Poll: Chick-fil-a owner admits to anti-gay views

[TheIronRuler]

-snip-

Thanks for that...

Do want to mention though I'm not boycotting them as I never frequented their restaurant in the first place. I am mostly defending people's reasoning in boycotting them if they choose to though. Because I can see very clear reasons why people would do it and I have reasons I think they're fairly justified in doing so. So not a big difference as the argument remains the same, but just don't want people to think I'm boycotting it when I've never even been to their restaurant XP

.
They don't even have any of their restaurants in my country.

 

[teknoarcanist]

If I were to avoid everything made by people with controversial opinions, I might as well not leave the house anymore.

Walt Disney hated jews but I still like his movies.

Right, but if Disney were funding Neo-Nazi organizations, would you still be giving them money?

 

[Mikkaddo]

So if you haven't heard yet, Dan Cathy, the owner of Chick-fil-a (big Chicken fast food chain in the US) recently discussed his views on gay marriage, and he's firmly in the Rick Santorum-esque "Christian family values" camp. It also turns out the company has donated to numerous Christian organizations that lobby against gay marriage.

Here's a quote by him in an interview: "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage. I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about."

Since gay marriage is the hot button cultural issue at the moment, this is apparently the new "thing to be outraged by", and some are calling for a boycott of the company in support of marriage equality.

Now, I support gay marriage as much as the next guy and I completely disagree with him, but I really don't mind this at all. For one, Chick-fil-a has always been known as a Christian business, what with being closed on the Sabbath and all, so this isn't exactly a shocker. For two, considering all the laughing people did over the "Gay Oreo controversy", it'd be pretty hypocritical to turn around and be mad about this. It's just the opinion of a guy who happens to own a restaurant with awesome waffle fries.

Opinions are opinions, businesses are businesses, and chicken sandwiches are chicken sandwiches. No need to get caught up between them imo. What do you think about it?

EDIT: Bah, stupid poll glitches. Third option should say, "I don't agree, but it's his company/opinion." and forth should say "Meh, I don't care"

I'd still eat at Chic-fil-a as frankly, a company can donate all the money it wants to some fucked up cause, but if it doesn't have a sign outfront saying "NO GAYS" or something like that, it doesn't really mean much for day to day running of the business. I mean come on, it took the man that runs the company coming out and sayihng it for it to be a news story, and for their donations to these charities to come to the surface. So obviously they're not trying to actively keep gay people out of their stores.

I do however intensely disagree with the views against gay marraige, I think if a wo/man wants to marry another wo/man or a dog, a tree, a stuffed bear whatever, more power to them.

Another important thing to note: he says that we shake a fist at god regarding marraige, but as I recall it, marraige itself was never directly ordained by god as required. Mating for life and not straying from the one chosen partner sure, but the actual ritual of marraige as we know it was a human convention made to pay honor to god and give the pairing that much more importance. The idea of "out of wedlock" sex would still exist without church ritualistic marraige, it would simply be defined by different parameters. There's also the fact that marraige was started as a religious ritual, so in a way that's kind of the only argument anti-gay marraige groups have ever had, and even then it doesn't hold real weight. Hell, most of modern organized religion is stolen from each other.

Go ahead and look up "God the Father, God the Mother and God the Son" sometime. It's the original holy trinity of the Catholic etc. faith, but was changed later to God the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus. Funny thing Religion . . .

 

[pppppppppppppppppp]

Funny how America is land of the free, land of the freedom of speach regardless of views..... until its unpopular. If you believe in the freedom your country preaches to the world so much, then (for better or worse) he has a right to whatever view he likes and to spend his money however he wants (legally). I don't agree with his views, but the response your suggesting is hypocritical.

"Now, I support gay marriage as much as the next guy and I completely disagree with him, but I really don't mind this at all. For one, Chick-fil-a has always been known as a Christian business, what with being closed on the Sabbath and all, so this isn't exactly a shocker. For two, considering all the laughing people did over the "Gay Oreo controversy", it'd be pretty hypocritical to turn around and be mad about this. It's just the opinion of a guy who happens to own a restaurant with awesome waffle fries."

Responses like these confuse me. Did you misinterpret what I said or just make assumptions before reading the whole post?

You can have whatever opinion you want (and again, I actually agree with you) but please understand the original post before commenting.

