Why I Decline to Dine at Chick-Fil-A

Posted by Gina Luttrell July 27, 2012 93 Comments 294 views

I don’t have to tell you that there has been quite a bit of noise around the internet these days about Chick-Fil-A. In all honesty, I am surprised it took people this long to catch on.

As an Atlanta native, I’ve long been aware of the Cathy family’s Christian business ethics. As a child I got cool Focus on the Family story tapes in my kids’ meals. The damn place is always closed on Sundays. The music is Christian or overtly family-friendly. Chick-Fil-A has always been a Christian business.

So, like Jonathan Merritt of The Atlantic, I really wasn’t surprised when I found out that Focus on the Family and other organizations that Chick-Fil-A donated to were ardent supporters of “traditional” marriage and family. I also wasn’t all that shocked to find out that “supporting traditional families” meant lobbying legislatures to pass laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

I wasn’t surprised, but I was sad. When I found this out, I realized that it would be a long, long time before I would be able to have that tasty chicken sandwich. I knew that I could not in good conscience give my hard-earned money to an organization that systematically seeks to deny people basic rights. This is both because I am an ardent supporter of equal rights for LGBT people, and because I am a libertarian.

Let’s be clear. I don’t care what the Cathy family believes. They could believe that all pagans should be burned at the stake, that women should be sold to men, that all but the purest of white people should be exterminated from the earth. If they believed all of that, if they wrote about it, or if they wore white hoods in all their corporate meetings, I would still eat Chick-Fil-A. It is not my place to judge someone for what they believe, no matter how abhorrent I find that belief. But the second they start using their capital to take away people’s constitutional rights, that is when I begin to boycott.

Advocacy is one thing. Belief is one thing. Asking the government to carry out your beliefs with its monopoly of force is quite another.

All those who claim to love liberty should think long and hard about where their money goes. You do not necessarily have to be gung-ho about LGBT equality to know that the government lobbying Chick-Fil-A is doing through their affiliated non-profit arms is wrong. They are asking governments to deprive people of equality under the law. Equality under the law is the basis of free societies with government. By giving money to Chick-Fil-A, you are supporting deprivation of equality under the law, and I don’t see how any libertarian could justify doing that.

The capital we earn, whether it is as a wage-earner or a business owner, is ours. But once we let go of those funds, we lose control over them. This is just. However, while we still have control over our money, we should at least point it in directions that do not undermine a free society. Those are the principles we value, and where our capital goes should reflect that to the best extent that it can.

Declining to eat at Chick-Fil-A is not about changing the Cathy family’s views. It’s not about forcing them to do what I want or to believe what I believe. Foregoing Chick-Fil-A is about exercising my freedom of choice to say that I will direct my capital to not be spent on something that undermines the foundational principles of a free society. Refusing Chick-Fil-A is about freedom of choice. Exercising it is part of what it means to be a libertarian. Not exercising it is complacency and sacrificing your values for a slab of chicken.

About Gina Luttrell

When she’s not worrying about the fate of the free world, she is sewing, reading science fiction or fantasy, blogging, or tinkering with web and graphic design. Her greatest love, however, lies in philosophy and political science, and she received her Bachelor of Arts in those fields from Agnes Scott College in May 2011. It’s okay if you’ve never heard of it. No one has.

boycotts chick-fil-a gay marriage LGBT rights

http://twitter.com/Sandgolem Sandgolem

This is exactly my thoughts. If your using your religion to take away the freedom of others you deserve a boycott.
- Sarkasian90
  
  My religion also prohibits incest among consenting adults…how should we handle that?
  - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
    
    Would you mind explaining how your comment relates to sandgolem’s or the article?
- Bjveraldi
  
  And if you’re using your beliefs to try to force businesses to close simply because they have different beliefs, then you deserve to be called out on it. There’s a word for that kind of intimidation-Communism.
  - http://twitter.com/Sandgolem Sandgolem
    
    no thats called the free market. I can choose to not buy products from a company thats doing its best to make being gay illegal.
    
