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Child Item

Fast Food chain under fire from same sex couples

scudzilla

Now this just makes me sick

http://news.sky.com/story/967831/fast-food-chain-under-fire-over-gay-marriage

Basically the president of this fast food chain has said he was he was "guilty as charged" of backing "the biblical definition" of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

Not once has he said any same sex couples are banned from his restaurants, not once has he slagged them off, all he has said, is that in his opinion, and that of the bible, it's wrong. Now critics are planning a "Same Sex Kiss In" outside all the branches!!

What is the world coming to? Are we not allowed to hold an opinion anymore without being jumped on by some sort of Human Rights group demanding equailty?

Full Article :
Critics of a US fast food chain's stance on gay marriage are planning a national mass same-sex "kiss-in" outside branches.

The president of Chick-fil-A sparked protests and boycotts across the country after admitting he was "guilty as charged" of backing "the biblical definition" of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

It has reignited the debate over gay marriage in the United States and even prompted some cities to declare that the company is not welcome to open new restaurants.

Supporters of the chain's position staged a "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" on Wednesday and restaurants were swamped by customers sympathetic to their views.

At a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Largo in Maryland customer Porfy Beltran told Sky News: "The people who work there and the people who run the company should be free to believe whatever they believe.

"To try to boycott them because of what they believe is actually fascism and we fought a war against fascism and I don't want to go through that again."

On Friday, critics of the company, whose slogan is 'Eat Mor Chiks', are planning to hold a ‘Kiss Mor Chiks' event, encouraging people to turn up outside restaurants around the country and kiss each other.

Former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has weighed in on the issue telling Fox News that the Chick-fil-A chief was being "crucified" for his views.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has criticised leaders in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco for saying Chick-fil-A is not welcome in their cities.

He said it was inappropriate for a government "to look at somebody's political views and decide whether or not they can live in the city, or operate a business in the city, or work for somebody in the city".

He won support from one of the leading voices behind calls for a boycott.

Richard Socarides, a former gay rights advisor to President Bill Clinton, said: "Consumers can disagree with a company's corporate political position and decide not to spend money there.

"But the city cannot regulate speech by denying someone a permit to operate their business just because you disagree with their political beliefs."

Most of Chick-fil-A's restaurants are in the southern 'Bible Belt' with only a dozen in states which allow gay marriage.

The latest opinion polls show Americans evenly divided on the issue of gay marriage. In May, President Barack Obama announced that he supported the rights of same-sex couples to marry.

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Attabear

walrusgumble wrote: »

So, the rest of the people are also entitled to have a problem with fags shoving their relationship status down people's throats by standing outside the restaurants ?

There is a lot of waffle of "equality".

Equality requires you to treat like for like, and things that are not the same, different to each other. A married hetrosexual couple are not the same as homosexual couples, can never be the same either.

It really doesn't, that sounds like the opposite of equality!

dr.bollocko

Walrusgrumble banned.

jank

Corkfeen wrote: »

The word fascism gets thrown around a lot. The American government is in no way close to being fascist. Firstly, i've never heard of a fascist state that were in favour of equal rights for all.

Not strictly fascist but communist totalitarian states advocated equality, brotherhood and comradeship before killing up to 100 million people, in fact basing the right to rule on those very things.

Corkfeen wrote: »

States are perfectly within their rights to tell companies that do fund hate groups to **** off and generally they won't be blocked as a result of the mayors opposition but if there's a large scale protest and boycotting in regards to them on the other hand that is based on public opinion. If public opinion isn't actually opposed to them, I doubt the mayor's stance will have any effect upon their ability to open.

Unfortunately they are not within their rights at all as it would be against the law. Just because someone has a different opinion as you, doesn't mean they cannot be afford the same rights as anyone. That's the crux of a tolerant society that liberals seem to forget, you have to accept the fact that there are others with extreme opinions who have just a right to be heard as those who are advocating rights for gays, women and so on.