I was referring to a reply others had made, saying that they wouldn't shop at the stores again due to the news they had heard and pracitcally condeming him for his views. My apology if you thought I was talking about you (thought I had quoted them).

Oh, okay. I was just super confused because you quoted me and I had no idea why you thought I said that. It's all good bro, carry on then.

 

[JWAN]

Screw you, Chick-Fil-A! I'm never eating there again! Mainly because you don't have one in my area! The whole homophobia aspect does contribute slightly, though.

He doesn't believe in Gay marriage, surely that doesn't make him a homophobe.
I personally don't think that they should be married through the church, I don't care if they get married through the state.

 

[JWAN]

Screw you, Chick-Fil-A! I'm never eating there again! Mainly because you don't have one in my area! The whole homophobia aspect does contribute slightly, though.

He doesn't believe in Gay marriage, surely that doesn't make him a homophobe.
I personally don't think that they should be married through the church, I don't care if they get married through the state.

What if it's a church that has no problem with marrying same sex couples? They do exist.

I should have clarified, I'm Catholic and I'm not going to speak for other branches of the Christian faith. If a religion doesn't mind marrying same sex couples then that's none of my business but if it was another Catholic church then I'd have to say the marriage would be void because it wouldn't be recognized by the Vatican and I would have a problem with it because it would be causing more problems and delays down the road than what the short term gains would be.

 

[auron200004]

I never liked Chik-fil-a much to begin with...

But, I absolutely can't stand the people who try to force religion into our government. Separation of Church and State is a pretty important thing. Anybody (and I do mean anybody) who bases their decisions for lawmaking entirely on their religious views should not get to vote. I'm just happy that gay rights are actually garnering more and more support here, or I'd be absolutely sick with the people in this country.

From what I've seen, people that are hardcore against gay marriage are people who:
A. Are homophobic
B. Follow the Bible completely and without question
C. All of the above

On a side note, when Santorum was knocked out of the running, I was so happy. Incredibly happy.

 

[Andropov4]

I never liked Chik-fil-a much to begin with...

But, I absolutely can't stand the people who try to force religion into our government. Separation of Church and State is a pretty important thing. Anybody (and I do mean anybody) who bases their decisions for lawmaking entirely on their religious views should not get to vote. I'm just happy that gay rights are actually garnering more and more support here, or I'd be absolutely sick with the people in this country.

From what I've seen, people that are hardcore against gay marriage are people who:
A. Are homophobic
B. Follow the Bible completely and without question
C. All of the above

On a side note, when Santorum was knocked out of the running, I was so happy. Incredibly happy.

You're sort of misinterpreting what separation of church and state actually means. The point is that we can't have an actual state religion, or have any religion endorsed above the other by the government. That does not, however, mean that an elected official's religion can't have any bearing on the way in which they perform their duties, assuming there is no conflict with actual law and religious law. And disenfranchising people of their right to vote on the basis of religion is pretty fucked up.
On the flipside, I agree that one's religion shouldn't impact public policy, considering that not everyone shares your religious views. However, when one's moral code and their religion are so closely tied together, what are you gonna do?

On a different note, why is it that so many people in this forum do no seem to be aware that he didn't just say "I don't support gay marriage", but that he actually donates money that in some way originates in his customers' pockets to anti-gay rights groups? I mean, seriously. It's in the original post. (And whether the money he donates comes from corporate coffers or his own accounts, it comes from the customers. Just where do you think he gets his money? The Tooth Fairy?)

 

[Casual Shinji]

If I were to avoid everything made by people with controversial opinions, I might as well not leave the house anymore.

Walt Disney hated jews but I still like his movies.

Right, but if Disney were funding Neo-Nazi organizations, would you still be giving them money?

I think there's a difference between funding neo-nazis and lobbying against gay marriages though. In my opinion people have the right to lobby against whatever they want; it's their money. If they use their money to support criminal organizations however, like neo-nazis, then that's a no-no.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

If I were to avoid everything made by people with controversial opinions, I might as well not leave the house anymore.

Walt Disney hated jews but I still like his movies.

Right, but if Disney were funding Neo-Nazi organizations, would you still be giving them money?

I think there's a difference between funding neo-nazis and lobbying against gay marriages though. In my opinion people have the right to lobby against whatever they want; it's their money. If they use their money to support criminal organizations however, like neo-nazis, then that's a no-no.