    In a free market your reputation is everything so bad business practices can sink you!
Sjpenkala

Your basic right is to marry any similarly-minded person of the opposite sex. If you want to hook up with a member of the same sex, there is a perfectly acceptable “civil union”, available in most states [with the notable exception of Massachusetts, several other states and Washington D.C.]. There, they have appropriated the word “marriage” to apply to same sex unions as well as man-and-wife unions known to all as “marriages”.

Also, please make it clear what you would like to be called, as I would
not want to bruise your sensibilities by using a term that is no longer
acceptable to you.

BTW, it can be considered “hate speech” when heterophobes call those of us who marry and have children as a function of that marriage “breeders”.
- http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
  
  I disagree. The basic right is to freedom of association, and marriage is a “right” derived from that freedom of association. If you’re going to be denied freedom of association by the government for a non secular legitimate governmental purpose, that’s a lack of equality under the law. Equality under the law is the basic principle of a governmental free society.
  
  Civil unions don’t quite work out because they are actually quite different in their meanings, and many states do not have them. (citation here: http://www.factcheck.org/what_is_a_civil_union.html)
  
  Marriage, whether we like it or not, has both a cultural meaning AND a legal meaning. Right now it is the legal meaning and the legal application that is under fire. It is unwise to conflate the two.
  
  Though I suspect your request for what to call me is disingenuous, I am not 100% sure of that, so I will answer to the best of my abilities. I am not sure what you would call me. My name is clearly displayed there, and you can address me as such. I also have an about page with my picture, if you are looking for clues as to my gender. I am not sure what else you would want to call me in the context of this discussion.
  
  The issue of pejorative terms for gay or straight people is not really relevant to the discussion at hand, so we’ll leave that aside for now.
- Think98195
  
  If you think “most” states have civil unions, you clearly don’t know what you are talking about. 12 states have civil union/domestic partner laws. Six states allow same-sex marriage. That means that 32 states deny equal protection to gay people. Get your facts “straight.”
  - http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
    
    Having a citation for your factual claims might help convince this person/help him get his/her fact straight.
  - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
    
    [citation needed] Not saying you’re wrong or right just that a citation of where you get these numbers would be immensely helpful.
- Emrovie
  
  I consider it hate speech when British people call me a wanker. Because I masturbate frequently and stuff.
  - Bjveraldi
    
    Yea, I remember my first beer,too. Idiot.
Bjveraldi

But it’s okay when the Left tries to close down any business that does’nt subscribe to their way of thinking. If the Right used these tactics against all companies that promote Obama/Marxist/Communist policy, there would be very few businesses left. If you don’t like Chik-Fil-A- DON’T EAT THERE. But, do NOT tell ME that I can’t eat there because you’re trying to force YOUR idealogy on the rest of us.Obama has closed enough businesses in this country on his own-over TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND, in fact, AND putTHREE MILLION Americans out of work. I guess you want to add to it.
- http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
  
  Who are you refering to when you say “the Left” individuals who may happen to be boycotting? Government officials using government power to take action? No one here is suggesting any sort of government action against chick-fil-a or any other business. This is entirely about individual action.
  - Bjveraldi
    
    Are you serious? Are you really that naive? The LEFT is’nt just Obama and his hench men. It’s everyone who thinks he’s doing a great job- who thinks money will just rain down to cover the FIFTEEN TRILLION in debt-[B.O. has racked up ELEVEN of that]- who believes this Marxist will take care of you, while he shuts down businesses, sends jobs overseas, puts millions out of work, all the while bankrupting this country. The LEFT are people that see nothing wrong with trying to close a business simply because the owner is a Christian. The Left are people like you who will vote for Obama AGAIN. Who will be left standing up for you ?
    - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
      
      I didn’t say the left was just Obama or his cabinet. I asked YOU to clarify what YOU meant when you referred to “the Left” is all. As there is an important distinction between individuals trying to close down the business via boycott versus the government trying to abuse government power to try and force the business closed. Boycotts are a perfectly valid response to the situation if people don’t agree with Cathy and don’t want to send their money to support the things that family is supporting. The latter is a gross abuse of government power so in this case, yes a distinction needs to be made.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        How do you feel about Rahm Emmanuel using his government powers to close the Chik-Fil-A’s- Or the other mayors trying the same? Obama closed Republican- owned car dealerships-not ONE Democrat owned. Same with banks. Liberal-owned Facebook deleted all posts supporting Chik-Fil-A until the Right threatened legal action.. SEIU goons supported by Obama, beat people up at rallies. Well ? The Right,the silent majority, does’nt stoop to these sleazy tactics of the Left because WE honor the Constitution, especially the First Amendment. The hypocrisy from the Left,from this so-called ‘libertarian writer’ is appalling but expected. The Left believes in free speech ONLY if it’s theirs.
      - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
        