Corkfeen wrote: »

Companies that do fund hate groups (they mightn't be hating enough for you but they still constitute hate) are always to going to result in issues. If a company that funded white supremacists or people who were opposed to inter-racial marriage attempted to base in a city, you'd see opposition once again.

Hate groups are such an arbitrary term. Who decides this? Apparently the ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center do. So there is no "official" list of hate groups anywhere in the US. Sorry but I am not trusting what the ADL say about these groups when they have an entirely different agenda.

This is all political, if you cant see that then you are blind.

jank

Attabear wrote: »

I still claim that a public representative is free to say they are not welcome in their cities and that is not an example of fascism or dictatorship.

Would you be so understanding if we turned this around.

A business owner expressing his personal opinion that gays should marry while an elected mayor then says that he would NOT let that business setup in their jurisdiction. Would you be OK with that?

Attabear

jank wrote: »

Not strictly fascist but communist totalitarian states advocated equality, brotherhood and comradeship before killing up to 100 million people, in fact basing the right to rule on those very things.

You brought up fascism.

No one else did.:)

Shenshen

Of course he has the right to hold and pronounce this views.
But then, surely, all the protestors have the right to hold their views and pronounce and demonstrate them peacefully?

Why should freedom of thought mean freedom not to be criticised and face the disapproval of others?
It's hardly fascism, although that is a word that people who don't want to face differing view points often like to throw around.

Shenshen

Attabear wrote: »

You brought up fascism.

No one else did.:)

Erm, the article in the OP did?

hooradiation

jaydoxx wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, because I'm no expert here, but his opinion is based on his religious beliefs and that's exactly why lobbying exists isn't it? For special interest groups to express themselves in a political setting.

Again please correct me if i'm way off in thinking that:p

And so fucking what?
"It's just his opinion" is never a valid defense - and doubly so when your funding organisations who actively seek to limit or revoke the rights of a section of the population based on their sexual orientation.

The people who are protesting chik-fil-a aren't doing it because their president is a terrible shit with awful ideas, they're doing it because he's using the money from that company to fund political campaigns that seek to undermine the rights of people.
They're boycotting it, because they want to draw attention to this practice, so that people know that even though they may not agree with the stance that Dan Cathy personally has, but by going there they are supporting the stance he has monetarily. Both matter.

walrusgumble wrote: »

What the the basis of this ridiculous notion that civil rights recongises the right of same sex couples to marry?

really?
Are you honestly asking why denying two consenting adults the right to marry each other based on both their genders being the same is a civil rights issue?

Are you fucking kidding me?

Attabear

jank wrote: »

Would you be so understanding if we turned this around.

A business owner expressing his personal opinion that gays should marry while an elected mayor then says that he would NOT let that business setup in their jurisdiction. Would you be OK with that?

He is entitled to say whatever he likes, and deal with the repercussions of his statement, whether it be protests or not getting elected next term. That's politics.

You are the one equating the freedom to make statements as an elected representative with fascism.

Attabear

Shenshen wrote: »

Erm, the article in the OP did?

Fair enough, apologies to Jank but I disagree with the application of the term in both the OP and in subsequent posts.

Corkfeen

jank wrote: »

Not strictly fascist but communist totalitarian states advocated equality, brotherhood and comradeship before killing up to 100 million people, in fact basing the right to rule on those very things.

Unfortunately they are not within their rights at all as it would be against the law. Just because someone has a different opinion as you, doesn't mean they cannot be afford the same rights as anyone. That's the crux of a tolerant society that liberals seem to forget, you have to accept the fact that there are others with extreme opinions who have just a right to be heard as those who are advocating rights for gays, women and so on.

Hate groups are such an arbitrary term. Who decides this? Apparently the ADL and the Southern Poverty Law Center do. So there is no "official" list of hate groups anywhere in the US. Sorry but I am not trusting what the ADL say about these groups when they have an entirely different agenda.

This is all political, if you cant see that then you are blind.

