I was going to write about Chick-fil-A. We’ve always been a Chick-fil-A family. And by family, I mean a man, a woman, and two kids. You know, the “right” kind of family. Dan Cathy’s kind of family.
We’re not a Chick-fil-A family any more.
Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy is free to cloak his blatant bigotry in the language of religion if he likes. The company is free to donate as many millions as it wants to anti-gay organizations. Fine. But we’re just as free to not eat there again unless something changes. I don’t want another penny of mine being funneled toward groups that actually fight against the civil rights of an entire population. It’s too bad, really. We really liked that place.
It’s been very strange seeing people on Twitter and Facebook boast about eating there today, revealing either their ignorance or their intolerance or both. By the way, you are wrong if you think this is some kind of attack on religion. It is, rather, a denunciation of those who believe following a particular religion gives them the right to consider other people beneath them in some way. Why would anyone want to practice a religion that doesn’t embrace all of humanity, a religion that would place one group of people above another, simply because of a belief system? I don’t think I’ll ever understand how someone could think that way, and still see themselves as being “pure” and “right.” They are neither.
If your religious beliefs dictate that you deny other people their civil rights, you might want to rethink your religious beliefs. And don’t give me this nonsense about “false outrage from the left.” I’ve never been active in the LGBT cause. It’s just never had much impact on my life that I noticed. I’m just sick of the hypocrisy from the right, and I feel compelled to write about it. Listen, if you don’t want to be called a bigot, don’t support bigoted policies. It’s that simple.
I was going to write about that.
But then I saw this video of a 6-year-old boy counting down the top 10 reasons not to vote for President Obama.
If you decided not to click on the link, here’s a brief summary. I’m not going to dignify it by describing it in too much detail. It’s simply too appalling. Suffice to say it is a spite-filled, scornful, wrong-headed regurgitation of everything Shaun Hannity and Rush Limbaugh want you to believe.
It made me slightly nauseous. The worst were the out-takes at the end, which were presented in black and white like some macabre farce. I guess it was supposed to be funny. It wasn’t.
I can’t imagine making my son doing something like that. Our videos are of him and his brother dancing like fiends to Phineas and Ferb songs in the family room. He knows Barack Obama is the president, and we don’t turn off political TV when he’s in the room, but he doesn’t have the first idea about politics in this weird country of ours. Nor should he.
Nor does the kid in that travesty of a video. His parents are the buffoons here, not him. Did they think this was cute? Did they think it would make anyone out there say, Hey, the 6-year-old has a point? I really don’t understand their motivation. Surely they didn’t expect it to go viral like it did (nearly 180,000 views as of tonight). Or maybe they hoped it would go viral, and their kid could get his own talk show on ClearChannel. I don’t know.
So … what then? Why?
I mean, considering the No. 1 reason not to vote for Obama was torn straight out of the Orly Taitz, Donald Trump, Joe Arpaio* playbook, they couldn’t have been using this is a civics lesson for the kid. Could they have? Good grief. What if these parents actually believe the wretched untruths they scripted for their unfortunate little boy? And what if, one day, this little boy learns the truth? What if all of the indoctrinated faithful who consider Hannity, Limbaugh and Fox News the gospel suddenly see the light, and this little boy is swallowed up in their terrible wake as they collectively veer toward reality? Or, worse yet, what if he’s the heir to fake investigative reporter/conservative hatchet boy James O’Keefe**?
The video made me sad. It made me sad for that child, and it made me sad for this country.
Maybe it’s best not to poke a stick at the Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day crowd or the Taitz/Trump/Arpaio minions. Nothing I can say or write or do will change their minds. Maybe it’s better just to leave it alone.
But no. That’s not who I am. It’s not who we are as a nation. Maybe I can’t do or say or write anything to change your mind. But that doesn’t mean I won’t speak mine.
*The Internet marketing geek in me loves the fact that Joe Arpaio’s Wikipedia page is page one, number one for the Google search [crazy Arizona sheriff].
** Page one, number two for [fake acorn pimp]. Heh.
Carter Gaddis, Writer & Editor 
23 responses to “On Chick-fil-A and a Sad Video by Bad Parents”
Keep writing Carter. I like this post. Describes just what I feel. Racism and prejudice are taught and learned unfortunately. It’s amazing how many people.. especially parents don’t realize this and it is sad. And it seems to be polarizing the country right now especially. I think the dancing with boys idea is where to focus. Keep dancing.
Great blog Carter! Thanks for saying exactly what Americans need to hear, but most of us won’t listen to.
I know you didn’t mention Christians by name, and I’m sure that was intentional. But let me say it: Those of us on the right who kill (bombing abortion clinics); degrade and debase (denigrate black people, women, homosexuals and just about any other group unlike “the majority”); lie (there hasn’t been and won’t be a president to come close to ripping out the Second Amendment); or cheat (how can you say no to every tax simply because it is a tax and still push for corporate welfare in the form of incentives for economic development), and then, call ourselves Chrisitans, should pull out that gun we believe we have a right to own and blow our own brains out.