        I just stated in the comment that you replied too that government action to close chick-fil-a’s would be an abuse of power. I don’t know how more explicit I could be then that.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Well, we’ll just agree to disagree, how’s that ,and call it a night.
- robert
  
  Dude, you are struggling so hard to paint people into a certain corner (like the left corner) so that you can argue with them (probably because you listen to Hannity and just memorise his arguments against lefties and so you don’t know what to say to a libertarian); you look pathetic.
  - Bjveraldi
    
    DUDE-I’m a WOMAN-You and this ‘writer’should be dismissed outright for even using a neanderthal greeting like DUDE.
    I know exactly what to say to a Libertarian if I met one,but there’s obviously not one on this blog.
    And you have exposed yourself by using the same,tired, boring insults that MSNBC viewers-all eight of you- use against anyone that does’nt think like you. What hypocrites you are,especially a short-bus one like yourself and the one masquerading as a “libertarian’.
    - robert
      
      Dude is neanderthal? OK, so noted.
      
      What have I said that is un-libertarian? Oh, that’s right, nothing.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        What intelligent thing have you said ?Oh,that’s right,nothing.
http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell

I never said or claimed that the left attempting to shut down a business was okay.

I suspect that since you equate Obama with Marxism and Communism, that you really aren’t well informed on that front, so I’m just gonna leave that alone.

I never said that people *couldn’t* eat there, but that people who believed in a free society and that people who believed in equality under the law *shouldn’t* eat there, because when they give money to that, they are helping to support inequality under the law, and that is a violation of the basic principles of a free society.
http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell

I never said or claimed that the left attempting to shut down a business was okay.

I suspect that since you equate Obama with Marxism and Communism, that you really aren’t well informed on that front, so I’m just gonna leave that alone.

I never said that people *couldn’t* eat there, but that people who believed in a free society and that people who believed in equality under the law *shouldn’t* eat there, because when they give money to that, they are helping to support inequality under the law, and that is a violation of the basic principles of a free society. I am saying that if you believe in a free society — if that is YOUR ideology — then it would be most consistent to boycott.

I agree that President Obama’s economic policies haven’t been sensible, but declining a business who violates your values (re: equality under the law, etc.) is part of the free market also.

Jobs aren’t static. It’s not as if CFA closed down (which it probably won’t), three million more people would be out of the job and we’d sink further into the hole we’re in. The funny thing about even moderately free markets is that people can find other jobs. That’s the flexibility of it.

I suspect that you probably don’t have a whole lot more intelligent to say on this subject, so I’m just gonna leave this comment here for others to see if they would like to.
- Bjveraldi
  
  Thank you for once again proving that only the Left ,when not liking what is said,tries to denigrate a person with insults. You’re so predictable.
Bjveraldi

I ‘LOVE’ how the Left claims anyone that does’nt subscribe to THEIR thought process ” are’nt well-informed” The snide comments about ‘the purest of white’…’wore white hoods’, etc,shows, once again, the left’s tactics. Boycott any and all that are’nt like you, then hide behind your words when called out.
This is about the First Amendment-pure and simple. But you would’nt understand that. Your last sentence of this diatribe says it all
- http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
  
  Dude, kid. I’m a libertarian. The blog is called Thoughts on Liberty. The fact that you think I’m of the left kinda shows me that you’re not reading things very well.
  - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
    
    Perhaps attacking the thoroughness of his/her reading, however true, is not productive to the conversation. It’d be better to either simply address the mis-informed points or ignore him/her entirely
    - Bjveraldi
      
