Perspectives: Chick-fil-A is not the enemy

OPINION -Who could have guessed that a scrumptious little chicken sandwich would send this country into a political tailspin?

Chick-fil-A has been thrust into the media spotlight and the famous chicken restaurant chain has performed the faux pas of the century; the president of a corporation has taken a stance on a political matter.

Dan Cathy told the world that he did not support gay marriage.

Gay rights activists, political leaders and supporters of gay rights are verbalizing their outrage over the discrimination against gay and lesbians.  Boycotts, bans and circulating petitions are sending a powerful message; bite into a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich and consider yourself a ”homophobe”.

Should those that run major corporations weigh in on political matters at all? Maybe not, but what about Cathy’s personal right to voice his opinion and utilize his own free speech? His views were never intended to represent Chick-fil-A as a corporation. There have been no known documented cases, that I am aware of, in the media that gay employees are being discriminated against at Chick-fil-A and anyone, regardless of their sexual preference, can enjoy a nice meal at the nationwide restaurant chain.

What discrimination?

What if Dan Cathy had renounced his beliefs and had only supported gay marriage to go along with the status quo. The headline would have read, “ Chick-fil-A is the most tolerant restaurant chain in the country and supports gay marriage.” Although dishonest and not representative of his Christian values, Cathy would have probably garnered awards and accolades for hopping on the tolerance bandwagon.

Regardless of the issue at hand, it seems when Biblical values are represented as opinion, there is a rush to judgment that you have become a bigot or a hate-monger. Why is this? Because it seems as though free speech prohibits the use of the words “right” or “wrong” in America today and Biblical values use those dreadful words. That type of language is now considered offensive and must be replaced with words like “choice” and “tolerance.” Heaven forbid we use the word “sin;” it may make someone feel bad.

The phone lines lit up like a Christmas tree this week on the Perspectives Morning Show as caller after caller wondered if this is a true reflection of what a free America should represent. Cathy did not say he hated gay people or that gay people were horrible.

Chick-fil-A is not the enemy. It is a fast food restaurant.

We should start worrying about the bigger problems we are facing as a nation, regarding the encroaching loss of our liberty and freedom, our enormous deficit, our rising inflation. No offense to the scandalous chicken sandwich, but we have bigger “fish to fry.”

If free speech were to be driven only by political correctness and sensitivity, free speech would rapidly become “no speech.” Our Founding Fathers were not shy about voicing their beliefs and opinions and they did not seem to cower out of fear of not being popular. I get the feeling that they thought America would be a place for all people to live and speak freely. I would venture to guess that the validation of our Founding Fathers’ choices and beliefs did not hinge on the mere opinion of another.

Can we discuss issues that actually matter? We can talk about it over a nice chicken dinner.

Kate Dalley is a news commentator and co-host of the Perspectives morning show on Fox News 1450 AM 93.1 FM. The opinions stated in this article are hers and not representative of St. George News.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2012, all rights reserved.

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8 Comments

  • Firefly August 3, 2012 at 8:57 am

    Couldn’t have said it better myself, Kate. Excellent.

  • Roberta Johannes August 3, 2012 at 9:48 am

    Thank you. This article was very well written. Although I was thinking all the same things, I didn’t know how to put it all into words. Sure makes you wonder where free speech has gone in this country. There is so much controversy from being politically correct at all times to wondering why people judge so harshly competitors with the olympics, sports teams, beauty pageants… It’s unfortunate people come down so harshly on those people who may be a wee little bit morally unclean when your examples in temporal high places do not set a good example. There is just no sense any more. I also do not support gay marriage, but DO support a supreme being who is the ultimate example of what we should attain. I believe in a unity of some sort for benefits, but not before God. God is the judge when the timing is right. People of today are making everything so horribly complicated.

  • Mike H August 3, 2012 at 10:15 am

    Wow, this is so NOT a free speech issue, neither is it a religion issue, this has everything to do with a company that is giving money to groups that are working to subjugate a percentage of the population that differs from the remainder of the population based solely on who they love.
    Chik Fil-A gave 5 MILLION dollars to organizations that are pushing for the criminalization of homosexuality. Not just trying to deny marriage rights, they are trying to make it so gays are thrown in jail. Does being gay hurt someone else? Does it steal from them, sell drugs, murder, rape, pillage or destroy. Nope. But these groups are still seeking to criminalize it.
    “Two organizations that work very hard to maintain this status quo and roll back any protections that we may have are the Family Research Council and the Marriage & Family Foundation. For example, the Family Research council leadership has officially stated that same-gender-loving behavior should be criminalized in this country. They draw their pay, in part, from the donations of companies like Chick-Fil-A. Both groups have also done “missionary” work abroad that served to strengthen and promote criminalization of same-sex relations.”- Wayne Self
    When a company funds legislation intended to marginalize one group over another, then it has entered into the arena of politics.
    I think Cathy can say whatever he wants, it’s his right as an American, just as it is my right to disagree and to choose not to patronize his business.
    Why is it whenever someone disagrees with someone else about a faith held belief that person is immediately accused of attacking their religion?
    Every religion on the face of this Earth has differences from another. This is why there are so many. But the Christian faith seems to be the most insistent that they are always being maligned for loving their God. But these same ignorant people that profess that they are following God’s word ignore very big parts of it and when those inconsistencies are pointed out they react with anger and vitriol.
    The comments being made about this whole debacle are so offensive and ridiculous that I am astounded that we as a species haven’t destroyed ourselves yet.
    Support your belief in the biblical version of marriage, but remember that there is more than one: Polygyny is the number 1 form of marriage in the bible, 1 man many wives.
    Levirate where a woman who is widowed marries her husband’s brother or close male relative. She pretty much has to, no choice allowed for women.
    A man, one or multiple wives and a whole bunch of concubines. YAY! I vote for this one.
    A soldier and his female prisoner of war
    A rapist and his victim. In Deuteronomy an unmarried woman has to marry her rapist.
    Seems to me the Mormons had it right in the beginning as a polygynous marriage was the most common and seems biblically supported.
    Oh but wait, now I am victimizing Christians again. I apologize, I should know better.

  • Mike H August 3, 2012 at 11:08 am

    Perhaps Christians really want something like this to happen in our country? This is what happens when an extremist group runs a country. Not saying all Christians are extreme, but when you look at Westboro Baptist Church, it is obvious we have them out there. And when we have senators comparing gays to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, well then maybe it’s not such a crazy thought that this would be our future if the Christian right really had their way.
    http://news.yahoo.com/islamists-north-mali-stone-unwed-couple-death-142159702.html

  • Robin Keith August 3, 2012 at 11:28 am

    Kate, I am so glad there is a true voice of reason out there. Keep it coming.

  • Mark August 3, 2012 at 12:25 pm

    Very well written and makes valid point; this is NOT about Gays, or Christians it IS about free speech pure and simple! Great job Kate.

  • Brian August 3, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    That being said mark it is about free speech. He said what he said and while there are no penalties as far as jail time for speaking out, there are consequences for what you said and that is the discussion happening now.

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