Comments about ‘The Chick-fil-A protest could boomerang against activists’

the big question here - whose side is America on?? Drive by a Chick-Fil-A and you will see!!

Patriot, you just can't see the people that are NOT going to Chick-fil-a. If you want to eat three meals a day there it's really fine with EVERYONE.

You really can get a pro-free-speech hamburger anywhere. But you are right on, the only place I know of to get an anti-gay-rights chicken sandwich is at Chick-fil-a. Carry on since that's about the least effective way to lobby congress that I can think of.

While EVERYONE in the world including myself has allready said the alderman was out of line, the ACLU is on chick-fil-a side and the alderman hasn't DONE anything yet, you are outraged.

Meanwhile, conservatives are actually denying muslim mosques building permits and baptist churches in the south are still denying to marry black couples. Where is your outrage?

There's nothing more facinating than watching a full blown right wing media induced conservative panic attack.

@VST;

The government provides over 1100 benefits to married couples.

The Constitution:

Article IV Section 2;

"The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States." (ALL the privileges and immunities - including the benefits of marriage).

Amendment 14;

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

It seems quite clear that amending state constitutions to deny privileges and immunities to GLBT Americans is Unconstitutional per the US Constitution. SCOTUS has already determined in many other cases that the government (including state government) can't pass laws restricting civil rights without valid reasons.

"God doesn't like it" isn't a valid reason to pass laws restricting civil rights. And since when do we even put civil rights up to a vote? Only when their the rights of GLBT Americans.

RanchHand:

Just like every other single person out there, you are free to join the ranks of the married by finding someone of the opposite sex who will marry you and marry them. Just because gays only want to marry someone of the opposite sex does not mean that they are not treated equally.

I know that the GLBT community wants to change the rules so they can marry differently than everyone else, but like I said, the opinion that gays are not treated equally is just your opinion. It only seems "clear" to you (and a small minority of other Americans) that denying them the right to marry is "unconstitutional".

Re: ‘The Chick-fil-A protest could boomerang against activists’

It already has. The Tucson activist that made such a jerk of himself bullying a Chick-Fil-A employee -- who remained the paragon of professionalism throughout -- was fired over the incident.

@JoeCapitalist2
"There is no "civil right" to gay marriage and there certainly nothing in the constitution about it."

There's no "civil right" to interracial marriage outlined explicitly in the constitution either but that didn't stop the supreme court from finding it a right nonetheless.

@Machado
"This whole movement is all about a group of people who KNOW deep inside that what they are doing is wrong."

No, they're just told that all the time by people like you. Of course, I'm not surprised that sort of bigotry would be openly considered acceptable in society.

Machado - That's kind of embarrassing. Who are you to say what someone "KNOWS deep inside."

Patriot - Although I probably don't agree with you on SMS, I can agree with you that the selection at JC Penny is "pretty disgusting". Have you seen their mom jeans? Who still wears Arizona brand clothing anyway?

@RanchHand,

Nice of you to quote the Constitution, but unfortunately, those quotes DO NOT imply you have (right now) that civil right to be legally married to a same-sex partner throughout every State.

Here is the Constitutional problem with your claim. Per that very same Constitution it also states that ANY power not specifically reserved to the Federal Government, is reserved for the States. Nowhere in the Constitution is marriage (under any form) even discussed, hence those powers of DEFINING marriage is reserved for the States per that same Constitution. As a result, you have six States that have "defined" same-sex marriage as being legal and 40 States that have "defined" it to be illegal.

I will not imply that this is fair, but fairness is NOT part of the Constitution (just ask those who were slaves prior to the Civil War). Nationwide, same-sex couples do NOT have a civil right to be legally married in those forty States, until the U.S. Supreme Court says that you have that civil right.

Who really cares about the protest or the owners cause?

The food isn't that good and that is what matters.

@ BDUB 5:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 2012

"I can agree with you that the selection at JC Penny is "pretty disgusting". Have you seen their mom jeans? Who still wears Arizona brand clothing anyway?"

