I ate at Chick-fil-A six times last week to do my part to show support for a company currently under attack for upholding wholesome values. Eating at Chick-fil-A last week was my version of offering a one finger salute to the activists who allowed their feathers to ruffle after discovering the privately owned restaurant chain supports the Biblical definition of marriage.
With all the clucking coming from these activists, one would think Chick-fil-A contributed humanitarian meals to Hezbollah or money to a militant anti-gay group like the group of Muslim men on trial in the UK for allegedly handing out leaflets calling for the murder of gay people and purportedly describing methods to eliminate them. According to the UK Guardian, one of the men claimed the brochure simply “expressed what Islam says about homosexuality, adding that it was his duty as a Muslim to condemn it.”
Then there is Chick-fil-A. A family owned and led organization committed to strengthening individuals, the family, and the community at large. The company reiterated their values in a recent statement articulating in part: “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1600 restaurants run by independent owner/operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena….”
The end. Curtains. Done. Forgetaboutit.
Oh, if only life were that simple. People are dying in other parts of the world because of their sexual preference, and people are worried about a chicken-serving fast food restaurant? That’s ridiculous on so many levels. Why can’t we celebrate the diversity we enjoy here in America over a chargrilled chicken sandwich and waffle fries?
The blogosphere is teeming with same-sex marriage activists labeling Chick-fil-A as a “hate group” and encouraging people to join them in a boycott against a company which is the antithesis of hate. Their public statement reflects their position, and the superior customer service I’ve personally witnessed over the years — to every customer, regardless of their size, shape, color, religion, sexual preference, or scent (I’ve eaten breakfast there after a few of my long runs, and I’ve never been turned away) — speaks volumes as to the character of this company.
Chick-fil-A donates millions of dollars annually to various organizations besides pro-traditional marriage groups. It provides food during times of crisis, similar to what they did last week for the Aurora, Colorado police after the horrendous movie theatre massacre. It provides college scholarships, sponsors the Chick-fil-A Bowl, donating much of the proceeds to a range of charities and universities, and founded the WinShape Foundation which helps, among many other worthy causes, to support 11 foster homes.
We live in a free country, so we have the right to do just about whatever we want — within the boundaries of the laws of the land and our personal convictions. Despite what we’ve been led to believe, politics is not everything, so why do so many of us (including the conservative anti-Oreo cookie crowd) feel compelled to politicize everything, including businesses?
Somehow I don’t think we’ll ever get an answer to that question. Oh well, I need to put my money where my mouth is, so I’m off to the grocery store and drive-through to pick up Oreos and a chicken sandwich. Chop-chop.
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Susan Stamper Brown is an opinion page columnist, motivational speaker and military advocate who writes about politics, the military, the economy and culture. Email Susan at writestamper@gmail.com or her website at susanstamperbrown.com.
©2012 Susan Stamper Brown. Susan’s column is distributed exclusively by: Cagle Cartoons, Inc., newspaper syndicate. For info contact Cari Dawson Bartley. E-mail Cari@cagle.com, (800) 696-7561
Ummm…. People have died HERE for their sexual preference as well. Apparently you don’t understand, they are donating money to ANTI-GAY organizations. Any organization that can’t keep their noses in their own bedrooms is a HATE organization. Chick-Fil-A is also posting FALSE safety recalls on Jim Henson’s Workshop puppets, after the puppeteers workshop pulled out of a working partnership with the company because they don’t feel Chick-Fil-A is acting in a manner that JHW would like to be associated with, they are offering a FREE Ice Cream Cone in place of a toy, talk about a slap in the face. Susan you feel free to keep riding the bigot bus.
Chik’Fil-A hires homosexuals, serves homosexuals, treats them exactly like everyone else, so just what’s your problem here Jeremy? Would you like all people to cross-dress? Should we hold hands with our golfing buddies? Should we stop acting normal and become more lilting in our strides?
Listen buddy, you have your life, we have ours, you and your like have been given near everything you have asked for using ‘civil rights’ as your banner, stop trying to change the world into a homosexual cesspool, (you’ve spread the AIDS virus and have cost the USA and the world countless Billions of dollars in hospital care and research do to your promiscuous sexual encounters) where only YOUR opinion and lifestyle counts, it’s about time the majority had a say in something as normal as traditional marriage. (the only reason the word ‘traditional’ is used here is to inform you how far you’ve come on your quest to change the world, should’nt have had to be written at all)
Ick . . .eating at this place six times last week seems a bit extreme. YUCK!
People calling for boycots are just as intollerant. They say Be tollerant of their views, but hate any one that dissagrees.
Great point of view and opinion Susan Stamper Brown, good for you! About time someone stood up for the ‘rights’ of the majority.
Apparently you haven’t done your research on this one-sided article of yours. Not only do they have a history of publicly talking against the gay community as a whole, but also publicly discriminating against ANY community is most certainly a reason for outrage. If this were the 1950’s or 60’s, you would replace gay with black people, and you would be the one writing an article how it should be okay for business to publicly announce they don’t like black people. We know now that type of behavior isn’t acceptable, so why should this situation be any different? Bottom line, if a business promotes (because that’s what they’re doing) intolerance of any kind, they should be boycotted. My problem is that you can’t open your eyes wide enough to see the big picture.
When I go to a restaurant, the last thing I want to think about is sexuality. I don’t want to know what the bigoted, busy-body owner thinks about marriage.
As a Libertarian, I believe that the government should stay out of the marriage business. The owners of Chick-Fil-A have every right to a different opinion and I have a responsibility to stay away from their establishments.
Chick-Fil-A has managed to leave a bad taste in my mouth and I will never care to eat there again. Boycotting them will certainly help me feel better knowing that my hard earned dollars are not helping to stigmatize 10% of the population.
@ reader: I agree……..It is not like it is difficult to boycott Chick-Fil-A……yuck!
There is no discrimination made by Chick-fril-a; they are not a “hate group”. They have basic fundamental Christian beliefs. Dan Cathy stated that they are very much supportive of the family – the BIBLICAL definition of the family unit. We live in a country based of religion freedom. Although the Bible is ancient, it’s not a dead book. It’s alive and as fresh as if He were speaking directly to you. The stories may have taken place centuries ago, but the PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS are current and relevant. It is our instruction book about how to live. Guidance for decisions and discernment about situations are found from Genesis to Revelation. God’s Word is active and piercing. The words do not simply sit on the page. They penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts and motives. This convicting quality is why some people do not like to read the Bible nor believe in the Bible. The owners of Chick-fil-a follows these principles and isn’t afraid to say so. They aren’t showing hate toward anyone. They do not descriminate against anyone. They feel that what the Bible says about marriage is right – which is that marriage is beteen one man and one woman. Those who are boycotting and sending hate messages thoughtout the internet and elsewhere are the bigots and hate groups. People need to learn to be more tolerant of each others beliefs and principles. If you want others to show you respect and tolerance for your beliefs and principles, the road goes two ways.
I guess you don’t realize that the owners of Chick-fila give money to The Mormen church. They then turn around and use that money to push anti-gay laws across The country. For example prop 8 in california and numerous laws preventing gay couples from adopting children. To me this kind of bigotry is not ok. In 20 years people will look back on articles like this one and say just what is wrong with this author. How could someone write this without being ashamed of themselve.