      There we go again- the Left claiming anyone that does’nt follow in lock step with them is ‘mis-informed’. Obama-ites are SO predictable. Oh, wait- was’nt ‘Father Obama against gay marriage until he saw how bad his polls are- NOW he’s for it? How long did he attend the racist ,bigoted, anti-gay Rev. Wright’s church ?
      - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
        
        why do you keep bringing up Obama. Neither the author nor I are Obama supporters and neither of us have said anything at all supporting the man.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        How do YOU know the “author’ is’nt an Obama supporter. Is’nt that interesting ?…….. Obama is at the very least ,a Leftist,but more commonly known,especially with his latest remarks-as a Communist. The Left’s idea of a ‘free society’ is shutting down any and all that don’t subscribe to their idealogy. Again, the only free speech they care about is their own.
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        I think it’s time you hop back into your straight jacket and take the short bus home for a nice hot cup of shut the fuck up.
      - Blahblahblah
        
        Oh snap! You got served! Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the home game and your tinfoil hat on the way out…
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Like I said.angry bees-stupid ones at that and the foul words are just another example of the Liberal mind when it’s confronted by logic.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        ANOTHER example of the intelligence and tolerance of the Left…
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        WTF is he talking about? These comments keep swaying to the right the more people respond.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        What IS your I.Q. ?
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        Oh and since I’m not a postal carrier or a secret agent, that wasn’t me infringing on your right to free speech. That was just me exercising mine.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Wow, see how ‘tolerant’ the Left is ?
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        I prefer the right. I wish I had been born ambidextrous, but you’re correct,I can never get my left hand to cooperate.
  - Bjveraldi
    
    Look up the definition of libertarian-I don’t see you anywhere. A libertarian does not think,act or talk like you. BUT,a Progressive,hiding behind their words, always claims to be a Libertarian/ Moderate/Independent. You’re the one not reading things very well,or rather,not understanding the meaning of words you toss about.You honestly think that the millions that have lost jobs, thanks to your ‘Father Obama”, can just go out and find another one. The mean unemployment rate, not the one Obama wants to see, is over FIFTEEN percent. Now, you want, and stop hiding behind your words, another business to shut down, simply because the owner feels differently than you. Unbelievable, but sadly true of the Left. And deny all you want- you ARE on the Left. And it’s interesting you call this blog-Thoughts on Liberty- when you’re so intent on taking it away from any one not in your political spectrum.
    
    “Dude, kid” ? You prove my point.
    - http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
      
      I think the other blog posts here demonstrate my libertarian values well enough, and it is not something that I feel the need to prove. I invite you to take a look around. You’ll find that I am an advocate for limited government, which includes free markets and social tolerance.
      
      The purist libertarian position is for the government to not be involved in marriage at all. I still feel like this is something to which you would object. ”Dude, kid.” was merely an attempt to be condescending, which people of all political spectrums are wont to do. I do not see how it proves that I am on the left. However, I have attempted above and will attempt in the future to not be so. I do, however, find your categorization of me unfair and do not understand how you can draw this conclusion from what I have said in this post or elsewhere on the blog.
      
      But my political identity actually doesn’t have anything to do with the argument at hand, so I will leave the debate here for now.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        This would be funny if you were’nt so delusional,no, it IS funny.YOU need to re-read your blog.
        Paragraph 5=you infer that because the owner is christian,that makes him a bigot/racist. And WHERE in the Constitution does it say anything about marrying ?
        Paragraph 6= You claim, because people buy chicken sandwiches, we hate gays marrying?!
        Paragragh 7= By buying chicken, wer’e “undermining a free society” OMG.
        Then, you finish it off by insulting all that don’t think like you …”complacency and sacrificing values”. I would have more respect for you if you could at least stand by your words, but you hide. Typical of the LEFT, which sorry to say, you ARE a card-carrying member.
      - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
        
        the fifth paragraph you mention:
        
        “Let’s be clear. I don’t care what the Cathy family believes. They could
        believe that all pagans should be burned at the stake, that women should
        be sold to men, that all but the purest of white people should be
        exterminated from the earth. If they believed all of that, if they
        wrote about it, or if they wore white hoods in all their corporate
        meetings, I would still eat Chick-Fil-A. It is not my place to judge
        someone for what they believe, no matter how abhorrent I find that
        belief. But the second they start using their capital to take away people’s constitutional rights, that is when I begin to boycott.”
        
