National Day of Support for...

[Townsend]

Same-sex marriage foes flock to Chick-fil-A chain

http://tinyurl.com/ccr6y8f

They "got to take a stand".

(Reuters) - Thousands of people across the United States heeded the call of two former Republican presidential candidates to eat at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday to show support for the chain restaurant as it weathers criticism for its president's public opposition to gay marriage.

Business was so brisk at some of the privately owned chain's more than 1,600 locations that employees directed traffic in parking lots, lines remained long well past the lunch hour, and managers spoke of record sales.

"I don't believe in same-sex marriage. It's wrong," said Patricia Shelton, 53, after visiting a Chick-fil-A in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a state where voters approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage earlier this year.

"We've got to take a stand," Shelton said.

Chick-fil-A, known for its chicken sandwiches and waffle fries and for being closed on Sundays, came under fire after its president, Dan Cathy, told an online religious newspaper that he supports "the biblical definition of the family unit" and that supporters of gay marriage were "arrogant".

Conservative former presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum said those who agreed with Cathy should send a message about "traditional values" by eating a meal on what they dubbed "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."

Gay marriage supporters have pushed for a boycott of the chain and are seeking to block new Chick-fil-A outlets from opening. The mayors of Chicago and Boston have spoken out against the company, and same-sex couples around the country plan a kiss-in at Chick-fil-A restaurants on Friday.

While some patrons said they visited the chain on Wednesday simply because they like the food, others at busier-than-usual locations from suburban Philadelphia to cities across the Southeast said they came to support Cathy's stance and his right to voice it.

"We're Bible-believing Christians," said Bethany Hill, 35, at a Chick-fil-A in Trevose, Pennsylvania. "We're thankful that he decided to stand up."

"You should have the right to say your opinion without being penalized," said Lillian Somers, 78, at a Chick-fil-A in Birmingham, Alabama. "I am tired of people trying to force their beliefs on me and people being blasted for Christian beliefs."

The general manager of New Hampshire's only Chick-fil-A franchise reacted to the controversy by becoming a sponsor of the state's gay pride festival slated for August 11.

The restaurant in a Nashua shopping mall "has gay employees and serves gay customers with honor, dignity and respect," general manager Anthony Picolia said in a statement released by the organizers of New Hampshire Pride Fest.

"I would challenge people to come have a conversation with me before they make assumptions or boycott my restaurant," he said.

In Chick-fil-A's corporate hometown of Atlanta, 42-year-old government worker Hackwin Devoe said he "does not find Biblical support" for gay marriage but does not oppose it.

He said one of the things that makes the United States a great nation is that Americans respect one another for their opinions.

For him, the quality of Chick-fil-A's product outweighs its president's politics.

"As long as the service and quality of the food continues to be good, I'm fine with that," said Devoe.

[Ed W]

I'm listening to the scanner.  Owasso PD is sending two officers to Chick Fill A to direct traffic.  According to one co-worker, 96th Street was jammed at lunch time and it appears it will be jammed again at dinner.

I agree that the CEO has the right to speak his mind and that customers have the right to vote with their feet and dollars.  And I reserve that same right to call them homophobes and bigots.

[nathanm]

I've not been eating there since sometime last year when it became clear what WinShape was really about. I was beginning to think I might make occasional exceptions until blabbermouth opened his trap again and doubled down four or five times.

Conan, I'm not sure why you think that anyone is obligated to eat at Chik-Fil-A. Not eating there doesn't make me intolerant. At no point have I said that other people can't eat there if they like. I'm also not quite sure how you can say with a straight face that calling someone out for their hateful and intolerant speech is somehow itself hateful and intolerant. Nobody is asking Dan Cathy to get gay married or hating him because he refuses to do so. Nobody is telling him what to believe. They're simply saying that they don't want to spend money that will then find its way back to supporting bigoted and hateful positions.

Despite what the right-wingers are trying to do, it's not about what Dan says, it's about who he supports financially with his company. I wish he'd go back to just saying stupid smile. I'd like to eat some Chick Fillet.

