Boston Mayor Takes Stand Against Chick-Fil-A Over Stance on Gay Marriage
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said anti-gay stance is an 'insult' to the city. Big-named conservatives supporting the restaurant.
The backlash over Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy's statement that he supported "the traditional family" last week continues.
As reported on Huffington Post and carried on Patch, Cathy stated the restaurant business holds to traditional values in regards to homosexuality.
"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives," Cathy was quoted as saying. "We give God thanks for that...we know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."
Following a media firestorm over the remarks, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald last Thursday that he doesn't want a business in the city "that discriminates against a population."
Menino vowed in a letter to Cathy, which was posted on Boston's official Facebook page, not to allow a Chick-Fil-A set up shop in the city. It reads, in part, as follows:
"In recent days you said Chick-fil-A opposes same-sex marriage and said the generation that supports it has an 'arrogant attitude.'Now -- incredibly -- your company says you are backing out of the same-sex marriage debate. I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston."
"You called supporters of gay marriage 'prideful.' Here in Boston, to borrow your own words, we are 'guilty as charged.' We are indeed full of pride for our support of same-sex marriage and our work to expand freedom to all people. We are proud that our state and our city have led the way for the country on equal marriage rights...There is no place for discrimination on Boston's Freedom Trail and no place for your company alongside it."
Click here to see the full letter.
On the other side of the issue, some big-named conservates have come out in support of Cathy and his stance on gay marriage.
As reported in the Huffington Post, former GOP presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee have been outspoken in their support for Cathy and the franchise. Huckabee even encouraged people to patronize the fast food chain on Aug. 1, which he deemed "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day."
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
SJ
7:04 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
I'm not anti-gay, but I am anti-fascism. The president of Chick Fil-A merely gave his opinion of Gay marriage. It is up to each individual to agree or disagree with that. For an individual (inexplicably) with the power of Mayor, it is fascism to abuse that power and to punish one for thinking a certain way. If this were reversed and a restaurant owner spoke out FOR gay marriage and a city banned his business for this, there would surely be lawsuits. I think Menino needs to back down from this one.
Jen
8:49 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Cathy, like any other individual is entitled to his opinion. But when you own a business and the money people spend on your product goes to fund a HATE group , that's deception, among other things. Menino was just in writing this letter and I agree with him 100%. I have boycotted the Burlington store and would like to see it close. There's no room in my world for the support of groups whose main purpose is to hate another specific group of people. That's called discrimination , and it's wrong in my book.
Barbara
9:20 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
According to the liberals, Mr. Menino has the right to free speech, but Mr. Cathy does not. Many of us in the Boston area oppose gay marriage and are embarrassed by our state's law allowing it. To support the traditional family of man, woman and children is the opinion of the vast majority. That said, this does not mean anti-gay, it means anti-gay marriage. Civil unions, fine. But I am tired of not being able to pray, not being able to speak my mind because my opinion does not match that of someone else. Seems like the First Amendment is only for those who yell loud and threaten to sue. Our Founding Fathers are writhing in shame over modern American life.
Jen
3:05 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
And most of us are not embarrassed by civil unions at all. And chances are some of those founding fathers were gay too. It's not really " modern American life". Nobody's opinions need to match any one else's. I'm all for freedom of speech, but I just won't be any part of contributing to any Hate group, and that is why I will not support CFA any longer. Eating chicken should be eating chicken, and not a donation towards hatred of others. I'll have no part of that.
Northguy
3:09 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
@Barbara: Who's saying Mr. Cathy doesn't have a right to free speech? Of course he has the right to free speech, but that doesn't make him immune from criticism and consequences of his speech from those who don't agree with him. His critics have the same right to counter his speech as he has to make it, it is one of the strengths of our democracy. Also, could you please cite when you were stopped from praying or speaking your mind? If you can't, your grievances ring hollow.
MoonBeamWatcher
9:47 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
One of the reasons Choakley lost to Brown is that the majority of MA voters are fed up with our elected LeaKers. Both in the State House and DC! SS Marriage was not acted upon by the DNC State house majority (legislative) so as to not risk re-election. This inaction provided the MA Supreme Court (judicial) to MAKE LAW. The Chief Justice who was a vocal supporter of SS Marriage should have recused herself, BUT instead cast the 5 to 4 vote and then wrote the decision. Massachusetts has good family values which is why "WE" sent the message to our State House and both sides of the isle in DC. THE MAYOR HAS SEEN THE ERROR OF HIS WAYS and has REVERSED his position, as he should have! What say you ACLU and assorted BRIAN dead if the MAYOR had attacked Starbucks for supporting SS Marriage?! (as a nice Catholic fellow should have!)