        Where in that is there any implication, implicit or explicit that there is a causality between Cathy being a christian and bigotry/racism?
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Is it just coincidence this “libertarian” uses the very same terms the Left uses against anyone that does’nt think like them. If we disagree with the Left-we’re racists/bigosts/homophobes/sexists/Aryans. This is SO predictable,it’s laughable. This ‘writer’ put Mr. Cathy in the same grouping and then ,along with “unbiased”posters like you, feigns outrage that ANYONE would think that’s really how they feel.
        The Left hides behind words and tries to destroy any and all that don’t think like them.
        Hypocrites.
        And America says-ENOUGH.
    - Mallratbitsy
      
      Prick, douchebag, nuggets or strips?
      - Bjveraldi
        
        A true Obama-ite, are’nt you?
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        I’m just here to talk about chicken.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Oh really ? Thought you were just here to verify your I.Q. Short bus is waiting….Hurry.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        You should really address that hatred you have towards your parents. By calling them names,you show your i.q. which is obviously in the single digits.
- Robert
  
  I happen to mostly disagree with V.A. on this issue, but there is nothing un-libertarian about her post. How could you possibly get the idea that she is on the left? Did you read the post? Where did she say that Chick-Fil-A should be shut down by the government? Or not allowed to open new stores? (As many on the left are demanding.)
  - Bjveraldi
    
    Re-read the article- the thinly veiled jabs at Christians and all that don’t think like Luttrell. “…it is not my place to judge.”-that’s exactly what’s he/she is doing. And READ the Constitution-Gay marriage-ANY marriage is NOT a constitutional right. Leave it to the Left masquerading as a “libertarian”to write their own laws.. WHERE was the affronted when Emmanuel and two other mayors threatened to shut down Chik Fil A’s in their cities ? WHERE was the outrage when their Father Obama said numerous times he does NOT support gay marriage ? Crickets….I’m STILL waiting.How would these outraged feel if Christians boycotted Amazon, Facebook, Ben & Jerry’s,the list goes on. I can just hear the hypocrisy.
    This so-called ‘writer’s ‘ smarmy line-”..all those who CLAIM to love liberty…..” is PROOF that he/she feels only like- minded people[ def-people that fall in lock step with his/her ideology] are the righteous.
    
    I have gay family members, close friends, a beloved cousin gone now -from aids-another friend dealing with it. I support marriage for them . I DON”T support the hypocrisy and hatred of people like this writer who hides behind words, all the while calling for the abolishment of the First Amendment against all that dare oppose them.
    - Mallratbitsy
      
      I thought we were here to talk about FUCKING POLYNESIAN SAUCE?!
      - Blahblahblah
        
        Obama is Polynesian. I have a copy of the proof of this claim, obtained from Sherriff Joe Arpaio himself.
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        I’m going to dip my nuggets in his delicious spicy sweet sweat.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Liberal, right ? Thought so.
      - Mallratbitsy
        
        No, I’m a Virgo.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        No, you’re a “mis-informed” small,mean person.
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Obama is a Communist-does’nt matter where he was born.Although for the record-the Missus herself AND his aunt both said he was born in Kenya. The Harvard paper did a story on him when he became head of the law review[ would LOVE to see his school records but he paid three million to have them sealed] and it says he’s born in Kenya. But think what you want. Either way, he’s ought of here in November.
      - http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
        
        Hi Blahblahblah. I appreciate the attempt to lighten up the conversation, but I’d ask you to please show respect for your fellow blog-commenters and attempt to address their comments on their merits, rather than trolling. If you do not believe that someone is making sense, try and ask them questions so that they may clarify. TOL has an active tolerance policy, and I try to respect that for all my commenters. Part of that means asking other visitors to look at things from different perspectives, also.
        This goes for the other posts you have submitted here as well.Thanks for understanding,V.A. Luttrell
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Typical Obama voter-braindead-go back to mommy’s basement-it’s way past your bedtime AND medication.
      - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
        
        Don’t feed the trolls.
      - http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
        
        Hi Mallratbitsy. I appreciate the attempt to lighten up the conversation, but I’d ask you to please show respect for your fellow blog-commenters and attempt to address their comments on their merits, rather than trolling. If you do not believe that someone is making sense, try and ask them questions so that they may clarify. TOL has an active tolerance policy, and I try to respect that for all my commenters. Part of that means asking other visitors to look at things from different perspectives, also.
        
