Chick-fil-A bracing for Round 2
(Updated 6:21 p.m.)
While chickens are running for the hills and competitors are turning green with envy, Chick-fil-A accountants have to be giddy over Wednesday’s packed restaurants as patrons bought chicken sandwiches in droves to show support for company President and COO Dan Cathy.
The question now is whether there will be a repeat of the crowds Friday when gays and lesbians are expected to turn out for a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” to protest Cathy’s recent warnings that the nation is “inviting God’s judgment” because it is trying to “redefine” marriage as anything but being a union between and man and woman.
The Atlanta-based privately held company said it had a record sales day Wednesday, though it didn’t provide specifics Thursday in comments to the AJC. “While we don’t release exact sales numbers, it was an unprecedented day.”
As for the fallout over Cathy’s recent comments, the company earlier said, “Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”
Thousands of people in metro Atlanta and across the nation packed restaurants for Wednesday’s “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” led by former presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor told Fox News the day’s success went beyond “anything I could have imagined.”
Huckabee also said he doesn’t oppose Friday’s protest, “As long as they’re orderly. As long as they don’t disrupt the flow of customers and traffic,” he told Fox.
Friday’s “Kiss Day” is being sponsored by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which has called for a boycott of Chick-fil-A not only for Cathy’s comments but also for the millions of dollars GLAAD says Chick-fil-A, through its WinShape philanthropic wing, has donated to groups that lobby against legalization of same-sex marriage. In its “Skip the Sandwich” campaign, GLAAD wants patrons to take the $6.50 they would pay approximately for a meal and donate the money to gay and lesbian rights groups, and post “Kiss Day” pictures on the Internet.
Even some of Chick-fil-A’s competitors appear to be trying to catch some of the attention. According to CNN, some Wendy’s franchises in the Carolinas erected signs outside their restaurants that said, “We Stand With Chick-fil-A.”
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412 comments Add your comment
Fran for Freedom
August 2nd, 2012
12:00 pm
I didn’t finish my comment, how do I retrieve for complete??
I wanted to say :::….Shut down Chil-Fli-A and we will have a real problem, because this is an issue of everyone having the right to do business in America, without being criticized for our personal opinions or point of view.
I’m a christian we should follow the bible, that’s my choice. Amazingly though…according to the Word of God …everyone has a choice…we donot have the right to block or take away the option of choice from anyone….He will judge in the end…meantime we need to stay off each other turf!!
S Mill
August 2nd, 2012
12:01 pm
My 1st amendment right lets me say, GOOD GOD YOU GAYS ARE ALWAYS CRYING ABOUT SOMETHING, JUST SHUT UP AND BE GAY
MyPatootie
August 2nd, 2012
12:01 pm
The “GIEOOSJFGJCJSKPOWBOIUMNCXLBNFIDUYPASWXT” crowd is calling Friday a “Same Sex Kiss-in Day”. That is discriminatory against normal, straight people. Why are they being so hateful and bigoted? What husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends should do is inundate the CFA’s and join in the kissing, and see what they do, and how they are treated. First it was “tolerance”, then “acceptance”, and now it’s “YOU MUST BELIEVE LIKE I DO AND HAVE THE SAME OPINION I DO!”
BN
August 2nd, 2012
12:02 pm
I did not go to Chick-fil-A on Wednesday but will be going on Friday in support of the Traditional marriage and Chick-fil-A.
Doctah
August 2nd, 2012
12:02 pm
Lis, are you alright?
scunnered
August 2nd, 2012
12:03 pm
The dumbed down masses speak! But when all is said and done, Hate-ful-A has still offended half of America and their numbers will reflect that…when this dies down of course.
Rufus Brown
August 2nd, 2012
12:03 pm
These patrons who prescribe to this perverse lifestyle won’t stop until kids shows feature gay characters, schools must teach kids it’s okay for 2 men to blow each other and so on…. Love each other all you want, just stop cramming your unnatural lifestyle down our throats.
Liberal Chicks are UGLY
August 2nd, 2012
12:04 pm
Gay people are soooo whiny…
SARA
August 2nd, 2012
12:04 pm
READ YOUR BIBLE. ROMANS 1:21-32.
MoMo
August 2nd, 2012
12:05 pm
WOW! Really?
