Another protest targets Chick-fil-A
(Bob Andres, bandres@ajc.com)
Just in case you hadn’t noticed it, today was “National Marriage Equality Day” at Starbucks, which gays and lesbians launched as another response to conservative talk show host Mike Huckabee’s successful “Chick-fil-A Day” last week.
Equally Wed, a gay and lesbian wedding magazine, sponsored a Facebook campaign urging followers to patronize Starbucks because it is among the “pro-equality companies and organizations” that support same-sex marriages, the group said.
Kirsten Ott Palladino, editor of Equality Wed, told ABC News the group was going to call it “Starbucks Appreciation Day,” but some Starbucks managers wanted the name changed to reflect other companies’ support of gay and lesbian issues.
Thousands of Chick-fil-A supporters in Atlanta and around the country jammed counters and parking lots last Wednesday to show support for company President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy, who came under fire by gays and lesbians after he warned in an interview 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 Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, or GLADD, countered Friday with a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A”, inviting same-sex couples to descend on the restaurant’s locations and later post pictures of themselves kissing. The group is also urging a boycott of the chain.
For its Tuesday event, Equally Wed was offering Starbucks gift cards to finalists in a photo contest and a grand prize $100 Amazon.com gift certificate. It is also listing companies and groups it says support gay and lesbian rights, including Abercrombie & Fitch, Amazon.com, Apple, Ben & Jerry’s, Best Buy, Delta Air Lines, Disney, Ford, Google, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Microsoft, Nike, Sears, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, Target, and Tiffany & Co.
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251 comments Add your comment
Mike
August 7th, 2012
3:03 pm
They don’t think companies should voice opinions about social issues if they are against the gay lifestyle, but it is fine if they support that lifestyle? Sounds like a double standard.
Doug
August 7th, 2012
3:10 pm
Seems like the ones pushing tolerance on everyone are the most intolerant. So who’s the bigots here? You notice no one is mentioning how many showed up to kiss on Friday?
Hortense
August 7th, 2012
3:18 pm
“SPEAD LOVE”?
East Lake Ira
August 7th, 2012
3:18 pm
CFA deserves all the criticism they are recieving.
Ain’t America great?
pj
August 7th, 2012
3:39 pm
: )
DHD
August 7th, 2012
3:39 pm
Serious question: Where were all these protesters and boycotters in 2008 when Barack Obama had the VERY SAME stance as Dan Cathy? Too bad they didn’t boycott him then. The country would be better off today.
whocares
August 7th, 2012
3:40 pm
This isn’t news. Eat more Chicken!!!
Meagan
August 7th, 2012
3:40 pm
It’s not that companies shouldn’t voice their opinions about social issues, it’s that its wrong for anybody to donate money to companies that promote discrimination and hate. If Chick-Fil-A was donating money to the KKK, nobody would think twice about boycotting them.
checkcall
August 7th, 2012
3:40 pm
There is a difference between voicing an “opinion” and donating millions of dollars to organizations dedicated to denying rights to significant portion of the population, based on a subjective interpretation of a religous book.
Big Fudge
August 7th, 2012
3:41 pm
@ Chris Seward,
Dan Cathy is the COO not CEO.
Cheers.
skipper
August 7th, 2012
3:41 pm
What a crock….sickos getting their way! (Or trying.) The Chic-Fil-A thing Friday was as poor a showing of support for a cause since protest was conceived.
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:41 pm
“Seems like the ones pushing tolerance on everyone are the most intolerant. So who’s the bigots here?”
I know what you mean. The ones demanding us to be tolerant of CFA’s anti-gay practices last week were the same ones who railed against Oreo, Starbucks, and Amazon for “inciting the wrath of God’s judgement upon this nation” when they SUPPORTED marriage for gay people.
@Mike
August 7th, 2012
3:42 pm
Enter your comments here
East Lake Ira
August 7th, 2012
3:43 pm
DHD:
The choice in 08 was sanity vs. crazy and America chose sanity.
Nice try though.
