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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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1 posted on 08/01/2012 6:32:21 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Libtards and homosexual marriage can all go to He//.


2 posted on 08/01/2012 6:34:24 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: FReepers; FRiends; Patriots

"We'll keep our God, our guns, our Constitution and Chick-fil-A."

Support Free Republic!

Donate tonight or tomorrow, Monthly if you can!



Generous FReeper Sponsors are donating $10 for every New Monthly Donor!

3 posted on 08/01/2012 6:36:03 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: Kaslin

Ate there for the very first time today. Not sure what all the noise is about, and may not do so again. Mediocre.


4 posted on 08/01/2012 6:39:05 PM PDT by Sherman Logan
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To: onyx

You said it


5 posted on 08/01/2012 6:41:02 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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>> Hiltzik: “his claim to be the Lord’s personal spokesman.”

FO, Hiltzik, you deceitful piece of ordure.


6 posted on 08/01/2012 6:41:14 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Demoralization is a weapon of the enemy. Don't get it, don't spread it!)
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To: Kaslin

He was at least only answering a question which was put to him. What should he have done, lie, so that the lamestream media could have a field day exposing it?

Unlike all their cherished entertainment celebrities who don’t have two brain cells to fire, but can’t wait to get on their soapboxes and “astound” all the little people with their worldly wisdom.

I would readily listen to Mr Cathy rather than them. Or Hussein’s bootlickers in the media.


7 posted on 08/01/2012 6:42:33 PM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: Sherman Logan

Oh well *shrug*


8 posted on 08/01/2012 6:42:40 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for OBAMA: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

I can’t say as I blame him for his ignorant screed. There are many so-called Christians who are under the illusion that “gay marriage” is Compatible with Christianity. Jesus Christ Himself defined marriage as a man and woman becoming one flesh. These rants by columnists are a product of churches that have lost their way and have failed to educate their flock.


9 posted on 08/01/2012 6:43:34 PM PDT by Sans-Culotte ( Pray for Obama- Psalm 109:8)
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To: onyx

I know that should Sarah Palin become this countries next higher office elected official a lot of conservative pro christian businesses will come back from nearly going bankrupt under Obama/

My company is dead in the water, I am nearly the last employee left, and I blame it all on Obamas hate upon the working class of America. If it were possible and it could be I will try to iniate an advertising program just like CFA, maybe I can save my company.

He has awakened the sleeping giant of America, and for lunch he went to Chick-Fil-A.


10 posted on 08/01/2012 6:44:02 PM PDT by Eye of Unk (Going mobile, posts will be brief. No spellcheck for the grammar nazis.)
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To: Kaslin

“Shut up and fry”—

“Shut up and sing”—Laura Ingrahm.

My oh my...the little commies certainly are smart and original, aren’t they?


11 posted on 08/01/2012 6:45:25 PM PDT by Mortrey (Impeach President Soros)
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To: Sherman Logan

I don’t think the people were there today for the culinary aspects of the food. We all know it’s a fast food joint. People were there to support the owner’s right to free speech and to protest the intolerance of the Left.


12 posted on 08/01/2012 6:46:40 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: Gene Eric

That is one impressive bit of improvement of my word power! Although I feel I might be headed in the wrong direction with my expanding vocabulary.


13 posted on 08/01/2012 6:47:38 PM PDT by Resettozero
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To: Kaslin

Let see now I am boycotting amazon.com and jc penny which is easy because I am broke and hardly ever shopped at either any way. Yet if there were a chick-fil-a nearby, I would cut expenses somehow and make sure I found the cash to eat there at least once a week.


14 posted on 08/01/2012 6:49:52 PM PDT by This I Wonder32460
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To: Kaslin

Let see now I am boycotting amazon.com and jc penny which is easy because I am broke and hardly ever shopped at either any way. Yet if there were a chick-fil-a nearby, I would cut expenses somehow and make sure I found the cash to eat there at least once a week.


15 posted on 08/01/2012 6:50:03 PM PDT by This I Wonder32460
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To: Kaslin

Let see now I am boycotting amazon.com and jc penny which is easy because I am broke and hardly ever shopped at either any way. Yet if there were a chick-fil-a nearby, I would cut expenses somehow and make sure I found the cash to eat there at least once a week.


16 posted on 08/01/2012 6:50:05 PM PDT by This I Wonder32460
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To: Kaslin

Let see now I am boycotting amazon.com and jc penny which is easy because I am broke and hardly ever shopped at either any way. Yet if there were a chick-fil-a nearby, I would cut expenses somehow and make sure I found the cash to eat there at least once a week.


17 posted on 08/01/2012 6:50:17 PM PDT by This I Wonder32460
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To: Kaslin

Uh ... this reporter needs to do some investigating. Cathy answered a question and then went right back to work. The media are the ones that need to shut up.


18 posted on 08/01/2012 6:52:42 PM PDT by al_c (http://www.blowoutcongress.com)
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To: Kaslin

Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chick-Fil-A!


19 posted on 08/01/2012 6:52:55 PM PDT by fatboy (This protestant will have no part in the ecumenical movement)
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To: fatboy
“Occupy” Chick-Fil-A!
20 posted on 08/01/2012 6:58:07 PM PDT by tractorman (I never miss a chance to tweak a liberal.)
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