Communism was actually rather opposed to many of the same things as religions including homosexuality. I will accept that I was slightly wrong on them preventing them from opening. But this does not prevent mayors from airing the opinions of the public in regards to them (I think they also scaled back on denying them building permits because they can't). Personally I think they should not actually block the opening of any business as their sales are likely to suffer in the areas opposed to them opening anyway.

I also never said that we have the right to prevent people or companies from airing their views. But once again, we are perfectly within our rights to say how idiotic their viewpoints are and that it could result in a public image backlash against them.

Gandhi

This whole thing is stupid.

Mayors of cities have no legal power to deny a business's right to open inside their city limits because they don't like the CEO's opinions. The only non-zero outcome they could have is a very expensive lawsuit, which they will lose, and then hand the taxpayers the multi-million-dollar legal bill. All they are doing is making a meaningless crowd-pleasing political soundbite for the press.

The vast majority of gay marriage amendments that have made it as far as a ballot or a bill in the US have had resoundingly anti-gay marriage results*. Gay marriage is unlikely to come to the vast majority of America anytime soon. Anyone lobbying one way or another is just wasting their money as far as I can see.

Personally I am in favour of gay marriage, but tbh I really don't care that much one way or another. These kiss-ins and other protests are just making me think that a lot of gay rights activists are attention-seeking idiots. There is one blogger** here in Philly who is boasting that her brother is going to be sitting down streaming porn every time he goes into a Chick-Fil-A. This kind of crap is just stupid and is reinforcing the negative stereotype of the sex-obsessed attention-craving homosexual that the anti-gay lobby depends heavily on.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_constitutional_amendments_banning_same-sex_unions_by_type

** http://www.alittlelucidity.com/2012/07/chick-fell-atio.html

IrishAm

Chick-Fil-A is vile. The kip makes KFC seem like haute cuisine.

No such thing as bad publicity, seems like they got what they wanted.

Wompa1

There's a Chick-Fil-A across from my apartment. 2 weeks after I moved in I tried to go there on a Sunday and it was closed. I asked the guys at work and they explained it was closed because it was started by devout Mormons. My g/f went for a job in one and the management all seemed to be Mormon at least in that branch...so I don't see why it's a huge suprise that they actually hold Mormon beliefs. Let them off.

Naomi00

This is such an old story. Why post about it now?

Links234

Wompa1 wrote: »

so I don't see why it's a huge suprise that they actually hold Mormon beliefs. Let them off.

it's not about their beliefs, it's about them donating millions to hate groups

Overheal

I was happy to kinda skirt this issue, thinking it was all a bit silly, until I read this. Really it was the comments made by the delivery driver (below) that really pissed me off:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/chick-fil-a-anti-gay-controversy-employees-speak-out_n_1729968.html