Unbelievable how the gay rights people have a problem with Chick-Fil_A and traditional family values. Don’t patronize them if you don’t like their stance. It’s really that simple. I’m tired of being Politically Correct and Tolerant. It is an unnatural life style and un-Christian if you believe The Bible is The Word of God. Wizzbang had some “silly” comments. If it’s OK to have a union between same sex couples why wouldn’t it be OK for a man to have 5 wives or a women to have 5 husbands, or for that matter, marry a donkey while you’re at it? Odd logic Wizzbang. Human beings were designed to procreate. Gay couples can’t do that unless you implant eggs or get a surrogate. Then there’s the dilemma of raising a stable child in an odd environment. It’s just not right. However, up until now, I didn’t have a problem with the screwed up life style some have chosen. But, since the unnatural minority decided to voice their distorted opinion I felt obligated to do the same. Since it’s OK for “them” to push their lifestyle choices into the public eye, expose my child to it in school and the media, and expect us to “tolerate” it, they should tolerate the blow back they’re receiving. Wouldn’t that be fair? Who started this to begin with? Those with the abnormal lifestyle and their sympathizers would say it was Dan Cathy. That would be wrong. Had they ignored Dan’s charitable contributions we wouldn’t be having this exchange. They brought it upon themselves… woke the sleeping giant, so to speak. Most heterosexuals are appalled by the gay life style, but have been relatively quiet until now. I’ve always thought, to each his own, no matter how disgusting and perverted I thought it was. Now, since they decided to open the can of worms it’s time for them to eat them. Yesterday was a beautiful display of how people truly feel. That dialog in the line at Chick-fil-A was AWESOME. NO TOLERANCE WHATSOEVER. And Wizzbang, the people that feel they need to throw their perversions into the face of the heterosexual norm are “the real threat to the fabric of our communities and society.”
Pat
August 2nd, 2012
12:05 pm
So someone asked a “hard-core” Christian owner his views and they are surprised he said what he said. I have not heard of him discriminating against gay people, I have actually heard of him giving scholarships to them and not turning anyone away. I guess they want to boycott people who do not share their same beliefs so I guess they just want everyone else to be understanding of theirs views but they cannot be understanding of Cathy’e views. I see this as hypocritical.
Pam
August 2nd, 2012
12:08 pm
This country was founded on Christian ideas, because they were right. Just like the Isrealites did, we have forgotten who saved us. One day you will fall on your knees and ask why. Well you should be thankful you live in a free country, but you also need to remember the one who died to save you. Look back on our country when we went to church and were not afraid to say we were a Christian. If more good was shown on TV and mentioned on the radio, our jails would not be so over crowded. Some of the people thrive on bad news and then they make it a big deal that there are people who don’t know the Lord and will commit crimes, just to get recognized. If we showed more good deeds, maybe more people would do good things. It appears that when people do good things, like Chick-fil-A, they are critisized. The Bible says to be fruitful and multiply, so tell me how in the world can you multiply if you marry the same sex! Even animals have more sense than that!!
Mary
August 2nd, 2012
12:11 pm
This is not so much a matter of discrimination but a matter of our right to have freedom of speech. It is not my place to judge anyone. The media loves making a big deal out of anyone who may still believe in traditional values. Does this mean that each of us as individuals no longer have the right to feel and have our own opinions. I personally do not want my freedoms messed with. It has already gotten to the point that many of our rights are on the line. Let the gay and lesbians have their rights, but also let the people who may not believe in this have their opinion without being assaulted.
Christianity Is Immoral
August 2nd, 2012
12:11 pm
Christians are so whiny….(and loud, and dumb).
judgedead
August 2nd, 2012
12:12 pm
marriage was around before christianity, stop inflicting your faith based ideals on others, you don’t want others to be able to inflict theirs on you
KBP
August 2nd, 2012
12:12 pm
Sicci. . . Extremely well said!
Moderate
August 2nd, 2012
12:16 pm
If a conservative voice speaks out, they are prejudice. I guess freedom of speech only applies to those with socialist views. You have to love double standards.
Corporations and culture wars: why businesses should stay out of politics « Intellectual Intransigence
August 2nd, 2012
12:18 pm
[...] The nearly half-mile backup and the carnival-like atmosphere was due to a “show of support” for the local Chick-Fil-A franchise, which also gave away free sundaes. Turns out, my neighborhood Chick-Fil-A wasn’t the only one getting the love from homophobes. A national effort to rally around the restaurant chain, which wears its evangelism on its corporate sleeves, took place yesterday. Such luminaries as Michele Bachmann – on break from her Muslim Brotherhood witch hunt – and Sarah Palin – on break from her daily stupid (oh wait, never mind) – have also shown their support for the restaurant, whose CEO, Dan Cathy, apparently has never been invited to a same-sex wedding and is pretty pissed. [...]
