Mental Health

Chick-Fil-A Under Attack for Same-Sex Marriage Views

By Staff Reporter | Update Date: Jul 27, 2012 01:18 PM EDT

Would you stop eating from your favorite restaurant if they didn't support your views?

Same-sex activists across the country have started a campaign to boycott the popular restaurant Chick-fil-A because of their views on marriage. Recently, Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of Chick-fil-A, condemned same-sex marriage saying that it "inviting God's judgment on our nation."

"We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage," said Cathy. "I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.

It has been reported that Chick-fil-A donated nearly $2 million in 2010 to anti-gay groups.

Gay activitsts, outraged, have created websites and Facebook page publicizing the fast food chain's stance on gay marriage. Jim Henson Co. has since pulled its Muppet toys from kids' meals.

A gay rights supporter has organized a "National Same Sex Kiss Day" at Chick- fil -A's around the country on Aug. 3

And now, political figures are jumping into the debate.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has urged Chick-fil-A to stop of its plans to open in Boston and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says Chick-fil-A has no place in the city of Chicago.

"Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values, Emanuel told the Chicago Sun-Times. "They're not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you're gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values."

However, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a supporter of same-sex marriage, said it is not the government's business to interfere with Chic-fil-A's stance. New York City has one Chick-fil-A restaurant. .

Former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee took to his Facebook page to weigh in. He has declared Aug. 1 as Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

If Chick fil-A forced its customers to sign an oath stating they are heterosexual before they could buy a chicken sandwich, the angry critics would not only have a point, but I would join them," he wrote. "I think it is great that Chick-fil-A is run by people with a Biblical world view and they operate it based on Biblical values, but there is a bigger issue. The company sells chicken and doesn't force a view on its customers or employees, but the owners shouldn't be disenfranchised from their citizenship and rights of free speech, nor should they be kept from operating their business in cities across the country because a few "wanna be tyrants" disagree with their beliefs."

Also using social media to show his support, Rick Santorum, the former Republican presidential candidate, took to Twitter and encouraged his more than 200,000 followers to support the restaurant.

 "With two of my boys, Enjoying chick-in-strips and an awesome peach shake at Chick-fil-A," he wrote. "See you here next Wednesday!"

Chick-fil-A, makes about $4 billion a year and restaurant and marketing experts say the restaurant could see as much as a 1 percent to 2 percent drop in sales if the controversy lasts a month or two.

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