[nathanm]

On the bright side, their days are numbered. 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/31/bush-appointed-federal-judge-rules-doma-unconstitutional/

[DolfanBob]

OK wait a minute. Did the three hippies actually drink free beverages from the very business they are protesting?

[nathanm]

OK wait a minute. Did the three hippies actually drink free beverages from the very business they are protesting?

Why would they have any problem keeping 5 cents or so from going to support bigots? Taking free stuff from them only serves the purpose of the protestors. (I'm not calling Chik-Fil-A employees in general bigots, I'm calling WinShape and some of the other causes the company supports bigots)

[AquaMan]

My apologies. Let me clarify.  I am using two adjectives and I see where one can be confused.  What I mean is to apply the term "lesser" to the term politician.  After I post this I will remove the term liberal because there are "lesser" politicians on all sides.  A lesser politician is one who is interested in motives other than to serve his constituency.

Good man. I like to think I am one of the logical liberals but time will tell.

[AquaMan]

OK wait a minute. Did the three hippies actually drink free beverages from the very business they are protesting?

They might not have been hippies. Any one consider that they might be SUBWAY COUNTER OPERATIVES!?

[Red Arrow]

I'm listening to the scanner.  Owasso PD is sending two officers to Chick Fill A to direct traffic.  According to one co-worker, 96th Street was jammed at lunch time and it appears it will be jammed again at dinner.

I agree that the CEO has the right to speak his mind and that customers have the right to vote with their feet and dollars.  And I reserve that same right to call them homophobes and bigots.

I think it's time for some new, politically correct terms for homophobes and bigots.

[Hoss]

I'm listening to the scanner.  Owasso PD is sending two officers to Chick Fill A to direct traffic.  According to one co-worker, 96th Street was jammed at lunch time and it appears it will be jammed again at dinner.

I agree that the CEO has the right to speak his mind and that customers have the right to vote with their feet and dollars.  And I reserve that same right to call them homophobes and bigots.

Sometimes it feels like Oklahoma is still living in the 1950s.  Socially, anyway.

[guido911]

I think it's time for some new, politically correct terms for homophobes and bigots.

Why? It's all the left has? If you support traditional marriage, you are a homophobe. Just ask the current white house occupant, who was a homophobe and a bigot until recently. Now, heading over the Chick-Fil-A to protest anti-First Amendment right people.

[guido911]

WOW!! Traffic at 106th & Memorial Chick Fil-A location backed up onto Memorial. Must be around 30 cars waiting at the drive thru.. Lines inside the restaurant are nuts--and its 8:45 in 111 degree weather. Look at all those bigots and homophobes out there--oh wait. Nope. Let's look instead at the whiners who stayed home and grumble about how UN-enlightened the masses are.

Warning: Shrinkage alert:




DAMN YOU FREEDOM OF RELIGION!!!! Laughing over all those corporate profits being gathered to be later spent on protesting SSM instead of being spent on the free speech issues the precious few in here believe is more worthy.

[nathanm]

If you support traditional marriage, you are a homophobe.

No, if you support traditional marriage, you are supporting racism and homophobia. If you are merely against SSM, you are only supporting homophobia. Unless traditional has been redefined, anyway.

That's OK. Nobody's going to force you to change your views, just like nobody is going to force anyone to eat at Chick-Fil-A.

[Red Arrow]

No, if you support traditional marriage, you are supporting racism and homophobia. If you are merely against SSM, you are only supporting homophobia. Unless traditional has been redefined, anyway.

If you want to get picky you can also throw in religious and social discrimination. You can't marry him/her, he/she is a different religion, a different social caste (money), political party and probably even more if you go back far enough.

I think within the last 20 or so years the race issue has declined significantly regarding marriage but I will agree it is not gone in some circles.

[Hoss]

I've boycotted Chick-fil-a for years.  Mainly because their food sucks.

It's amazing.  Mike Huckabee wrote on book on weight loss about 5 years ago.  Now he goes and undos that by calling for a Chick-fil-a appreciation day.

Awesome.

I heart Huckabee!

LOL.