Rico Williams
August 2nd, 2012
12:22 pm
I don’t get the GLADD’s anger. If you want to be able to freely speak your mind you have to allow others to speak their mind freely. There is no need for GLADD’s animosity against Chic Fil A
P F
August 2nd, 2012
12:26 pm
We all know that the ‘kiss-day” will get more coverage, more press, and more sympathy from the media that what happened yesterday.
Jason
August 2nd, 2012
12:26 pm
Did they have a “Woolworth’s Lunch Counter Appreciation Day” in the 60s? Twenty years from now all the people who flocked to Chick-fil-a to show their support for government oppression of marriage equality will all deny they were ever there.
Bobo
August 2nd, 2012
12:28 pm
If Mr. Cathy were a muslim we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.
Bobo
August 2nd, 2012
12:29 pm
Enter your comments here
Jeremy
August 2nd, 2012
12:29 pm
The number of families that will not eat there everyday of the year has a much greater financial impact than these church sponsored one day eat ins.
Dave
August 2nd, 2012
12:29 pm
The only reason we as a nation continues to exist is because of people who have taken a stand for what is morally right. “Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” Genesis 10:32 People who are not perfect but continue to pursue what is right before the all mighty God. When people go out of their way to chase after unrighteousness and spit in the face of God with the kind of life they have chosen to live are all signs that we are livening in the last days!
William
August 2nd, 2012
12:31 pm
I hope the “protestors” on Aug 3 actually buy something at Chick-fil-A…
Tex
August 2nd, 2012
12:33 pm
Enter your comments here
Rico Williams
August 2nd, 2012
12:35 pm
What oppression?
Who is truly oppressing you?
The only militant voices here are the gay and lesbian..
Ct
August 2nd, 2012
12:36 pm
Scunnered- They may have always been around,but doesn’t make it right. I have no hate for anyone,but I will and must stand for what is right. There is right and wrong ,and at some point you just have to draw the line and not move.
American Exceptionalism
August 2nd, 2012
12:38 pm
Black First Lady tries to tell American to eat healthy= Socialist
White Ex Gov tells Americans to eat crap= Hero
skipper
August 2nd, 2012
12:41 pm
Gays comparing behaviour to skin-color discrimination are totally wrong! Then again, politics makes strange bedfellows; remember when the church women and boot leggers united to keep the liquor laws out? It is NOT just about equal rights; it is about forcing a lifestyle on people, teaching kids about it, etc. Some folks think it is just as wrong as others do it is right. States have spoken, and the batting average is prett telling in the vote so far……………
Native Atlantan
August 2nd, 2012
12:42 pm
I’ll repeat what I’ve said multiple times on this topic. As a gay man in a 25+ year relationship I support Dan Cathy’s right to state his beliefs. In fact, you would have to be pretty dim to not know Chick-fil-a is a Christian-based business — being closed on Sunday is the biggest clue. While I don’t agree with Cathy’s beliefs, they are only his and in no way affect my life. What I don’t appreciate are the various comments indicating I’ve made a choice, am perverted, and I’m doomed to hell based on who I am.
As for the “gay agenda”, I’m not really sure what that is. My agenda is to provide for my family, support my community and local schools, give back to others, help those in need and stay true to my belief’s. I’ve yet to see any school curriculum where the “gay agenda” was included.
Liberal Chicks are UGLY
August 2nd, 2012
12:51 pm
Anybody notice the most hate filled and angry posts are the ones for this supposed “equality”?
Yep, they sure are for diverstiy and equality so long as you hold the same opinion as them. If you don’t, they are suddenly not very tolerent at all.
Gay marriage has been shot down in flames everywhere it’s come to public vote. The majority is against it. Democracy is majority rule, so tuff. Get over yourselves, you are not special because you’re gay. You’re just gay, that’s all. You deserve NOTHING for that.
Dee
August 2nd, 2012
12:51 pm
I think this has nothing to do with gay/lesbian marriage/equal rights at all, but has everything to do with Dan Cathy’s right to voice his own opinion. What he believes in will not affect whether gay marriage is legalized in the U.S. or not.