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:43 pm
I love how the “christians” who believe I deserve to be stoned to death for being gay are crying fowl over my decision to go to KFC instead of CFA. You are really making your religion look good.
Scott
August 7th, 2012
3:44 pm
Reason no one is publishing #’s on the “kiss day” is because it was a JOKE compared to the #’s on Wednesday when folks actually showed up to spend their $$$ and support the company.
@Mike
August 7th, 2012
3:44 pm
“They don’t think companies should voice opinions about social issues if they are against the gay lifestyle, but it is fine if they support that lifestyle? Sounds like a double standard.”
Two gay people getting married affects you…..how? Marriage might mean everything to them, why should they be denied that happiness if they have different religious views than you? Christians need to stop picking and choosing what parts of the Bible to ‘follow’. shellfish and bacon are just as evil according to the Bible.
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:45 pm
“Where were all these protesters and boycotters in 2008 when Barack Obama had the VERY SAME stance as Dan Cathy?”
Obama never tried to make my marriage illegal.
Tom
August 7th, 2012
3:45 pm
Mike, I agree….it is definitely a double standard. Then again, it’s the same thing we see from groups like American Family Association (listed as a hate group by SPLC) and their One Million Moms offshoot…..both of whom have called for boycotts of many of the companies listed above..in addition to Home Depot…. exhorting the companies to “remain neutral” in the “culture wars”. They certainly didn’t ask CFA to remain “neutral’.
Scott
August 7th, 2012
3:45 pm
Chris Hogan, go eat all the KFC you want. I don’t want to depribe you of that wonderful experience. Stuff is NASTY though…..
suga
August 7th, 2012
3:46 pm
What is this world coming too, God Bless you Mr. Cathy know that God is in control.
Common Sense
August 7th, 2012
3:46 pm
Keep your religion to yourself. Not everyone is a believer and nor should they be held hostage to your crazy ‘laws’.
Hollywould
August 7th, 2012
3:46 pm
Chris, believe me when I say “no one cares where you go” Get over yourself.
Catblaster
August 7th, 2012
3:47 pm
@Meagan…do you have that same opinion about Teresa Kerry giving millions to Planned Parenthood…or George Soros giving millions to a plethora of liberal causes?
Carl Farvman
August 7th, 2012
3:47 pm
These sweetie pies need to get a hobby. CFA is going to be fine no matter what these folks do. They are irrelevant. Please people. Go away. Most of us are quite amused by their antics.
Catblaster
August 7th, 2012
3:48 pm
@ Chris is confused…it’s Muslims who will stone you for being gay…and do. Not Christians.
Sandra
August 7th, 2012
3:48 pm
the gays and lesbians need to get a life. just because so many people came out in support of chic fil a they need to prove to themselves that they are something important.
Enough Already
August 7th, 2012
3:48 pm
Jeez Minetti- have these folks nothing better to do with their time than to protest? Get over it already… go on with your lives loving your partner. Who gives a rats (*^&*….
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:49 pm
Boy, the christian love in these comments is overflowing!
joann
August 7th, 2012
3:50 pm
Why is someone elses lifestyle so important to other people/ If you would mind your own business the world would be a better place. As Christians we are always talking about God’s judgement_ Then why don’t we let Him judge these people and we just love them as He commanded. We don’t have to like their lifestyle but we must be tolerant of others. If any one has read in the papers lately there was a huge Chil pornography ring busted in the Netherlands which caught of some Americans here in the states——— not one of these men was Gay!!!!!!!!!!! We need to keep our eyes on some of the so called straight men.
Common Sense
August 7th, 2012
3:51 pm
Funny story, one time my homophobic roomate left him facebook open. Under his honesty box app he left plenty of messages telling different men how hot they were. Homophobic is the new GAY!
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:52 pm
“just because so many people came out in support of chic fil a they need to prove to themselves that they are something important.”
No, I think with gay people winning in the courts, the legislatures, and popular culture, the poor, oppressed Moral Majority folks needed some validation. So they all got together for their first ever, “Anti-gay Pride Parade”
YEAH RIGHT
August 7th, 2012
3:53 pm
God Created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.
really??