Its only their money after you give it to them. Its a fairly obvious cycle. I mean dont get me wrong, i feel bad for your every day worker at this place since they did nothing wrong and id hate to see them out of a job. Maybe its even a mixed work environment; although i doubt any gay people would wanna work there now.

However its pretty obvious that i dont want to support anti gay marriage groups. I wouldnt go to a "black people suck" bake sale in support of racism. I wouldnt go to the "i hate asians" swimming gala with proceeds toward groups that lobby against mixed race marriage. To extend this im not going to go and fund a group that will then fund an anti gay marriage group. Funding someone you disagree to allow them to take action against something you support seems stupid. Its like shooting yourself in the foot. If he didnt donate to anti gay marriage groups id eat there perfectly fine. Its when you reveal where the moneys going that i take issue.

 

[spartxn]

I luv Chick Fil A. I do not care at all what his views on sexuality is. Honestly he could have said he was gay and I still would walk in there and get my damn Chicken Sandwich.

Its too good. Also I think Chick fil a though more expensive is better then KFC. Just IMO.

 

[Casual Shinji]

If I were to avoid everything made by people with controversial opinions, I might as well not leave the house anymore.

Walt Disney hated jews but I still like his movies.

Right, but if Disney were funding Neo-Nazi organizations, would you still be giving them money?

I think there's a difference between funding neo-nazis and lobbying against gay marriages though. In my opinion people have the right to lobby against whatever they want; it's their money. If they use their money to support criminal organizations however, like neo-nazis, then that's a no-no.

Its only their money after you give it to them. Its a fairly obvious cycle. I mean dont get me wrong, i feel bad for your every day worker at this place since they did nothing wrong and id hate to see them out of a job. Maybe its even a mixed work environment; although i doubt any gay people would wanna work there now.

However its pretty obvious that i dont want to support anti gay marriage groups. I wouldnt go to a "black people suck" bake sale in support of racism. I wouldnt go to the "i hate asians" swimming gala with proceeds toward groups that lobby against mixed race marriage. To extend this im not going to go and fund a group that will then fund an anti gay marriage group. Funding someone you disagree to allow them to take action against something you support seems stupid. Its like shooting yourself in the foot. If he didnt donate to anti gay marriage groups id eat there perfectly fine. Its when you reveal where the moneys going that i take issue.

In that regard you might as well not buy anything anymore.

Big businesses will always be using their wealth to throw their weight around. A lot of people get put out of business and fired because a large conglomerate bought them out with the money we as consumers gave them.
My previous post where I stated that we shouldn't buy from corperations that support criminal acts is even flat out impossible.
The whole iPhone/iPad and cellphone industry is poisoning thousands slave laborers in China, and I still buy electronics despite knowing this.

The money we spend as consumers on seemingly trivial things will always end up going somewhere where it will hurt people.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

In that regard you might as well not buy anything anymore.

Big businesses will always be using their wealth to throw their weight around. A lot of people get put out of business and fired because a large conglomerate bought them out with the money we as consumers gave them.
My previous post where I stated that we shouldn't buy from corperations that support criminal acts is even flat out impossible.
The whole iPhone/iPad and cellphone industry is poisoning thousands slave laborers in China, and I still buy electronics despite knowing this.

The money we spend as consumers on seemingly trivial things will always end up going somewhere where it will hurt people.

I agree its impossible to track every dollar. Thats ludicrous. But cmon in this case its so EASY. He said "i spend money on X, the public is free to know this". Its presented to me on a plate the utter ease of removing that one thing from my life that i KNOW goes somewhere bad. I may be unsure about other things but the certainty that i can easily and accurately remove something bad is a comforting thing.

Think about it this way. Its impossible to go your entire life without treading in dog shit. But if you SEE the shit on the ground RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, you may as well avoid it because its just easy. Of course im going to continue taking steps though. Sure its a risk but you can at least try your best to steer clear of suspicious stuff and actively avoid it if you can see it a mile away. I do my best to try and buy the least harmfull products i can. Ive never owned an apple product. I try and go free ranged. I like fair trade. Im not going to start wearing hemp robes but if i can take an easy step in my life to make it a little better for someone else id be kinda selfish not to. If you point out, with proof (like the CEOs admission in this case) that its harmful ill probably try and avoid it.

 

[Tekkawarrior]

I disagree with his views. But if the man doesn't like something he should be able to say it...
Don't you agree?