        This goes for the other posts you have submitted here as well.Thanks for understanding,V.A. Luttrell
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Thank you.
    - robert
      
      Again, you’re acting like your fighting a lefty. VA has been outspoken in her view that Boston, Chicago, etc. should not keep CFA from opening. So, perhaps you should re-read the article.
      
      Also, where the heck does she say she wants to abolish the first amendment? Where??
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Re-read MY posts. WHERE did I say that ?
http://www.clichegames.com Anthony

How is an individual boycotting a resteraunt whatever the reason a violation of the first Amendment? Seems more like exercising it to me.

edit: This was supposed to be in response to Bjveraldi’s comment re: diatribe and first amendment below but disquus got messed up when I logged in after typing it out I suppose.
http://www.clichegames.com Anthony

There is some more recent news on this front: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-badash/chick-fil-a-5-reasons-it-isnt-what-you-think_b_1725237.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
- Bjveraldi
  
  If one does’nt like the political/religous/personal leanings of a business-DON’T shop/eat there. But, do NOT try to close said business down simply because you don’t agree.Do NOT infer they and their customers are racists and bigots ,as this so-called ‘journalist’ infers. And sorry, Huffington Post and it’s Huff-Ho, Arianna, are so far Left, they make Mother Jones look like the Weekly Standard. They are to be dismissed outright for their Leftist bias in all matters.
Vturner295

There is so much “debate” over same sex marriage that I’m sick of it. The celebrity hypocrites that are on their 3rd or 4th marriage, that are vehemently opposed, are my personal faves. So far as I can tell, homosexuality is, at worst, called detestable in the Bible. On par with swindlers and drunkards. (BTW I had a pretty shite day yesterday and proceeded to get “detestably drunk”, as soon as daddy was home to make sure the boy was looked after.)

Upon further investigation, I’ve found that “legal” marriage is a modern amenity, and, again, there is no mention of a ceremony or legally binding document in the Bible either. So, here’s my problem: why not allow gay marriage? The marriage we speaking of, is for the most part, a completely modern convenience. Entered into, and dissolved as often as two people choose to do the paperwork. Remember that other piece of modern paper?…the constitution?….it does say ‘nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.’

The OED defines liberty as “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s behaviour or political views”.

So, having said all that, I’m sure that there will be loads of people who will say it’s wrong because God said so, it’s says in the Bible, one man, one woman, procreation…blah, blah, blah.

Here’s the facts; there was a separation of church and state when the creation of this country came about. Thank goodness too, because there are so many different churches, preaching their version of the Word, that there would probably be.debate over which sect was “more right”! That separation takes out the moral question and simply leaves us a group of fellow citizens. Citizens that we can love, hate or be indifferent to. Citizens that we can “detest”, pray for, agree with our disagree with. But, they are citizens all the same, and according to the Bill of Rights, any opinions, well-founded or otherwise, should not impede them from enjoying the same liberties currently allowed to be enjoyed by heterosexuals.

If the churches are against it, fine, don’t allow the gays to get married in your church. Churches are currently in no way sanctioned regarding who they do or don’t marry. As an example, it was very recently reported that the First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs, MI refused to marry a couple due to the color of their skin. So I don’t think the “moral” argument really holds up as it won’t effect church decisions. If the Civil Rights movement in the 60′s didn’t have any effect, they obviously don’t have to worry about the LGBT.

We can’t make decisions about other people’s lives based on opinions or beliefs. That is why our country works from the basis of the constitution, in order for all citizens to be view as “equal” regardless of who is doing the viewing!

As for all those opposed to gay marriage who are up in arms and shouting their loyalties to same sex union? Shout away! It is your right! A right that I hope will always be protected. If I don’t want to hear what you have to say, I simply don’t have to listen.

