Does Tim Leatherman eat Chick-fil-a sandwiches?

[Thomason]

Evidently the CEO of Chick-fil-a fast food restaurants made some comment the other day that he is opposed to gay marriage. Gay rights types went off. Boycotts were called for, lefties joined in. Christians called for "Support Chick-fil" days. Free speech, gay rights, Christian morals, lots of air time on Fox news. Quite a deal.

The whole thing reminded me of the stink raised by some right here on BFC back when Tim Leatherman announced he was going to vote for John Kerry for President in '04. People were calling for a boycott of Leatherman products and some said they were going to throw away their Leatherman multi-tools.

Both incidents were foolish in my opinion. If there was a Chick-fil-a restaurant in my Burg I would buy a sandwich, cut it in half with my Leatherman, and scarf that sucker down.

[OliverH]

I'm mostly with you on this one. However, I don't have a problem with individuals boycotting products or companies because they don't like the stances/behaviors of the companies, or even because they don't like the stances/behaviors of the owners, if that's what they want to do. But if you're going to apply the idea very widely it's going to turn your shopping day into an inconvenient mess. I might avoid some such companies or products, but usually because I didn't want to support the company behavior or policy. I MIGHT do it if the owner was using his profits or position in a heavy way to advance a cause I thought was bad. It doesn't feel right to me somehow to boycott somebody's business because of what the owner happens to believe personally, or because of his personal habits.

Example: Mr. X owns a pizza parlor. Mr. X is a practicing Catholic and presumably gives some money to his church, which we know spends a lot of energy and resources to oppose abortion rights, and himself believes abortion is wrong. Maybe he's even signed one of those open letters to some public official or put a "Respect LIfe" sign in his yard. If I'm a pro-choice guy (which I am) would I boycott Mr. X's pizza parlor? No. How about if Mr. X had a habit of frequently shooting off his mouth in public to the effect that anybody who thinks abortion should be legal is an accessory to murder, and donates a big portion of his pizza profits to the "Eric Rudolph Save the Unborn Foundation?" Would I boycott? Not exactly, but unless Mr. X makes some really exceptional pizza I think I might prefer to put somebody else's flyer on my fridge. But if Mr. X's pizza boxes were stamped with pictures of aborted fetuses and the text of Matthew 25:40, his pizza parlor has effectively told me it doesn't want my money. Everybody evaluates such issues differently, of course.

However, one thing that is thoroughly wrong and that people should step up and say is thorougly wrong, regardless of their political persuasion, is for a state or locality (that's you, Chicago and Boston) to use the power of the state to single out a business as "undesirable" or "bad" and try to deny them market entry simply because they don't like the beliefs or personal habits of the owner. If anything is unAmerican, that is.

[Tim20637]

We have two Chick-fil-a restaurants around here and they were extemely packed on Wed. night.

[Kiah]

I've never even seen a Chick-fil-a, so I don't know if they're good or not. I don't agree with the owner, but that wouldn't stop me from buying one if I liked them. The closing of the company would hurt the workers more than the owners.

I do wonder if those supporting the company on purely moral grounds know the other issues of the company though. I think the litigation against small businesses for nonsensical reasons is a more boycott worthy matter than someone's useless opinion.

[timcsaw]

All seems a bit silly to me... especially since (as I've heard), all of the resturaunts are individually owned franchises.

Though it's been years, I do like their food.... though I don't care for their waffle fries because you know... anyone who eats waffles is a communist.

[bulgron]

Those restaurants were extremely packed all around the country today. Record sales. Lots of people showed up in appreciation of the message the CEO put out. There were also a few liberals spotted observing the long lines with a slightly shocked but mostly constipated expression.

I've never been to a chick-fil-a. They wanted to open one a town north of me (Mountain View, CA) but apparently the town's political leadership killed the plan out of outrage over the CEO's opinion on traditional marriage. Someday I'll give them a go, if I ever find one. Rumor has it that they make a pretty good chicken sandwich.

I've also heard that people have been web-ordering sandwiches from chick-fil-a from so far away that they can't show up to get their order. So the franchises are donating those meals to the homeless.

All in all, it appears that liberal's calls to boycott chick-fi-a has massively backfired on them.

[jdm61]

Bulgron, Rahm Emanuel apparently kind of backed off when people reminded him that the government isn't supposed to discriminate based on someone's religious views. I don't know if the other moron polticians who were talking about trying to keep Chick-Fil-A out of their towns by use of the powers of the ir office got the message, but it they didn't I hope that lawsuits are in the offing. Old Proco Joe the Alderman sounds like he was planning to use his zoning veto to keep them from opening a location in his district. I am still a bit curious about these "Chicago values' that Rahm has been talking about are precisely? Apparently, the Archbishop of Chicago and a prominent African-American Baptist preacher from the area were wondering the same thing in a very public manner today.
Oh, and Chick-Fil-A reported record sales yesterday. If I had to guess, I would say that the one in my neighborhood did at least twice their normal business.

Those restaurants were extremely packed all around the country today. Record sales. Lots of people showed up in appreciation of the message the CEO put out. There were also a few liberals spotted observing the long lines with a slightly shocked but mostly constipated expression.

I've never been to a chick-fil-a. They wanted to open one a town north of me (Mountain View, CA) but apparently the town's political leadership killed the plan out of outrage over the CEO's opinion on traditional marriage. Someday I'll give them a go, if I ever find one. Rumor has it that they make a pretty good chicken sandwich.

I've also heard that people have been web-ordering sandwiches from chick-fil-a from so far away that they can't show up to get their order. So the franchises are donating those meals to the homeless.

All in all, it appears that liberal's calls to boycott chick-fi-a has massively backfired on them.