Elected officials have urged Chick-fil-A to stay out of their cities, the Jim Henson Company has severed ties, and gay rights groups are organizing national protests against the fried chicken chain. But at the Chick-fil-A where Andrew works in northern Alabama, business has been booming over the past few weeks.
On Wednesday -- dubbed "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" by former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee -- lines are stretching out the front door and the parking lot is packed with customers coming out to support company chief executive Dan Cathy, who recently came out against same-sex marriage with statements that have polarized lovers of the fast-food chain.
Andrew, a gay 24-year-old who has been working at the northern Alabama Chick-fil-A since January, sat in his car smoking a cigarette and watching the crowd during a break earlier Wednesday.
"I call it hater appreciation day," said Andrew, who asked that his last name be withheld out of fear he'd be fired. "It's very, very depressing."
Chick-fil-A has long come under fire from activists for giving millions to groups that advocate against gay rights and even support ex-gay therapy, but the fire has ratcheted up in recent weeks, following interviews in which Cathy said he was “guilty as charged” of supporting “the biblical definition of the family unit" and that gay marriage invites "God's judgment on our nation."
Now, Chick-fil-A sits at the center of furious debate over same-sex marriage, gay rights and free speech, with politicians, activists, and newspaper editorial boards weighing in from all sides.
The company has remained mostly silent on the issue. On the company's Facebook page, a post declares, "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." (On the page, the company also maintains that it severed ties with the Jim Henson Company, first). The company did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Huffington Post, and Dan Cathy has not given any subsequent interviews since the controversy began.
Another group staying mostly silent on the issue are the gay, lesbian and bisexual employees who staff the restaurants. They say that, like most employees of the company, they aren't allowed to speak to the press.
For these employees, the last couple of weeks have been very difficult.
One gay employee who works at Chick-fil-A headquarters in Atlanta, Ga., and asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing his job, says he is getting it from both sides. On the one hand, there is the customer who came in and said he supported Dan Cathy and then "continues to say something truly homophobic, e.g. 'I'm so glad you don't support the queers, I can eat in peace,'" the employee, who is 23 and has worked for Chick-fil-A since he was 16, wrote in an email. On the other hand, he continued, "I was yelled at for being a god-loving, conservative, homophobic Christian while walking some food out to a guest in a mall dining room."
He disagrees with Cathy's views, but the reaction from the public has been just as hard to swallow.
"It seems like very few people have stopped to think about who actually works for Chick-fil-A and what those people's opinions are," he wrote. "They are putting us in a pot and coming to support us or hate us based on something they heard and assume we agree with."
Gabriel Aguiniga, a gay employee at a Chick-fil-A in Colorado, also said the hardest part hasn't been hearing Cathy's comments. Instead, "[it's] constantly having people come up to you and say, 'I support your company, because your company hates the gays,'" Aguiniga, 18, wrote in an email. "It really takes a toll on me."
Management is encouraging employees at the stores to remain neutral, no matter what customers say, according to multiple workers interviewed by The Huffington Post.
"Our managers have recommended just saying 'Thank you for your business' if a customer says they agree with Cathy’s comments, rather than agreeing or disagreeing with them," K, an openly gay Chick-fil-A employee in Louisiana, told HuffPost in an email.
But staying neutral can be difficult when it feels like the world is passing judgment on everyone associated with the company.
"Now, anyone that works there is stuck with a stigma of being homophobic, even when many of us are far from it," K said. One of her coworkers, who supports same-sex marriage, has had people say things like, “Don’t give me that hate sh*t,” and “I hope you choke on that chicken," while she was handing out samples.
But for K, the hardest part hasn't been the actions of customers and protesters, it's the money the company gives to anti-gay groups.
"At the end of the day part of our profits still go towards Dan Cathy, and subsequently, all the organizations he supports," she said. K is now actively searching for work elsewhere. Many of her coworkers, she said, are looking for new jobs, too.
The groups Chick-fil-A gives to include 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. (In recent months, the president of Exodus has tried to distance his group from the idea that gay people can be "cured.")
Several of the gay and lesbian employees interviewed by The Huffington Post said that they liked their work, and had never witnessed incidents of homophobia or discrimination on the job. But Chick-fil-A restaurants are operated by independent owners, and employee experience can vary widely depending on the person running a particular chain.
Kellie, a 23-year-old gay woman from Georgia who also requested her last name be withheld for fear of being outed in the press, worked at two different Chick-fil-A locations in Georgia. She loved working at the first location, she said, where nobody ever said anything homophobic or discriminatory. But at the second location, in Atlanta, "there was a lot of general homophobia." Managers would frequently make homophobic jokes, she said, and she felt that if she were to tell her colleagues she was gay, she would be fired. Eventually, she quit.
Another former employee, who worked at the Chick-fil-A in Chicago, said he thought the culture of the company encouraged homophobia.
"It's a very monochromatic, white, male driven company," said Andrew Mullen, a gay 26-year-old who quit his job last winter after less than a year with the company. Once, Andrew recalled, a company operator leading an employee training session, saw two men kissing on the patio outside the restaurant and proclaimed to the group he was leading that he thought it was "disgusting." Mullen later told the person in charge of corporate training about the incident, and the man was fired. "[This person] was very apologetic for it, and there are a few people here like that, but from what I saw, it's a predominantly pro-ignorant culture."
But the gay employee who works at headquarters in Atlanta disagreed with this assessment. Aside from the occasional homophobic joke or comment outside of working hours, he said, his experience with the company has been "extremely positive."
Asked in June, Andrew, the employee in Alabama, would have said his experience was positive, too. He had never explicitly told any of his colleagues he was gay, but he felt comfortable at work and liked the operator of his store. But recently, Andrew says the atmosphere at work has grown nearly intolerable. Although plenty of his coworkers have said they don't agree with Cathy's views, on "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day," one colleague told him proudly that his friends would be eating the fried chicken sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Last week, when he went out to the parking lot to help a trucker (not directly employed by Chick-fil-A) unload a shipment of goods, the trucker turned to Andrew confidentially and said, "If I see one more f@ggot at a Chick-fil-A protesting, I'm going to be sick."
"I just looked at him and said, 'I don't want to hear that,'" Andrew recalled. "I thought, Chick-fil-A doesn't promote hatred, we don't cuss and we don't hate," he continued. But experiences over the last couple of weeks have shifted his views: "Honestly, I really wish they would just go out of business, I do."