August 7th, 2012
3:54 pm
Get a life people. The people spoke. Move on.
Christopher Seward
August 7th, 2012
3:54 pm
Thanks, Fudge
JAYSUS
August 7th, 2012
3:55 pm
So now that we’ve got the homosexual thing covered, when are you “Christians” going to start overthrowing the shrimp and pork industries? “For they are unclean and an abomination”.
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:56 pm
I don’t know why the so-called liberal media turned this one day event into a news story. So what if a few thousand anti-gays had their own parade? Every year about 15 Million people show up to voice their SUPPORT for gay people and equality. I’d say the gays win in a landslide.
JAYSUS
August 7th, 2012
3:56 pm
“God Created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.”
It rhymes, IT MUST BE TRUE!! PRAISE JAYSUS!!
Dave in Marietta
August 7th, 2012
3:56 pm
I think all you gay haters are missing the point. Nobody said that Dan Cathy didn’t have the right to say what he said. It is simply that others disagree with it vehemently and they are expressing it through their own free speech. Both sides get to speak and declare their approvals and disapprovals respectively. Just because it’s gay people getting pissed off, you seem to think they’re not entitled to an opinion about a matter directly aimed at them. Or to speak in support of other business that support them. That is not being hypocritical. It’s called common sense.
Liberal Chicks are UGLY
August 7th, 2012
3:57 pm
Word up ‘really??’. The people did indeed speak.
Everytime gay marriage has been put to a popular vote it has been shot down in flames, even in the most liberal cities in the country. The people don’t want it, period.
Star Treatment
August 7th, 2012
3:58 pm
What the world needs more of is LOVE and less HATE! Support our brothers and sisters whether or not you approve of their lifestyle. It doesn’t effect you one way or the other. Everyone should be able to have the same rights as the next person. God Speed People.
MrLiberty
August 7th, 2012
3:59 pm
When the government decides for us, we have no choice. When a private business makes a choice, the market allows us to vote with our feet and our dollars. So long as the government stays out of the market and allows the freedom to choose, set up competitive businesses, patroize competitive businesses, etc. we are far better off.
This entire situation is the best example possible of why the marketplace is superior to government on every level. All of you business haters need to step back and appreciate the freedom to choose the marketplace gives you. You do not get freedom from government decisions, mandates, restrictions, interventions, monopolies, etc. Freedom only comes from the marketplace and a government or other entity that upholds the property rights of everyone.
Meagan
August 7th, 2012
3:59 pm
@Catblaster. I am not familar with Planned Parenthood or who Teresa Kerry or George Soros are.
But regardless of who or what you are, I do not agree with supporting groups that promote hate of any sort. Why not spend your millions helping others like donating to food banks and shelters.
Mark God
August 7th, 2012
3:59 pm
God didn’t create anything you imbeciles. It doesn’t exist. People exist and have the right and freedom to choose. Includes the chicken people and the gay people. Coexist because we are humans, not because of a made up god. Really? grow up.
chris hogan
August 7th, 2012
3:59 pm
“Everytime gay marriage has been put to a popular vote it has been shot down in flames, even in the most liberal cities in the country. The people don’t want it, period.”
I’m so glad my rights are given to me by God and the Constitution, NOT mob rule.
Jess
August 7th, 2012
4:00 pm
In Catholic school we were taught to leave the judging to God- and to live and let live. Love everyone and help the poor. I’m genuinely surprised the Protestants seemed to completely skip right on over this.
Marlboro Man
August 7th, 2012
4:01 pm
5 years or sooner gay marriages will be performed at the chicken houses. Look out its coming. Don’t look Martha.
Aaron
August 7th, 2012
4:02 pm
Boy are you guys gonna look silly in 40 years. History tells us the repressed minority always win over opression and bigotry.
lol
August 7th, 2012
4:02 pm
at all the ” pitchers and catchers” in this thread!!
urban redneck
August 7th, 2012
4:02 pm
if i protest, it’s gonna be about their four dollar chicken sandwich.