I am bi sexual and yesterday I stood for what was right in the line at Chic-fil-a, Freedom of Speech. Sure I do not completely agree with Mr. Cathy’s statement, but it is his right to voice his own opinion.
All this over reacting to a comment we all already knew he believed in (the man is Christian… Bible has the same belief writen) all it has done is bring more publicity to Chic-fil-a. So for all you ‘haters’ out there, go on and hate, he’ll continue to succeed.
janet
August 2nd, 2012
12:52 pm
Mr. Cathy can believe what ever he wants. But for the record, he has been a big financial supporter at Berry College in Rome. When they wanted to organize a LGBT group, he threatened to withdraw all support from the college. So it isn’t just about marriage , it is about homosexuality and his disapproval of it. I like his food once in a while, but I will think twice before going again. I don’t like that his Winshape foundation feeds money to anti gay groups. Why not just use the money for something positive in stead of negative? He has done lots of good things but now they are overshadowed by this. Just another silly old Southern man who would probably like to eliminate women’s voting rights and integration because “them were the good ole days”.
Liberal Chicks are UGLY
August 2nd, 2012
12:54 pm
Uh, gay people, you make play “Master and slave” in the bedroom, but you ain’t slaves, not even close. But please keep comparing yourself to that horrible practice so people will put you on ‘ignore’. Idiots.
Chippermania
August 2nd, 2012
12:58 pm
EAT MOR CHICKEN!!!!
Ivory Dorsey
August 2nd, 2012
12:58 pm
FOUR PART RESPONSE:
1. Just as chic-fil-a accepted responsibility and financialnaccountability according Biblical standards; as a family owned business they have the right and the responsibility to run their lives and their business according to Biblical standards.
2. To constrain anothers rights as a way of expressing personal freedom is incongruent with life.
3. There is a greater implication that has everything to do with the Bible and nothing to do
with choices. If one does NOT believe in the Bible, this will not make sense; if you do, read on:
What if there were no children or grandchildren? It could happen!!
Population control would be a cinch! “And God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth (Gen. 1:28).
What if the controlled population was living in sin? Who wins? Satan!
The Playing Field would be level in the mind of Satan…Then he could get on with the business of “defeating” God!! “Less people to seduce and those that are there are living in sin!!!”
What a game for Satan!! What if the bulls, roosters, and other designated “reproducers” decided to replicate this reality?” It is not about sex, it is about fulfilling God’s Will.
4. God’s message to Chic-fil-a: “Don’t be afraid of people. I am with you, and I will rescue you,” declares the Lord.”Jeremiah 1:8 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
ND
August 2nd, 2012
12:59 pm
As a vegetarian I find all this hilarious.
Dee
August 2nd, 2012
1:00 pm
Plus the man never took a stand ‘against’ gay people having the right to marry, all he said was he believed marriage was between a man and a woman. He has every right to his beliefs, and every right to voice them in this country.
Mocha Jones
August 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
The lines were too long on Wednesday. Friday will be just as busy – normal, traditional folks will flock to CFA for some laughs and entertainment from the entitled “ME” crowd. Bring the Pride spectacle and entertain the diners while they are waiting for and then enjoying their food.
ChickfilA is grateful to the Gay community for increasing its sales so they can contribute even more money to the myriad of organizations that they support.
And for dessert to finish off that meal, we will relish in the sweetness that the Gay community is coming out of the closet for the wolves in sheep’s clothing that they really are. Shwing your true colors and entitlement attitude has turned more Americans against your lifestyle.
The ME generation are becoming their own worst enemies!
Alibaba's 40th thief
August 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
I ate at CFA yesterday, but not to support either side of this argument. Simply because I had a coupon for a free CFA sandwich. I will continue to eat at CFA, just not on Friday.
Newt
August 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
Marriage is sacred bond between a man and a woman…unless she gets cancer or puts on a little weight.
Rade
August 2nd, 2012
1:14 pm
“Biblical Principles”. Seriously?? Do you people even KNOW what the bible tells us? Men should own their wives, it isn’t an “equal” relationship. When man & woman marry, a man owns everything of the wives, her property, her rights…everything. The woman gives up all rights to be a servant to her husband. Marriages today are not like that, does this mean that Chick Fil-A also is opposed to current marriage? What about other parts of the bible that say that a man can take more than one wife, have concubines, have sex with as many people as he wants because that is the way the bible portrays it? That is okay, right? So having many sexual partners is okay but being a faithful, loving, good person is not okay if you happen to love someone of the same sex??