This would have been a pretty tame issue, but sure a bunch of failed Republican candidates now-come FOX news affiliates decided to turn it into another episode to divide the population up. "Oh we've been to harmonious with eachother this summer. Let's pick a fight with the f@gs and see how the polls look in November"

Wompa1

Links234 wrote: »

it's not about their beliefs, it's about them donating millions to hate groups

The story has been about for nearly 2 weeks. When it first broke it wasn't about them donating to charities, it was about the guys interview and that's what kicked everything off. I have no idea what the charities or groups are that they donate to and wouldn't trust the media to represent them properly. I'm very skeptical of all media, including Anderson Cooper who was a guy I admired and trusted until his coverage of the Trayvon Martin shooting. DTA. Don't Trust Anyone.

I also didn't believe that Ron Paul was aware of the hate rag he was published in being a hate rag. Don't believe everything you read.

Manic Moran

CNN reporting they had a record sales day on Wednesday.

I have no particular issues with the chain. The food isn't bad, and sometimes they will have facilities where other companies do not. Their adverts make me laugh too...

With respect to the mayor, he can say what he wants, but unless the city code is written in a manner which happens to prohibit fast food joints specialising in chicken which also donates to anti-gay-marriage lobbying groups, which is unlikely and I suspect un constitutional, there isn't much weight to the statement.

EZ24GET

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion also entitled to give their own money to who ever they like. I think the person who asked the question at the interview had a good idea beforehand what the answer would be.It isn't against the law to disagree as far as I know.

JupiterKid

Gay people have as much a right to protest outside and picket these Chick-Fil-A outlets as their CEO has to make homophobic statements and donate money to anti-gay organisations.

You see, free speech is never completely free. There is a thing called incitement to hatred. With rights also come responsibilities.

EZ24GET

sure they can as long as they obey the law. Don't think they'll be changing any ones mind, but they can protest if they want, and they don't have to buy the chicken, but I think a lot of folks will judging by the turn out for appreciation day. Also I have a bit of a problem with banning a business because they don't agree with you. but that would be an argument for the voters in those places.
Are you really serious when you say that because a man doesn't believe in same sex marriage he is enticing hatred? If you believe that then those who disagree with certain Christian beliefs have been enciting hatred for years.Just because you speak your mind and express a different view does not mean you hate anyone. I dearly love a lot of folks who don't share my views or live their lives as I would like.

[Deleted User]

Same sex attention seekers more like.

When are we going to go all Pride like and go around preaching how much we are prud to fancy the opposite sex?

Drama Queen attention seeking ho's.

Mod

Infracted.

JupiterKid

Jay D wrote: »

Same sex attention seekers more like.

