Every time we met, I brought up my concerns that the company supported a homophobic agenda. My concerns were based on financial contributions made by WinShape Foundation, Chick-fil-A's charitable endeavor, to anti-gay groups. I was repeatedly told by company officials that "we (Chick-fil-A) are not political" and that the company "had no political agenda." Just recently, an attorney for the chain tried to convince me of Chick-fil-A's benevolence. During each meeting, I challenged the company to change its ways. Although I thought we had made some progress, Cathy's anti-gay comments made it abundantly clear what the company's true stance is toward equal rights.

In an interview with the Biblical Recorder, he was asked about the company's fervent support of the traditional family. "Well, guilty as charged," 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."

Obviously, Cathy has the right to believe, say and give money to whatever cause he wants. But my belief in equality is resolute, and if I were to take the easy way out and turn a blind eye to his remarks, I would be turning my back on the principles I stand for.

Chick-fil-A did put out a damage-control response, which was basically worthless lip service. If company officials read this commentary, they most likely will come back with the trite corporate accusation, which is rolled out every time a business has a problem with government: "Ald. Moreno doesn't care about jobs." Nothing could be further from the truth. I am proud of my track record on promoting and assisting businesses to open and grow in the 1st Ward. I would argue that a company with such overtly bigoted beliefs is bad for business and jobs in the 1st Ward, not the reverse.

I represent a diverse, forward-thinking community, and I'm sure the majority of 1st Warders find Cathy's comments and attitude repugnant. Even if I did give Chick-fil-A the go-ahead, I suspect many in my community wouldn't spend their dollars there.

I know my decision may anger or annoy some people. It's just a chicken place, they will say. But I believe Chick-fil-A should really reconsider its platform on gay issues. Equality for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) people is the civil rights issue of our generation. This decision is me taking a stand.

Proco "Joe" Moreno is a member of the Chicago City Council.

Ads By Google

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...nti-gay-comments-1st-ward-homophobic-comments

 

[PlumpRump]

And what's the "fascists" comment? A rainbow?

Possibly a bit hyperbolic, but Fascism can be defined as "a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control, esp. by a government, or political figures." Funny you used the term "rainbow." Not sure if it was an intended or unintentional pun given the subject matter. Relevant noun usage though. Lol.

Anyhow, as I see it, Rahm Emanuel, Thomas Mineno, James Kenney and a few others seem closer to the fascist label than Dan Cathy seems to the theorcrat label, all I'm saying. I definitely see the perceived discrimination but, to my knowledge, Cathy hasn't stated that they won't hire or serve homosexual individuals, or couples for that matter, with the same professionalism as they hire/serve heterosexuals, so I fail to see the actual discrimination. I see what the fuss is about, I do, but the only actual discrimination I see is against a private individual, running a private company, who prefers the "Biblical" definition of marriage, and has yet to actually discriminate against anyone. The "correctness" or "morality" of his views are irrelevant, and to block his attempts to open more franchise locations based on his personal beliefs would be the same as not letting Manny Pacquiao fight in the US anymore because he openly opposes gay marriage, or not letting country singer Trace Adkins hold concerts in the US ever again for the same reason.

 

[StanScratch]

Possibly a bit hyperbolic, but Fascism can be defined as "a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control, esp. by a government, or political figures." Funny you used the term "rainbow." Not sure if it was an intended or unintentional pun given the subject matter. Relevant noun usage though. Lol.

Anyhow, as I see it, Rahm Emanuel, Thomas Mineno, James Kenney and a few others seem closer to the fascist label than Dan Cathy seems to the theorcrat label, all I'm saying. I definitely see the perceived discrimination but, to my knowledge, Cathy hasn't stated that they won't hire or serve homosexual individuals, or couples for that matter, with the same professionalism as they hire/serve heterosexuals, so I fail to see the actual discrimination. I see what the fuss is about, I do, but the only actual discrimination I see is against a private individual, running a private company, who prefers the "Biblical" definition of marriage, and has yet to actually discriminate against anyone. The "correctness" or "morality" of his views are irrelevant, and to block his attempts to open more franchise locations based on his personal beliefs would be the same as not letting Manny Pacquiao fight in the US anymore because he openly opposes gay marriage, or not letting country singer Trace Adkins hold concerts in the US ever again for the same reason.

Or boycotting the Dixie Chicks because they spoke against George Bush.

 

[PlumpRump]

Or boycotting the Dixie Chicks because they spoke against George Bush.

A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstinence (not buying the product), which is just a tad different than legislating the blockage of a business (not allowing the product to exist), based not on actions of the business, but solely on the political beliefs of the individual running the business.

 

[itcouldbeme]

Wish we had one here.

Wish we had one here as well...

A local chain sold a "chicken on a biscuit" breakfast sandwich, with a pickle for a short time a couple of years ago, damn that shit was good...

I still think about it... :lovecoupl

As far as the gay shit goes, I'm against it...

If your gay, you eat but that's it...

Have some kids, and put up with a bitch you fucking queer...

 

[xfire]

Possibly a bit hyperbolic, but Fascism can be defined as "a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control, esp. by a government, or political figures." Funny you used the term "rainbow." Not sure if it was an intended or unintentional pun given the subject matter. Relevant noun usage though. Lol.

Anyhow, as I see it, Rahm Emanuel, Thomas Mineno, James Kenney and a few others seem closer to the fascist label than Dan Cathy seems to the theorcrat label, all I'm saying. I definitely see the perceived discrimination but, to my knowledge, Cathy hasn't stated that they won't hire or serve homosexual individuals, or couples for that matter, with the same professionalism as they hire/serve heterosexuals, so I fail to see the actual discrimination. I see what the fuss is about, I do, but the only actual discrimination I see is against a private individual, running a private company, who prefers the "Biblical" definition of marriage, and has yet to actually discriminate against anyone. The "correctness" or "morality" of his views are irrelevant, and to block his attempts to open more franchise locations based on his personal beliefs would be the same as not letting Manny Pacquiao fight in the US anymore because he openly opposes gay marriage, or not letting country singer Trace Adkins hold concerts in the US ever again for the same reason.

Fascist is "possibly" a bit hyperbolic? Ok, Chief, if you say so. You don't think it's possible that you're minimizing the attack because you agree with his politics?

Bombs beget bombs, surely that's a concept a theist (<--see what I did there, too?) can understand.

 

[PlumpRump]

Fascist is "possibly" a bit hyperbolic? Ok, Chief, if you say so. You don't think it's possible that you're minimizing the attack because you agree with his politics?

Bombs beget bombs, surely that's a concept a theist (<--see what I did there, too?) can understand.

Fair enough, but like I said, Emanuel, Menino and the like are a hell of a lot closer to definitional fascists, than Cathy is to a definitional theocrat.

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

I really don't have a dog in this fight but..............

 

[DukeLaCrosse]

they got the right to say what they want and i got the right to boycott them. what's the problem?