I do. Its one of the few brands that cater to people w/ "reasonable" waist sizes and long legs.

“Because, like it or not, they're the ones who don't share majority values.”

Really?

“According to surveys included in the [PollingReport database] an average of 50 percent of American adults support same-sex marriage rights while 45 percent oppose it, based on an average of nine surveys conducted in the past year.”-Support for Gay Marriage Outweighs Opposition in Polls, By Nate Silver, The New York Times, May 9, 2012.

“According to the March 2012 Wall Street Journal/ NBC News poll (the most WSJ/NBC News poll recent to include a question on gay marriage) currently 49% of Americans favor gay marriage, with 40% opposed.”-WSJ/NBC Poll on Gay Marriage: 2012 vs. 2009 vs. 2004, Washington Wire, May 7, 2012

Mr. Garvin, perhaps should do a bit of research before he attempts to define for America what majority values are.

“Progressive politicians from coast to coast were lining up last week to keep Chick-fil-A's fried-chicken restaurants out of their towns. . . “

Oh my! This sounds like there are many, many politicians from coast to coast keeping Chick-fil-A’s out of their towns. What? Only three? Oh my.

“So what was it Cathy said to get his company banned from three of the largest cities in America?”

Uh. . . the company is not banned from any city, nor will it be. If the cities attempt this they will easily lose in court. But why does Mr. Garvin, the writer of this op-ed piece chose to lie and say they are banned?

“Not a word was spoken, by either Cathy or the reporter, about gay marriage, gay rights or gay anything at all.”

How dishonest. It is very clear what Cathy and the “reporter” were talking about. And Mr. Gavin drastically edited what Cathy said, as per RanchHand.

For years I have chosen to shop at stores or buy products from businesses that support my values and avoid businesses that don't support my values. I haven't made an issue about it, I just make my own choices. Thanks for the list. Now in addition to Macy's I can decide not to purchase Nabisco, Pillsbury, General Mills, and JC Penny.

thank you for this article.

Please add the following to your list, JSB. McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-cola, Marriott, Apple Computers, Microsoft, Amazon, Delta Airlines, Best Buy, AT&T, Chevron, Dell, Toyota, General Motors, Disney, Volkswagon, Wells Fargo, Google, General Mills, Motorola...

... I could go on. I think these companies have discovered that treating all people with dignity is an important value when running a company. I am saddened that people claim they were standing up for a company's "first amendment rights" over the dignity and emotional well-being of their brothers, sisters, and neighbors who are constantly reminded that they are considered second-class citizens.

screwdrive & ranchhand, looks like the voice of the people continue to confirm what voters in 32 states have already stated.
We will not be intimidated nor controlled by people who have their own agenda to control the opinions and voices of God fearing people.
It's been attempted over the centuries and in the end it always fails.
In reverse, I've never bashed or boycotted a company for contributing to the gay/lesbian groups.
But if pushed, we will begin to dissect each company and business,just as the glbt is doing, and direct our $$$ to businesses who believe as we do.

Then we'll see who stays in business, who opens new branches in San Francisco, Chicago and any place else anyone foolishly tries to deny us of our 1st Amendment rights.

Just remember that it was the group that cries for tolerance and respect that started the boycotting.

Also, here in AZ, the lines to get food at Chik Fil A were at least as long as the rest of the country.

"But if pushed, we will begin to dissect each company and business,just as the glbt is doing, and direct our $$$ to businesses who believe as we do."

Outstanding, AZRod, please get started. Really??? has provided a list to get you started. I can provide many more if you need them.

By the way, don't care about "tolerance" or "respect" (for instance I have zero respect for opinions like yours), but I do have a strong idea of what is right and wrong, and I'll tell you, it is absolutely wrong to deny people the ability to marry whom they love. Absolutely wrong. And the majority of people in this country agree with me, and not you.