When are we going to go all Pride like and go around preaching how much we are prud to fancy the opposite sex?

Drama Queen attention seeking ho's.

Disgusting homophobia right there.:mad:

Post reported.

[Deleted User]

JupiterKid wrote: »

Disgusting homophobia right there.:mad:

Post reported.

Well done.

I suppose I should have elaborated and said (for dramatic individuals like yourself) that opportunities to make a point are jumped upon, just like this one here.

My question then would be, is there really any need for this?

I am not homophobic as any of my friends and family would know, given I have family and friends who are practicing gays and I have never had any issue with being around them, on nights out or whatever. I've even managed to attend pubs strictly catering for gays. Would be pretty strange for a homophobic I know.

I hope that clears things up, JumpedupKid

Kev_2012

JupiterKid wrote: »

Disgusting homophobia right there.:mad:

Post reported.

Apart from the last line, that user has a completely valid point.

Everywhere you look these days, there is pro-homosexual propaganda, through parades and media.

It's very annoying. It would be the same with anything. We get it, now please stop shoving it in our faces every 2 seconds.

The amount of pages I've unliked on Facebook because of this constant posting of pictures about gay marriage and stupid quotes is ridiculous.

Some of us just really don't care and don't want to be involved in ye're cause so stop going on about it.

[Deleted User]

Kev_2012 wrote: »

Apart from the last line, that user has a completely valid point.

Everywhere you look these days, there is pro-homosexual propaganda, through parades and media.

It's very annoying. It would be the same with anything. We get it, now please stop shoving it in our faces every 2 seconds.

The amount of pages I've unliked on Facebook because of this constant posting of pictures about gay marriage and stupid quotes is ridiculous.

Some of us just really don't care and don't want to be involved in ye're cause so stop going on about it.

My sentiments exactly.

The amount of bloody pages - like if you're against (whatever). Usually just viral seeking plebs running a certain group/page and the image/issue is not always concerned with homosexuality, just something they think will gain a lot of "do-gooder" symphaty etc and boost likes.

My last line, if used for anything else would have been accepted in a half jokingly or semi funny way. In this context however it doesn't seem to fly. I still don't feel it's in any way homophobic.

Tipsy McSwagger

If the owner was donating money to the KKK or anti semite groups there would be a mass boycott by everyone. But because he is donating to anti-gay groups this is seen as acceptable by religious nuts who hate homosexuals and do so in the name of Jesus.

Medusa22

Kev_2012 wrote: »

Apart from the last line, that user has a completely valid point.

Everywhere you look these days, there is pro-homosexual propaganda, through parades and media.

It's very annoying. It would be the same with anything. We get it, now please stop shoving it in our faces every 2 seconds.

The amount of pages I've unliked on Facebook because of this constant posting of pictures about gay marriage and stupid quotes is ridiculous.

Some of us just really don't care and don't want to be involved in ye're cause so stop going on about it.

I see you have edited your post, previously you said that you had friends that were ''practicing gay''....you seem so comfortable with that

Have you ever thought that these people are campaigning for the same rights as straight people? Gay people in Ireland can have a civil partnership but that does not give them the same rights and entitlements as a married couple.

Kev_2012

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

If the owner was donating money to the KKK or anti semite groups there would be a mass boycott by everyone. But because he is donating to anti-gay groups this is seen as acceptable by religious nuts who hate homosexuals and do so in the name of Jesus.

I'm genuinely asking, because I'm not religious, does the bible say anything racist in it? and also, does it explicitly say that marriage is between a man and a woman? I'm pretty sure the former is inaccurate (unless you use Mississippi Burning references and twist it.) Just interested about the marriage thing.

Medusa22 wrote: »

I see you have edited your post, previously you said that you had friends that were ''practicing gay''....you seem so comfortable with that
Have you ever thought that these people are campaigning for the same rights as straight people? Gay people in Ireland can have a civil partnership but that does not give them the same rights and entitlements as a married couple.

Think you may have the wrong posted quoted there buddy!