The issue of same sex marriage will not directly effect me one way or the other. I am a happy hetero married to the man of my dreams. I don’t even currently have any gay friends who are struggling with this issue. But then again, my ancestors never owned slaves that weren’t allowed to marry either. But I don’t think I could have stood by for that bullsh#t either. Just let them jump the broom!
Arlecchino

As a conservative who believes in the free market and the right of people to engage in free association. I have to agree with V.A. While I have no problem with Chick-Fil-A’s right to petition their government I disagree with their intentions but I don’t have any problem with some people boycotting and others choosing to shop there. As for the anti V.A. – BjVeraldi arguments… there is NO Logic in them. I suggest that she read a book or two of political philosophy and learn more about WHAT you believe and the logic behind it.
- http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
  
  Is she refering to BJVeraldi here? Just to clarify the use of she for a presumably unknown gendered person.
  - Arlecchino
    
    Yes in a previous quote I thought BJVeralsi referred to themselves as a she.
- Bjveraldi
  
  I don’t need to read books on political philosophy to know hypocrisy when I see it. Do you have a problem with the government shutting down businesses on the opposite side of the political fence? Or mayors taking it upon themselves to stop businesses from expanding because of their beliefs? So, it’s okay for Facebook ,who gave millions to Gay Rights groups-to censor stories of the Chik-Fil-A support ?AND Google AND Ben& Jerry’s AND Amazon AND Huff-Ho Post……..the list is endless. Maybe the Right should boycott these businesses? I can just hear you saying-”It’s not the same.” Oh, really ? Go back to one of YOUR poli books- it IS the same.
  And I don’t need a book to see you’re not a conservative. Your post was quite telling. I do enjoy getting all you Liberals in a snit. You’re so used to your own little world,that you become angry bees when an independent calls you out on your hypocrisy.
  - Sinclair
    
    I’ve been trying to decided which fallacies you’re using. I’m going with informal as a group, but trying to narrow it down is proving challenging. I love a good challenge!
    - Bjveraldi
      
      Liberal,right ? Voted for Obama ? I rest my case.
  - Arlecchino
    
    You’re silly, I am a conservative. First off no mayor has the right to stop any business there is no question, even the ACLU has offered to defend Chick-Fil-A. As for the companies you mentioned they are exactly the same I’m not being hypocritical at all. You aren’t reading my post, I support the rights of all these companies to petition their government Chick-Fil-A included.
    - Bjveraldi
      
      I’ve been called worse by this group of brainiacs. Notice the ratio of Right to Left ?
      I love a challenge, also.
      - Arlecchino
        
        Really? You focus on me saying you’re silly? I made a logical point and you ignored it. Twice. How are you planning on doing anything meaningful in this discussion if you are going to just ignore everything I say and keep calling me a leftist. Would you like to make any kind of logical point that refers back to my statement?
      - Bjveraldi
        
        Sorry, I did’nt see any logic in your remarks. You and others are using the same old boring Liberal talking points. You know, there is nothing more intolerant than the Left preaching intolerance. It’s easy to ignore someone here because you all sound the same. Did you see any outrage from the Right when FACEBOOK,AMAZON,BEN&JERRYS,etc gave millions to organizations the Right don’t agree with ? NO, because we understand FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Our knee-jerk reaction is not to try to close a business down and workers lose their jobs simply because we feel differently. It’s like talking to a brick wall with the Left.
      - Arlecchino
        
        Freedom means I have the right to not spend my money in certain places. No I don’t see Conservatives get mad at Apple or Ben etc. Jerry’s and yes I would be just as outraged if a government entity tried to intimidate them. By your “logic” If I don’t give someone money to support them when they open their mouth, I am anti-free speech. That makes no sense. You aren’t arguing, I’m not even close to being intolerant. You’re just repeating the same talking points. Let me be clear: I SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF CHICK-FIL-A TO SPEND ITS MONEY AS IT DESIRES AS I DO ANY COMPANY OR INDIVIDUAL. (Caps are for clarity and to call attention to the point not to indicate volume or yelling.)
  - greenpalm
    
    Bjveraldi, Yes, you’re right.
    
    I’m a Libertarian and I agree with V.A.’s post 100%. I boycotted CFA myself. However, he left out the part about the First Amendment. You are absolutely right that the Libertarian in me sat up and screamed about Chicago Alderman Proco Morena, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Washington Mayor Vincent Gray & New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who each suggested they were going to try to block CFA from doing business in their towns because they were speaking out against gay marriage. What they were threatening was absolutely, totally unconstitutional. Yep. No argument. And what they said really really pissed me off, because it undermined the outrage at what Chik-Fil-A is doing, and it changed the response from a free-market boycott into a First Amendment issue.
    
