Chick-fil-aflap about tolerance
HDYH yRu KHDUG WKDW WKH KHDG RI WKH CKLFN-fiO-A UHVtaurant chain is anti-gay marriage? That’s not exactly how CEO Dan Cathy put it, but close enough.
In a recent interview with the Baptist Press, Cathy, Dn HYDnJHOLFDO CKULVWLDn, PDGH FOHDU WKDW CKLFN-fiO-A LV a company that supports Christian values and lives by biblical teachings. This includes closing all its restaurants on Sunday, as well as expressing support for “traditional marriage.”
“We are very much supportive of the family — the ELEOLFDO GHfinLWLRn RI WKH IDPLOy unLW. :H DUH D IDPLOy owned business, a family led business, and we are marULHG WR RuU fiUVW ZLYHV. :H JLYH GRG WKDnNV IRU WKDW …”
Cathy’s comments were quickly jumped upon by various activists, media members and even politicians as being “anti-gay” and “bigoted.” Protests were organL]HG DnG ERyFRWWV VuJJHVWHG, ZKLFK LV finH. :KDW ZDV nRW finH ZDV KRZ D nuPEHU RI SROLWLFLDnV DnG JRYHUnPHnW RIfiFLDOV VDLG WKHy ZLVKHG WR SunLVK WKH FRPSDny for the expressed religious beliefs of its owners.
BRVWRn 0DyRU 7RP 0HULnR VDLG “CKLFN-fiO-A GRHVn’W EHORnJ Ln BRVWRn … YRu FDn’W KDYH D EuVLnHVV Ln WKH city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion.”
1R RnH KDV VuJJHVWHG WKDW CKLFN-fiO-A UHVWDuUDnWV DUH refusing to serve gay customers or even refusing to hire gay employees. What matters is that Dan Cathy has an opinion, shared (as it happensF by millions of other Americans, that offends the sensibilities of a particular FRnVWLWuHnFy DnG D IHZ HOHFWHG RIfiFLDOV.
In the meantime, conservatives from Mike Huckabee to Rick Santorum to Sarah Palin announced their supSRUW IRU CKLFN-fiO-A DnG HnFRuUDJHG WKHLU VuSSRUWHUV WR PDNH AuJ. 1 CKLFN-fiO-A ASSUHFLDWLRn DDy. 7KRuVDnGV did at 1,600 locations nationwide. Customers clogged drive-through lanes and crowded parking lots to buy a chicken sandwich and show their support.
The company said in a statement the turnout made for “an unprecedented day,” although it says it doesn’t release exact sales numbers, according to The Associated Press.
The game of chicken continued last Friday, as gay rights activists and other supporters of marriage equalLWy SODnnHG D nDWLRnDO “.LVV ,n” DW CKLFN-fiO-A UHVWDurants.
Participants were encouraged to come to the fast-food restaurants and kiss a fellow demonstrator of the same sex. Or, just hug someone.
“Without question, Dan Cathy has every right to voice his opinions and beliefs,” Herndon Graddick, president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said in a statement. “But he should meet and get to know the people that he’s speaking out against — the people who are harmed by his company’s multimilliondollar donations to anti-gay hate groups working to hurt everyday LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] Americans and break apart loving families.”
7KH flDS RYHU CDWKy’V FRPPHnWV, ERWK Ln VuSSRUW DnG in protest, is a bit of a stretch in both directions.
The CEO is entitled to voice his beliefs as long as they don’t cross the line of discrimination, and those who support his beliefs can show their support by buying more chicken sandwiches. Those who don’t agree can say so and eat burgers, if that’s what they choose.
Many are couching this episode as being entirely about free speech, but in truth, it’s about tolerance. Tolerance means living alongside one another and accepting our differences, even in taste.
Believe it or not, not everyone likes chicken sandwiches.
- Journal Register News Service