[bulgron]

My bad ... it isn't the city that's blocking the proposed Chick-fil-a, it's some GLBT types who managed a zoning challenge that has, at least temporarily, blocked the proposed restaurant.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1695805.html

Turned off by the company's anti-gay reputation, area resident David Speakman posted an online petition on fundraising site WePay looking to gather the $1,000 necessary to lodge a zoning challenge to stop the franchise from moving in.

Speakman's request raised more than enough money to pay for the challenge in well under 24 hours.

Mountain View's zoning administrator approved the Chick-fil-A's plans of converting a 0.74-acre lot on El Camino Real that currently houses a Sizzler last Wednesday.

The WePay page notes that Cathy, who inherited the top spot at Chick-fil-A from his father, is entitled to his First Amendment rights and attempts to block the restaurant based solely on the opinions of its chief executive are probably doomed to fail.

Fighting over land-use issues, however, is much more likely to succeed.

"It could be Mother Teresa that owns it, and it would be a bad place," Speakman told the San Francisco Chronicle. "But because it was a bunch of bigots, it gave us an extra nudge."

[UffDa]

The whole flap is mega-stupid. Chick-fil-A restaurants are franchises and to the best of my knowledge are equal opportunity employers. They hire gays.

[Preacher Man]

In my view, individuals have the right to spend their money wherever they please. If they prefer to buy from someone who reflect their values, power to them. What makes this whole thing ridiculous in my view is that Barack Obama held the same view as Dan Cathy for his whole election campaign and for most of his presidency until a few months ago. During that whole time not one of the individuals or organizations that are now accusing Chick-Fil-A of being "homophobic" or "promoting hate," accused Obama of being "homophobic" or "promoting hate" based on his stance on the issue. I can't see this as anything else than political grandstanding and special interest groups manufacturing "news" in an attempt to advance a particular social issue.

[jdm61]

Fighting over a land use issue MIGHT have been much more likely to succeed (past tense) but these fruitbats have made that much more difficult because we know specifically why they are filing the protest. Old Proco Joe of Chicago said he was going to try the same thing. His actual quote was something along the lines of "Yeah, they have Constitutional rights, but the right to zoning is not one of them."

My bad ... it isn't the city that's blocking the proposed Chick-fil-a, it's some GLBT types who managed a zoning challenge that has, at least temporarily, blocked the proposed restaurant.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1695805.html

[powernoodle]

What makes this whole thing ridiculous in my view is that Barack Obama held the same view as Dan Cathy for his whole election campaign and for most of his presidency until a few months ago. During that whole time not one of the individuals or organizations that are now accusing Chick-Fil-A of being "homophobic" or "promoting hate," accused Obama of being "homophobic" or "promoting hate" based on his stance on the issue. I can't see this as anything else than political grandstanding and special interest groups manufacturing "news" in an attempt to advance a particular social issue.

This view, which was also articulated by the brilliant Charles Krauthammer on Fox News, is the most cogent that I have seen, as it exposes the intellectual vacuum underlying this whole sad affair.

It is worth noting also that just 15 years ago, the notion of so-called gay marriage was so radical and ridiculous that no one outside of the social and political fringe dared to advocate it. This was at a time when "civil unions" were at the forefront. Fast forward to today, when politicians and university presidents alike threaten a sandwich vendor for not adopting the view. What this Chick-Fil-A episode really reveals is the speed at which American society is disintegrating.

[bulgron]

This view, which was also articulated by the brilliant Charles Krauthammer on Fox News, is the most cogent that I have seen, as it exposes the intellectual vacuum underlying this whole sad affair.

It is worth noting also that just 15 years ago, the notion of so-called gay marriage was so radical and ridiculous that no one outside of the social and political fringe dared to advocate it. This was at a time when "civil unions" were at the forefront. Fast forward to today, when politicians and university presidents alike threaten a sandwich vendor for not adopting the view. What this Chick-Fil-A episode really reveals is the speed at which American society is changing.

I fixed it for you. I'm sure that from some points of view, American society is disintegrating. But from others it's getting better. To say that it's 'disintegrating' and/or 'improving' is a value statement, and an unprovable one at that (unless someone happens to share your opinions and morality). changing, however, I don't think anyone can argue with that.

[timcsaw]

I fixed it for you. I'm sure that from some points of view, American society is disintegrating. But from others it's getting better. To say that it's 'disintegrating' and/or 'improving' is a value statement, and an unprovable one at that (unless someone happens to share your opinions and morality). changing, however, I don't think anyone can argue with that.

Very good point... but I gotta' go with Powernoodle's value statement.

[JCavSD]

Bunch of whiny little twits on both sides of this debate. Whether or not society is degrading towards bronze age mythology or gross permissiveness is a matter of debate (maybe no difference between the two). Eat the chicken if you like it, don't eat the chicken if you don't, and same goes towards preference or dislike of the owners convictions. Oy!

[eyeeatingfish]

Unfortunately we don't even have a chik fil a here...

[Longtrang]

Freedom of speech until some one disagrees with you.

[Daddyo16]

Very good point... but I gotta' go with Powernoodle's value statement.

[jdm61]

Martin Luther King got it wrong. People today are judged not by the content of their character, but by the groups or causes that they claim to support.

[timcsaw]

HEADLINE STUPIDVILLE AMERICA

Local Mayor of Stupidville pulls local government strings to stop business permits to "mixed-race" couple because he "don't believe in that sorta thing."

Mr. Li Ting, an American-born of Chinese decent, and his wife Rosita Gonzales a legal immigrant from Brazil, sue town, win, and now OWN STUPIDVILLE, lock, stock and barrel.... plan to change name of town.

Update at 11:00.