    It’s really important to note though, that at no time was Chik-Fil-A’s Freedom of Speech actually at risk. It took only moments before most of those politicians backed down (one idiot is still trying to claim he’s blocking them because of traffic issues, like anybody believes that now… ) But, you know the ACLU spoke up quickly, and Constitutional attorneys spoke up quickly, one write up I read was by a very specialized First Amendment attorney, and it wasn’t very long before everyone realized that those Mayors were out of line, even the mayors themselves. And that means Chik-Fil-A doesn’t need help raising funds for a court battle or anything, because those idle threats aren’t going turning into an actual violation of the First Amendment. Those threats got slammed down right away. They never even got off the ground.
    
    The same can’t be said for the issue that started all this, because, as V.A. says in his writing here, Chik-Fil-A is using their profits to ask the government to deprive people of equality under the law, and that’s unconstitutional too. The big difference… it’s actually already happening. Gay people actually don’t have equal rights. The constitution is actually is being violated. Right now.
    
    So, yeah, the free speech thing is uncool, and those mayors needed to have their crazy ideas nipped in the bud. But they did. That’s going nowhere.
    
    My gay friends still can’t get married, and Chik-Fil-A is paying to keep it that way.
    - Arlecchino
      
      We do have a fundamental problem, Chic-Fil-A is merely exercising its constitutional right to petition a free government. So the question is, how do we balance perceived inequality (Not all claims are equally valid) and freedom to petition?
      
      Now I’m first to say I think marriage should be renamed civil union, and everyone gets those from now on! If you want to be married, that’s a private ceremony you can have but no government involvement.
      
      But until we limit the powers of government to shape society I don’t see any value in limiting the powers of one entity solely because a group (a group I’m a part of) disagrees with their actions.
      - http://www.clichegames.com Anthony
        
        By allowing them to petition the government as much as they wish, and refusing to do business with them when the petition the government to due unjust things, just as the author suggests?
Sinclair

After seeing far too many posts and minor outrages over CFA, it’s liberating to see someone take the time to discuss this without the knee-jerk emotional response. Thank you.
- http://thoughtsonliberty.com V.A. Luttrell
  
  You’re very welcome.
Bjveraldi

We’re NEVER going to agree, so have a nice life.
marcusfavonius

I’m not sure libertarian means what Bjveraldi thinks it means. Libertarianism, and more specifically right-libertarianism is, broadly, a political philosophy that emphasizes the primacy of individuals who possess the moral rights to the ownership of property, of voluntary association, and of personal liberty where it does not interfere with the rights of others.

That’s all there is to it. There is no condition that I be required to be unfailingly polite in all instances or that I must accept opinions I find morally repugnant. It also does not require that I accept meddling in government to promote a collectivist monopoly on who can and cannot enter into a civil contract. Or conversely, that I must accept the use of government force to silence an opposing voice.

The only neutral and morally agreeable solution to the argument is to divorce the institution of marriage from government. Marriage is first and foremost a social contract, and has existed in virtually all societies since the beginning of civilization. It is, and always has been something primarily concerning society and individuals.

The *privileges* conferred by the state in the name of marriage are just that. The modern construct of state sanctioned marriage benefits are not a right in the same sense as speech and freedom of conscience. The state maintains a monopoly over the definition of marriage, typically defined as a Christian sacrament between one man and one woman. In essence it is the state is telling the individual which types of marriage are and aren’t real marriages. The whole issue could be resolved if the government simply called all of the legal privileges and benefits of marriage a ‘civil union’, irrespective of the sexual orientation of the individuals entering into the contract.
AVeryHungryMan

I just want a damn chicken sandwich
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anarchobuddy

“Foregoing Chick-Fil-A is about exercising my freedom of choice to say that I will direct my capital to not be spent on something that undermines the foundational principles of a free society.”

Forgive me if someone already asked this, but there are a lot of comments to read through. I was just wondering how consistently you boycott. Do you refuse to do business with any corporation or entity that has ever lobbied for government favors?