CHESAPEAKE, VA (Catholic
Online): I ate lunch from Chick-fil-A on Wednesday, just as I
promised I would do in my article entitled "A Catholic Hooray
for Chick-fil-A: Stand in Solidarity for Marriage on August
1st". Frankly, I am still amazed by the experience. Driving to
the restaurant I encountered traffic congestion unlike anything
I have experienced in a long time. I automatically assumed there
was road construction.
However, because it was "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" I decided
to resist my strong inclination to turn around. My first
surprise came when I discovered that the traffic congestion had
nothing to do with construction. There was none. As I turned
into the shopping area where the closest restaurant was located,
I next assumed the traffic was comprised of people going to the
nearby Sam's Club and other large stores which often draw
crowds. Once again I was wrong.
When I finally got close to the North Battlefield
Blvd. Chesapeake Chick-fil-A restaurant it became clear -
everyone had the same idea I did! The cars which had caused the
congestion were all going to Chick-fil-A. There were no parking
spaces left anywhere. In fact, the cars spilled out along the
streets and filled spaces in adjacent lots.
I surveyed the inside of the restaurant and
quickly decided to use the take out window. It took me a long
time to even get into the lane because it wrapped around the
building three times and spilled out onto the feeder road. The
restaurant had to send out a young male employee to direct
traffic away from the crowds of people going in and out.
The massive crowd reflected a cross section of
America. They were young, old, middle aged and senior. They were
thin, overweight, short, tall, well groomed, sloppy, well
dressed, tattooed and of every race and color. There were young
Moms with their children in tow, blue collar workers, students
and business men and women. Amazingly, everyone was kind,
courteous and willing to wait in line. No-one complained and
most were smiling.
In
fact, you sensed you were participating in something historic by
simply purchasing a chicken sandwich. I do not doubt everyone
wanted their chicken sandwich, especially after such a long
wait. However, they were there, like me, for a reason much more
important. They were making a collective statement of support
for the Restaurants' willingness to stand up for marriage and
family in the face of open hostility, ridicule and threats.
They were standing up for free speech and against
political correctness. They were applauding with their purchase
the courage shown by the owners of this restaurant. They did not
back down in the face of forceful, even hateful, opposition from
those who, while claiming to be tolerant have become so
intolerant of those who do not agree with them.
Chick-fil-A was founded over thirty years ago by
an evangelical protestant Christian named Truett Cathy. His son
Dan now runs the family owned and family values based company
which now operates 1600 stores. It has become a $4 billion
dollar a year enterprise. You can read about this good family
and their genuine and living Christian faith here. You might
also find their work in philanthropy of interest. Read about it
here.
The restaurants
do not open on Sunday in order to honor the Lord's Day and allow
their employees to do the same. They have resisted efforts to
change not only this policy but other pressures to compromise on
their core convictions. The founders offer us all an example of
moral coherence as Christians. They apply the great principles
of their faith to their business practices. They do not fall
prey to the separation between faith and life which can so
quickly creep into the life of Christians.
Chick-fil-A has been under assault because their
President publicly affirmed their company support for true
marriage and the family and society founded upon it. Dan Cathy
expressed his deeply held religious convictions to the Baptist
Press in an interview and literally - all hell broke loose among
some new Cultural Revolutionaries.
Among the most vocal opponents was Carlos Maza of
"Equality Matters", a homosexual equivalency activist group. He
told the Washington Post that Dan Cathy's position in defense of
marriage, along with the contributions made by his family's
foundation to pro-life and pro-family groups, "solidifies Chick-fil-A
as being closely aligned with some of the most vicious anti-gay
voices in the country." That is nonsense. To defend marriage
does not equate to being "anti-gay".
The effort unleashed against Chick fil-A was an
example of viewpoint discrimination parading as a concern for
equality. This was also demonstrated by two elected officials in
Chicago. Chicago alderman Joe Moreno threatened to block the
building of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in his City. He received
support from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The Mayor told the
Press "Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values." Such
government action against free speech is unconstitutional and
could be challenged in Court. Even the ACLU spoke out against
the comments.
The Mayor
of my birthplace, Boston, Massachusetts, Thomas Menino, sent a
letter to the CEO of Chick-fil-A in which he wrote "there is no
place for discrimination on Boston's Freedom Trail and no place
for your company alongside it." I asked in my last article,
"Just who is discriminating Mr. Mayor? So much for your claimed
liberalism and regard for free speech; you are engaging in
viewpoint censorship!" I was not alone in my criticism. The
outcry against the mayor's actions eventually caused him to back
down.
The actions of
this little David of a company facing the Goliath of hostility
opposing their exercise of Free Speech ignited a firestorm of
public support. Former Governor Mike Huckabee and former Senator
Rick Santorum mobilized many to stand with Chick-Fil-A. The
great Protestant Evangelist Billy Graham stood up for the
company. Cardinal George of Chicago had the courage to take on
the Mayor of that City. He was joined by a multitude of other
leaders from across the confessional spectrum who came to the
defense of the Restaurant.
However, what occurred on
August 1, 2012 around the Nation was unexpected. I suggest it
holds great promise for the coming election. The real people of
America, the salt of the earth, have had 'ENOUGH!" They came in
cars and on foot to Chick-Fil-A restaurants everywhere. The
reports of the numbers across the Nation are astounding.
"Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" was not started by
the owners of the restaurant chain. Mike Huckabee first
mentioned it and then it took on a life of its own. It was
propelled by real people who still believe that the values which
informed the American experiment in ordered liberty are still
the path to a future of freedom.
As I received my chicken
today I said to the smiling assistant at the window "Who would
have ever thought this would happen"? She responded with a smile
"it gives me hope for America". Me too! If people will go to
Chick-Fil-A to make this kind of statement, they will go to the
voting booth on November 8, 2012. There, they can do something
far more important.
They can cast their vote to affirm Life, defend Marriage,
protect Freedom and promote the values which alone will ensure
that America's greatest days are still ahead of us. Chick-fil-A
Day reveals the way to a victory for Marriage, Life and Freedom
on November 6, 2012. Maybe we should call Election day Freedom
Appreciation Day and mobilize these same "salt of the earth"
people to change history.
