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LA Times Columnist to Chick-fil-A: Shut Up and Fry!
NewsBusters.org ^ | August 1, 2012 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 08/01/2012 6:32:15 PM PDT by Kaslin

Today is Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day and freedom of speech never tasted so good. However, as millions of Americans lined up to grab one of their tasty chicken sandwiches and waffles fries, counter protests were also planned over Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy's , alleged anti-gay remarks, which were nothing more than an expression of his religiously-informed believe in traditional marriage.  In a confusing piece in the L.A. Times by Michale Hiltzik, he directly quoted what Cathy said:

We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit, he told the Biblical Recorder. On the radio, he observed: 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.

But being pro-family is not anti-gay.  Indeed, Chick-fil-A serves anyone who comes in the door and doesn't discriminate against homosexuals for employment. But in the midst of all the left-wing clucking over Cathy's remarks, Democratic Mayors Rahm Emanuel of Chicago and Thomas Menino of Boston hinted they'd block Chick-fil-A's expansion in their cities just because they didn't like Cathy's politics.  Other liberal Democratic mayors, like Ed Lee of San Francisco, have made similar rumblings. 

Hiltzik turned to anti-Christian mockery of Cathy's religious beliefs, snarking that "it might not be a terrible idea to try to learn a little more about why he thinks he has a direct line into God's medulla oblongata before accepting his claim to be the Lord's personal spokesman."  It's comforting to see how the mainstream press can be so fair in their assessment of personal faith.

Hiltzik also suggested that CEOs of corporations should keep their mouths shut because they might be boycotted.   He mentions Whole Foods founder John Mackey who:

in 2009... wrote an op-ed attacking President Obama's healthcare proposals. Mackey hinted that we could probably do away with the need for organized healthcare by eating from the right menu, such as that marketed by his stores. He argued that the nation's founding documents didn't reveal any intrinsic right to healthcare, food, or shelter" anyway, so quitcher bellyachin'. A boycott of Whole Foods was promptly launched. In 2010, similarly, it was revealed that Target had contributed $150,000 to a PAC backing a gubernatorial candidate opposing gay rights. A customer and shareholder backlash followed.

Despite these boycotts, both Whole Foods and Target are still getting along quite well and arguably saw upticks in business from political conservatives who were annoyed at the Left's boycotts. However, Hiltzik doesn't mention anywhere in his piece that "Google, Ebay, Microsoft, Starbucks, Electronic Arts (EA) and Zynga are among the 70 companies, professional organizations and municipalities opposed to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bans federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples." Furthermore, "the employers filed an amicus brief urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to find portions of the act unconstitutional in Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management."  That is far more political than anything Dan Cathy has done.

Nevertheless, Hiltzik argued that Cathy has every right to say how he feels on political matters but he just can't do it at work, which happens to be based on the values he was espousing in the interview.  A privately-held company, Mr. Cathy can afford to not worry about the politically-correct tempests that keep publicly-traded companies like McDonald's or Burger King from offending the PC police.

In an another act of liberal presumption, Hiltzik concluded his piece by complaining that 

corporate executives surrounded by yes men telling them how wise they are will probably continue to try sharing their wisdom on subjects well outside their core competencies. Sometimes they'll tailor their words to what they think are their target markets. Sometimes, like Cathy, they'll discover that there are bigger markets out there where customers may not care for what they have to say. We should defend to the death their right to speak, and also our own right to make them pay for it, or not, at the cash register.

Perhaps on his lunch break today, Mr. Hiltzik had the chance to pass a Chick-fil-A that was lined up around the block with customers.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: chickfila
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To: onyx

Ditto that Onyx and now that I spent 45 minutes to get my “ taste of liberty” I’m headed to make my 3rd qtr Freepathon donation.


21 posted on 08/01/2012 7:00:03 PM PDT by A message
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To: Kaslin

I’d tell Hiltzik to KMA, but the pixie might consider it foreplay.


22 posted on 08/01/2012 7:13:15 PM PDT by Gator113 (***YOU GAVE it to Obama. I would have voted for NEWT.~Just livin' life, my way~)
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To: Kaslin

I’d tell Hiltzik to KMA, but the pixie might consider it foreplay.


23 posted on 08/01/2012 7:13:15 PM PDT by Gator113 (***YOU GAVE it to Obama. I would have voted for NEWT.~Just livin' life, my way~)
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To: A message

Sweetest you, A message.

Thank you very much!!!!


24 posted on 08/01/2012 7:22:00 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: Kaslin

What makes Chick-fil-A differ from other boycotts is not the nature of the company or the protesters. It is the threats of public officials to withhold their permits, etc., that makes this unique.


25 posted on 08/01/2012 7:24:41 PM PDT by paudio (OTP: Why do people want to rehire a mechanic who clearly only made their car worse than before?)
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To: Eye of Unk

God bless the owner or president of Chick-fil-A.

You’re right: he has awakened a sleeping giant with his courage to publicly speak his convictions, which is something Sarah Palin does too..

I’ll pray you can help save your company in much the same manner.

Take care, dearest you.


26 posted on 08/01/2012 7:26:46 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: onyx

In!!!