I am a proud conservative Republican, and I’m dead, smack in the middle of the crowd when people speak of the religious right. But with every day that passes in this nation, I feel more and more like I’m on an island among that crowd and that island is shrinking, and rapidly.
Christian: to be Christ like. Christ would not condemn to death doctors who perform abortions or refuse entry into the U.S. for someone seeking employment or fleeing persecution. I really find it hard to believe the Christ I know, who spent time with whores, beggars and thieves, would turn his back on homosexuals, even if he believed their behavior to be sinful.
I am a right-wing, conservative Republican. I don’t believe in abortion, I believe we need to do something about illegal immigration, I’m all in favor of an American’s right to own a gun and I don’t like paying taxes just as much as anyone else.
But being a Christian REQUIRES that I share compassion, I show tolerance, I exercise restraint and I play fair, etc.
In the New Testament, God had two commandments for Christians: Love God and Love your neighbors. He also said you can’t — not no way, no how — love God if you don’t love your neighbor.
Get a grip, Christians!
Western religions are losing hundreds of thousands of members every year. Beyond living out God’s commandments, the one purpose we have as Christians is to make disciples of men to fill God’s kingdom with believers when Jesus returns. We can’t even hold on to the ones we have, let alone make more disciples.
Shameful.
God bless you, Carter!
Will, thank you for that. I hope you and yours are well!
WOW, Will, powerful stuff! Amen, brother! And Carter, very well done! The sentiments of many of us, exactly!
Well written Carter and very well thought out…
Thank you, Steve. I appreciate that. Give my regards to all the folks at the Trib.
Thanks, Carter, for putting into words my exact sentiments.
Hope you’re doing well, Katrina!
Nice to read from ya, Carter!!
Paul Catala!
Well said, Carter! My husband and I would be proud to have dinner with you and your family any day — as long as it’s not at Chik-fil-A!
Thank you, Dave. And thanks for the kind words on FB!
Extremely well said, Carter.
Thanks, Doug.
People like you are incapable of understanding what -August1st was all about. I know that, but I’ll tell you anyway…because that’s who I am.
I’m against homosexual marriage, but I believe it’s a matter for states to decide. That’s how our system works. If California and Connecticut want to allow same sex marriage, they should be free to do so. And if Texas and Montana don’t, ditto.
What I resent more – and what August 1st was all about – was striking back at LEFTIST intolerance. Those who shout the most about diversity and tolerance inevitably turn out to be the most dogmatically intolerant people you’ll find. The left isn’t content to argue for same-sex marriage and respect the views of those who differ. No, they have to shout them down, call them bigots, threaten to withhold building permits.
Diversity doesn’t include diversity of thought, I guess.
And why? Because they hold same view of marriage that virtually every society, Including secular and even Communist societies, have held. And please spare me the shopworn cliches about slavery and segregation.
My favorite poem says it all on this subject. It was written over 60 years ago and describes the “tolerant” left as well today as it did then.
The Angry Man
by Phyllis McGinley (1905-1978)
The other day I chanced to meet
An angry man upon the street —
A man of wrath, a man of war,
A man who truculently bore
Over his shoulder, like a lance,
A banner labeled “Tolerance.”
And when I asked him why he strode
Thus scowling down the human road,
Scowling, he answered, “I am he
Who champions total liberty —
Intolerance being, ma’am, a state
No tolerant man can tolerate.
“When I meet rogues,” he cried, “who choose
To cherish oppositional views,
Lady, like this, and in this manner,
I lay about me with my banner
Till they cry mercy, ma’am.” His blows
Rained proudly on prospective foes.
Fearful, I turned and left him there
Still muttering, as he thrashed the air,
“Let the Intolerant beware!”
Thank you for weighing in, Ed. People “like me” appreciate all perspectives of a discussion. Respectfully, I would refer you to the comment by Will at the start of this thread.
Also, Ed? Your argument is specious. It is not “intolerant” to point out bigotry where it exists. Keep this in mind, Ed. I am not a left-wing radical who has spent a lifetime fighting for causes like gay rights. I was essentially neutral until I got fed up with the hypocrisy of the right. Lefties aren’t perfect. Just forgiven.
I totally agree. I love all people, since we all fall short of being perfect. However, if I disagree with a homosexual lifestyle or a drunken lifestyle or any other lifestyle I feel is contrary to what God wants, then I want to be free and my church to be free to be able to speak about what the Bible says on such matters. In the US, a president of a company, a minister on a pulpit, a student in the street, should be able to freely speak his beliefs.
Besides the misguided, knee-jerk reactions by a couple of mayors (who have since backed off, I believe), no us arguing that you or Dan Cathy nor anyone should be prohibited from voicing an opinion. However, if that opinion reveals a willingness — or in some cases, a fervor — to deny civil rights to an entire group, then you should be called on it. I don’t think what I’m saying is all that revelatory, actually. It just seems like common sense. And common decency. How is that denying you or anyone else the right to speak your mind?
[…] I know my answer. I don’t even have to think about it. […]
[…] I know my answer. I don’t even have to think about it. […]
[…] into politics and social issues every now and then if I feel compelled to speak out on a topic. Here’s one of those political posts, which happens to be my most-read […]
[…] On Chick-fil-A […]