Posted on 08/02/2012 6:52:59 AM PDT by reegs
Dozens of people from all over Lake County showed their solidarity with their wallets Wednesday for Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy. It was part of the national Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, which was started by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
Cathy was criticized by gay rights organizations, while mayors and city council members in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., blocked permits for new locations in their respective cities. The backlash comes after Cathy told The Baptist Press on July 16 he does not support gay marriage.
At the Chick-fil-A on 9611 Mentor Ave. in Mentor, lines stretched out the door, while employees inside scurried to keep up with the hungry lunchtime crowds. About a dozen cars lined up at the drive-through to place orders.
“I believe they have a right to have their point of view and I believe what they believe,” said Joan Pitchler of Perry, while wearing a handwritten sign which stated, “We stand with you Chick-fil-A.”
Mallory Gersper of Geneva echoed her sentiment, saying Cathy was just exercising his First Amendment right of free speech.
“You have a right to what your opinions are and your beliefs and I don’t think whether you agree or disagree, you should be persecuted for it,” she said.
Edna Elizabeth Godwyn and her husband Ed came to the restaurant to also express their support for Cathy. They said Christians — like Cathy — should be able to speak publicly about their beliefs without fear of retribution.
“If we stand up for our beliefs and vocalize them, then we’re made out to be the bad guys,” Godwyn said. “I think that’s not the way it should be. Everybody is entitled to their own belief and I think it’s a political thing that’s going on now in this country ... it’s condemning the Christians for our beliefs and I think we are making a statement.”
However, Columbus-based Equality Ohio, an organization which stands up for the rights of gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual individuals, sees things differently.
Kim Welter, interim executive director, said they are part of a nationwide movement called “Equality Chicken.” They asked people to donate the cost of a Chick-fil-A meal — roughly $6.50 — to an equality center of their choosing.
“We support everybody’s freedom of speech, but there are sometimes consequences,” Welter said, adding that she does not know how much money the nonprofit organization has raised so far. “That’s kind of what we’re doing is using the opportunity to raise money for equality organizations throughout the day. I think it’s our best Facebook fundraising effort ever.”
On Friday, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation — GLAAD — is backing a “national Same-Sex Kiss Day,” during which gay and lesbian couples are encouraged to go to a Chick-fil-A restaurant to kiss in public.
Support Marriage Equality Ohio will be holding protests at various Chick-fil-A restaurants throughout the state on Saturday.
According to Chick-fil-A’s website, the company operates 1,615 restaurants in 39 states. Last year, sales topped $4.1 billion.
Even as late as 9:30 p.m. when I was driving around with my wife and thinking of stopping for a lemonade at the drive-thru, there was a long line of cars and folks waiting to get in. We decided not to wait, but honked our approval which was met with several honks in return.
My experience matches all those I read here yesterday: all friendly, patriotic people waiting patiently in line to support a company whose owner is not afraid to profess his faith.
Waiting in line, I was reminded of our Lord's words, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" I believe He was smiling down on His people yesterday.
Adam M. Smith ‘s Reduce $’s to Chick-Fil-A’s Hate Groups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bPLNgkP9nzc
He’s a Liberal JERK!!!!
Reposted under the “Freedom and Innovation Revitalizing United States Entrepreneurship Act of 2007”
Original video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIVvOmnF0jc
Mr Smith’s public biography:
Adam M. Smith of Tucson AZ, CFO of Vante.
Mobile: (520) 403-5045
vante(dot)com/executives
linkedin(dot)com/in/adammba
finance(dot)eller(dot)arizona(dot)edu/documents/facultyvitae/ASmithResume(dot)pdf
Email is ‘amsmith77@yahoo’, YouTube name is ‘amsmith77amsmith’
University of Arizona Tucson - Adjunct Lecturer
Wonderful story about how the death of the Garfield's infant daughter transformed him from a typical politician who couldn't control his zipper into a faithful and Godly man who would've made a great president without that unfortunate encounter with Charles J. Guiteau and incompetent medical staff.
Mentor was home for 25 years, was through it a couple of times.
The closest Chick-Fil-A to Butler, Pa is in Cranberry. We jumped on the Spyder last night, drove down, waited over half an hour to get off the road to the access road, then 35 minutes in line for a sandwich.
It wan't about chicken, it was about Traditional American Values.
Oh boy! Can’t wait to see the coverage dominating the MSM on Friday for the kiss off. /s/
I actually grew up down the street from the Garfield home. Mentor was much more rural with many nurseries back in the day that have been replaced with vacant strip malls. Still a nice community, though.
“Dozens”???????!!!!!!
Yeah, like about two hundred of those “dozens”.
And they wonder why no one trusts the media.
Well of course the media had to downplay the turnout at Chick Fill A. They have a liberal bias and it shows on stories such as this.
On Friday, when the activists show up for same sex kissing, the media will hype that, and magnify the numbers who actually show up to perform that act for the cameras. And they will imply, look at the righteous indignation of self righteous liberal gay activists, against a bigoted company and all that. The story line template is already written for that.
Lake/Geauga.My neck of the woods and I miss it!
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