27 posted on 08/01/2012 7:27:36 PM PDT by A message
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To: Kaslin

I’m sick to my almost death of these damn libtards.


28 posted on 08/01/2012 7:27:42 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: Kaslin
After a string of positive reports on Chick-fil-A's booming business in local media outlets across the country, the hate-mongers in the more "sophisticated" opinion journals came out, usually mocking Christianity and hinting that the Cathy family were longtime contributors to organizations that sought to destroy gay couples and their beautiful "families."

This is exactly what the MSM (see Smith, Shep) already believe, but they ratcheted up the rhetoric today. I expect the orgasmic success stories about the "Kiss-In" on Friday are ready to be posted right now; all they need are some carefully cropped photos.

29 posted on 08/01/2012 7:28:40 PM PDT by madprof98
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To: A message

God bless and keep you and everyone you love.

You ROCK, dear friend.


30 posted on 08/01/2012 7:29:03 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: onyx

Thank You very much for your kind words, with a fleet of 8 concrete mixers and being in business for 25 years, now starting my 18th year this is the worst ever, usually I am working thelve hour shifts 6 days a week this time of year and we have about a dozen employees.

I am the last mixer driver, we have not sent out a single concrete order since last week, and that week was only just a couple of small orders. Had very good perfect weather, but nobody is buying concrete.

Its almost like a feeling that you see on a sci-fi show just before the end of the world, people sense the end is near and are just waiting for it.

is this how the conversion to Socialist America feels? Like losing all you worked for, to be cornered into desperation? To beg for handouts from the Feds?

I am quite sure my story isn’t the sole example, actually I am pretty firm its all across America, the Obamanomics Plague.


31 posted on 08/01/2012 7:35:41 PM PDT by Eye of Unk (Going mobile, posts will be brief. No spellcheck for the grammar nazis.)
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To: Kaslin

Sara Johnson to limo-liberal CEO’s everywhere, SHUT UP, mind your own business and do you jobs for a change.


32 posted on 08/01/2012 7:36:11 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: Kaslin
Meet S. Truett Cathy, The 91-Year-Old Billionaire Behind Chick-Fil-A

Some history and historical pictures at the source of this FR thread.

33 posted on 08/01/2012 7:41:06 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Eye of Unk

I’m so sorry and sad for you all. Yep, this is the Marxist’s America. Poverty and punishment.

It’s awful here too. Stuff is being stolen from our front porch, so now it’s bare. We leave NOTHING outside. Not even plastic drinking glasses or half filled bottles of water.


34 posted on 08/01/2012 7:53:48 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: Salvation

Thank you very much, dear Salvation!
I pray he lives 120 healthy happy years!


35 posted on 08/01/2012 7:55:21 PM PDT by onyx (FREE REPUBLIC IS HERE TO STAY! DONATE MONTHLY! IF YOU WANT ON SARAH PALIN''S PING LIST, LET ME KNOW)
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To: onyx

“I’m sick to my almost death of these damn libtards.”

I have stopped feeling that way. To get away from the political “crap” on the news, I’m watching more movies and not keeping the news on all day long.

I’ve decided to create my own world with my Yorkie so my days are more peaceful since I can’t change the country or the rest of the world. Sure, I vote, but that is not going to save this country as we are already bankrupt. When it collapses, Prissy and I will be just fine - our world will be the one I created for us, seperate from the chaos that will be out there.

Try to give yourself some peaceful time away from the fray.


36 posted on 08/01/2012 8:22:58 PM PDT by Marcella (The power to tax is the power to destroy.)
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To: Sherman Logan
Ate there for the very first time today. Not sure what all the noise is about, and may not do so again. Mediocre.

That's ok. I know a person who doesn't care for lobster. We don't all have the same taste for foods.

37 posted on 08/01/2012 8:32:57 PM PDT by Isabel C.
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To: onyx
"Marriage is the union of one man and one chick."

Obligatory liberal sneer: "What are all these women doing in line then?"

A. Eating a meal with their boyfriend / husband.

Cheers!

38 posted on 08/01/2012 8:50:04 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: SamAdams76

I don’t think the people were there today for the culinary aspects of the food.”

No, it is not exactly fine dining but, at least during the last four years, I have yet to eat there and get cold chicken strips or fries on a more normal, but always busy day. I would hope that people who were dissatisfied with the food would cut them a little slack given the huge uptick in business. I know I would be in a real pickle if I had planned on having 20 people for dinner and 2,000 showed up. I am sure their first priority today was getting people served and out as quickly as possible.

Anyone can stand up for something one time but it is going to take continuing support from everyone for a long time to make any lasting inroads.


39 posted on 08/01/2012 8:57:21 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: Kaslin
Hiltzik concluded his piece by complaining that "corporate executives surrounded by yes men telling them how wise they are will probably continue to try sharing their wisdom on subjects well outside their core competencies."

And newspaper columnists surrounded by sycophants in the newsroom sharing their "wisdom" on subjects well outside their "core competencies" (which are completely unknown at this time) is even more objectionable, Mr. Hiltzik.

Take it...and stuff it.

40 posted on 08/01/2012 9:01:30 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE)
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