Food For Thought

"Chicken Cha-Ching"
Cashing in on Anti-Gay Marriage Under the Cover of Christianity

by Julie F......

Before diving in I'd like to note:
I am 100% on board with freedom of speech, clearly. I appreciate those who speak their minds, however I do not appreciate those opinions being thrown into the category of "Christian beliefs"

Chick Fil A Appreciation Day-
A ridiculous shameful circus spreading across the country like wildfire today. People surrounding the fast food chains like cattle to a food trough.
And over what? The support of one CEO's opinion that gay marriage is "wrong". This could even seem as a ploy by an ignorant CEO using his own opinion to lure the weak-minded Americans into purchasing chicken. I personally do not eat chicken, but if I did, I would not be participating in this charade. I strongly believe everybody is entitled to his/her own opinion, however I do not believe in cashing in on the intolerance of so called "Christians" and the flat out gay haters. The GLBT community do not love to hurt or contradict other's morals and values, they simply love to love. They are not out to hurt or harm, unlike this corporation now seems to be. I find this entire "appreciation day" to be offensive, rude, intolerant and anti-American.

By showing your support for this "cause" you are contributing among the millions of dollars that will be donated to anti-gay support groups accross the country. Let me point out that here in America, in our own backyard, there are hungry, starving people and animals. There are children who don't know where their next meal is coming from, yet Chick Fil A will be donating part of its profits from today to anti-gay associations. That is absolutely disgusting and flat out disturbed.

This "Christian" corporation should be doing something POSITIVE, not nourishing the negativity they have already participated in.

Chairman quotes-
"It's really hard to find people or leaders that stand for something good and stay firm."

I'm to believe he is saying gay marriage is not good, hence love between homosexuals is not good? Love is love. It is a good thing!!!! All you need is love.. GOD IS LOVE! Read the Bible for crying out loud. I guess they only see what they want to see when they read the Holy Book.

And let me tell them something.. I stand for something GOOD- I stand for human rights! And that is damn good. Do you want to stand for something good?? Then stand up for the GLBT teenagers in this world who suffer in silence, who are afraid, and bullied to the point of suicide!! Stand up for the people who's families disown them, shame them, and abandon them because of their sexual preference. It is just flat out wrong.

The chairman thinks it is "good" to discriminate? Jesus would disagree with that bolox, and Jesus is as good as it gets.

People in a power position like this who can influence others, which has clearly been done in this situation, should be using said power and influence towards positive outcomes, for the benefit of mankind. Instead, they sit back in their plush offices rolling around in their leather chairs and money, proud of their shameful actions prompting people to believe it's okay to call somebody the F word because it is freedom of speech. Lets plaster the label "free speech" on it because that makes it"okay".

There is REAL evil in this world, and it is NOT homosexuality! This world is full of horrendous violence- rape, murder, abuse towards humans and animals, and the list goes on and on. Among the evil there is also sadness and dispair. Homelessness and hunger plague our society and this corporation dares to claim they are "doing the right thing". NO. The right thing would be taking a stand against the true wrong in this world. The right thing would be helping your fellow man, not hurting them or despising them because of a sexual preference, which is frankly nobody else's damn business!

Chick Fil A has shined a spotlight on an issue that shouldn't even be an issue. There are real issues today, where is the spotlight on those issues? Why are partial profits going to anti-gay associations instead of food banks? For shame Chick Fil A, for shame!!

Quote from a Chick Fil A spokesperson-
"Being against gay marriage is not being anti-gay."

Really? That is like saying "believing in slavery is not racist."
Give me a break spokesperson! Your "being against gay marriage" has created a whole line of discrimination. People are seeing it as okay to be verbally anti-gay in a hurtful and abusive manner. They have given the green light to verbally assault homosexuals, to use the word "faggot" and to shun fellow Americans under the category of "free speech".

Quote-
"A company should be true to its values but also has to consider the consequences before engaging in controversy."

Well its a bit too late for that! Considering the consequences? Please, this entire thing is starting to seem more and more like a ploy to raise money for anti-gay support groups. Chick Fil A must be damn fools to believe that this would not create controversy. That would be a DUH.

Did you know that millions and millions of chick fil a dollars have been donated into the fight against gay marriage? Among the many benefiting from these contributions are the Family Research Council and Exodus International, according to Equality Matters, an initiative associated with the progressive Watchdog group, Media Matters. The Family Research Council is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, while Exodus International is a Christian Ministry that has long endorsed ex-gay therapy, a controversial practice of "curing" gay people that mainstream mental health organizations have disavowed.

The restaurant millions of people have supported today supports all of this. And for what? They will never get what they want. This is all a waste of time, energy and money. Anti-gay rights will die, and in the future GLBT community members will live their lives as normal citizens of the world, just as women and African Americans do today. This will end, just as slavery did, just as African Americans and women's discrimination did.

Did you know that employees of the Chick Fil A franchise are NOT allowed to speak to the press? In doing so, they risk termination. Hmmmm, freedom of speech issue? They dare stifle others while claiming this is a freedom of speech issue. I think not Chick Fil A, get it together!


One gay employee who works at Chick Fil A headquarters recounts a customer who came in and said he supported Dan Cathy and then continued to say something homophobic- "I'm so glad you don't support the queers, I can eat in peace!"

Another employee recalls an encounter with a customer who said
"I support your company, because your company hates the gays."

One more employee subjected to harmful statements, due to the bombshell dropped by Chick Fil A, was told-
"If I see one more faggot at a Chick Fil A protesting, I'm going to be sick!"

ALL of these and more sickening remarks are the effects caused by the Chick Fil A corporation.

Quote-
"The goal is simple: Let's affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1."

How dare they! "Christian Principles"?! These people give Christianity a BAD name! Jesus loves EVERYBODY, as hard a pill that may be for some to swallow, it is true. He would never turn somebody away over sexual preference. Jesus's friends were the sinners, the 'low lives' the ones who in today's society would be judged, ridiculed, stoned and shamed! How dare this company bring Christianity into all of this and imply it's the Christian thing to do!

The real Christian thing to do is to accept people. If only Jesus were here in person, he would go to them and say "No, this is wrong. You are to treat one another as you would want to be treated."

Amen to that!