Dan Cathy is everything the left despises. He owns a business, became successful without government assistance and he’s a conservative Christian. What’s not to hate?
Cathy, the owner and CEO of the hugely popular Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, faced boycotts and ongoing controversy for expressing his firmly held beliefs. When asked during an interview with the Baptist Press about his company’s position on marriage and family, Mr. Cathy responded, “Well, guilty as charged. We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit.”
Nowhere in his comments did Dan Cathy mention gays.
Without meaning to, Cathy upped the ante in a subsequent radio interview saying, “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.”
What followed Cathy’s honesty was the most hate filled, duplicitous rant from the apoplectic left, the same holier than thou crowd who constantly lecture the right on tolerance, acceptance and diversity of opinion. Not practicing what they preach, the politically correct goons tore into the Chick-fil-A CEO like he was the Special of the Day.
Former Obama White House Chief-of-Staff, now Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, claimed “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago’s values.” This is the same Rahm Emanuel who sought the help of controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in the same Chicago that recorded 49 murders in July. Emanuel hopes the anti-Semitic Farrakhan can help fight the violent crime wave now plaguing the Windy City. Go figure.
Boston Mayor Tom Menino was so angered by Cathy’s moral position that he sent the company a letter making it clear he does not want them in Boston. He claimed Dan Cathy’s statements were “prejudiced.” If only Cathy had supported abortion rights or gun control. Mayor Menino might have rolled out the red carpet had the restaurant chain’s CEO just understood – you have to go along to get along.
Many from the left slammed Dan Cathy calling him hateful and vowed to hurt his company financially. In response, former Arkansas Gov., one time presidential hopeful and Baptist minister Mike Huckabee, took to his website promoting Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. Supporters turned out in droves giving the chicken eatery its biggest day of sales ever. A counter “Kiss-In” by gays & lesbians fizzled.
The left’s effort to financially hurt Chick-fil-A failed but no one should ignore the intent of those in public office to damage a business over a spiritual belief, one that is a cornerstone of all mainstream religions.
That should be very concerning to anyone who genuinely believes in free speech.
Who will be next on the hit list? Will a paving company be denied a government contract because of a politically incorrect viewpoint? Personal beliefs about social issues should have no relevance when one is conducting business. That elected officials would use their position to punish a citizen’s moral opinion is repugnant and typifies government tyranny.
Dan Cathy’s positions are based on his understanding of his bible and his God. He is wise enough to understand it is nothing but arrogant to alter the Deity’s plan. Does that make Dan Cathy a dangerous man and an enemy of the state?
The answer appears to be yes. To most leftists tolerance and freedom of speech are rights due everyone except conservative Christians.
Kaye Richard - When I Write I'm Right 
You are totally in the right regarding what you have said. Hatred is so blind it cannot think logically to see how ridiculous its reasoning is. This situation is a clear example of this. How sad that these leftists want so badly to have their views declared right and to receive acceptance that they end up behaving like children, thinking that belittling others will somehow lift themselves into a better light. The only ones they fool are themselves.
The vitriolic attack on Dan Cathy, a good and decent man by all accounts, was shameful. It proved again the double standard mentality of the left. The media, always complicit, failed to point out Cathy merely expressed his support for strong traditional families. When it becomes so acceptable to vilify that position, and it clearly has, then we must question how much deeper in the gutter we will allow our society to sink.
I think that anyone who can become successful, regardless of left of right attitudes, with or without government assistance, because at some point the assistance dries up, is very successful.
What angered people was his asscertion that he knew what God knew about the family, and what constituted a family unit. His comments were most obviously against any form of gay/lesbian unions, but what of widow or widowers, what of those who are divorced etc. The anger against gays/lesbians this man demonstrates, by using such comments as “bringing God’s judgement by shaking our fist at Him, and saying we know better”, what about blended families. The left does NOT solely consist of gays and Lesbians, there are many different people with many different opinions. He has the right to his free speech, however, if he is going to be so vocal about such a contentious issue, he should expect to tic a few off. And maybe that might impact his business. Business is often affected by the actions and words of the ones in charge, be it scandle or otherwise. I’m sure his business wasn’t that hurt by this, and in all likelihood, he did it to stir up some contraversery and get his business and his name in the paper.
Anyone is entitled to their opinion. I see in these days, it is very dangerous to have a differing opinion on certain subjects. Just like Howard Stern, he offends me more than I can say, but I would defend his right to speak his mind. Same with this guy, I find it a bit offensive, that he has the audacity to negate the value of family, be it in whatever form it takes, but, I defend his right to say it. Diversity is inclusive, not exclusive. What’s happening is there is so much polarization of thought and opinion, there is no longer a coming together and finding common ground, within differences.
Sometimes you do have to go along to get along, and in business, that is doubly the case. What he said in essence, was dirsive and meant to drive away LGBT business. Fine. If that was his aim, then he succeeded. There is a company, can’t think of the name, but it says it a family company. One could contrue this in the same way, but it maintains a sterling brand image, it’s all in the tone of the message.
Dan Cathy, most obviously offended many, many people for them to vow to bring his business down financially. He has his friends, he will not really be hurt by this, and his pockets will be lined with alittle more cash over the whole contravercy. Which in my mind is what Mr. Cathy’s aim was in the first place. I doubt he’ll suffer any long term damage to his company.
Freedom exists for all, not just the right not just the left. . If people think something is unfair, they should speak up, and be able to do so, without fear of retribution, but they should also do so with respect to others feelings and take great care.
Dan Cathy is not a dangerous man, but a man in business. This leaves his business vulnerable to attack based on words. His is a family business, he offened some of his customers, and they spoke up and now do not want his business in their neighbourhood, that’s the only reason politians even got involved.