I guess being a good person isn’t good enough any more. I think people push their judgements off on on others and use the bible as their defense to be bad people, be discrimminatory and spread hatred. God isn’t about hatred. The only one who can judge is God and I think Christianity borders on cult at times with the whole “holier than thou” approach.
Chick Fil-A has a right to its own beliefs, but not a right to openly discrimminate and this is discrimmination. But, I guess that anything is okay to do as long as you use the “bible” as your basis for that decision
If they were an Islamic company who based their beliefs on the Quoran, I bet these same Christians would be singing a completely different tune.
What is wrong with America isn’t the values. What is wrong with America is that religious sects want to control the minds of the people and not allow love, respect, faith and peace to reign supreme.
Susie Johnson
August 2nd, 2012
1:25 pm
My stance on this matter is that there is too much that is not medically known for anyone to judge this matter. Matter of fact – no one should be judging anyone, but one self. With that said –
Cathy spoke as a citizen expressing his opinion. Because Cathy runs a multi-billion dollar enterprise does not negate his RIGHT to HIS opinions and beliefs. It is his right to support or disagree with whomever he chooses, and he has the freedom to express it. Just as you have the right to your ideals and beliefs, so does everyone else. As long as a person’s beliefs do not provoke a person to do bodily harm to or to end someone’s life of those who believe differently than they do, that is their GOD given right. That is the foundation of this country is FREEDOM.
GLAAD is wrong to infringe on Cathy’s RIGHTS. In addition, they are not attacking Cathy, but infringing on individual franchise owners. If on Friday the GLAAD community disrupts Chick-fil-A’s business operations with their protest, every Chick-fil-A owner has the RIGHT to have them lawfully removed form their property and business. Unlawful assembly is ILLEGAL.
Walt
August 2nd, 2012
1:27 pm
I believe most of the gay people I know support Mr. Cathy’s right to free speech. Its the millions he is donating to prevent them from the right to marry. JCPenny donated NOTHING to any anti-traditional marriage campaign ( I can’t find on the internet where any anti-traditional organizations even exist). All JCPenney did was hire Ellen Degeneres to do commercials. Thats it. And boy did the boycotts start of JCPenney. I’m also curious as to why people who keep quoting the Bible to support their view against gay marriage don’t also go by what the Bible says as fat as “Not to Judge”? Also, the Bible speaks of divorce as a sin, more than once. So I’m assuming these anti-gay marriage people want to make divorce illegal. Heck, you can use verses in the Bible to defend slavery. Thats what white Southerners used in the 19th century to justify owning Africans. The Bible defends slavery. I mean REALLY, how do you pick and choose what to use in the Bible to support your beliefs?? WOW
Pat
August 2nd, 2012
1:27 pm
How is this discrimination? They still serve all people regardless of race, sex, beliefs.
Tom
August 2nd, 2012
1:45 pm
Marketing is all this was EVER about. Dan Cathy is thinking: Mission Accomplished. Ka-ching Ka-ching!
Kjohn
August 2nd, 2012
1:52 pm
To the chic fil a bigots. You are entitled to your religious opinion No matter how backwoods it is. You can eat at chic fila every day to prove you are a god warrior But gay people don’t need your approval We can get married just like you nothin u can do about it The gay agenda is progressing at a very rapid rate And of course you know this Again nothing you can do about it Gay marriage is part of the democratic platform now Chic fila will from now on be will know for hate not chic sandwiches at least until they are run out of business I am gonna say a little prayer for the deliverance people of the south
Jeremy
August 2nd, 2012
1:55 pm
The boycott and brouhaha is NOT simply about equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians. It is about the money that Chick-fil-A gives to organizations that specifically work to harm gays and lesbians.
Chick-fil-A uses that money to support organizations that exist solely to try to “fix” people from being gay. Chick-fil-A knowingly gives to an organization that lobbies US Congress to NOT condemn Uganda for legislation that would KILL GAY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY.
This isn’t about his right to free speech. Let him speak his views. He can shout them from the top of any one of his restaurants. The reason why gay people are angry is because of the hypocrisy of Chick-fil-A’s stating they treat EVERYONE with respect and dignity, but yet they contribute to organizations that blatantly do the opposite.