The Chick-Fil-A Controversy

 Here's what I believe about the Chick-fil-A controversy:

The owner expressed an opinion about his religious beliefs.  He has broken no laws, donates to charity, and helps feed volunteers who help people in need.  

Since then, he has been vilified as a hater and has been the target of harassment and other bullying tactics.  The people participating in the backlash against him claim to be exercising free speech, but the manner in which they do so is questionable at best.  American citizens have the right to assembly and peaceful protest.  However, when the participants start yelling and getting in the face of restaurant patrons, the participants are breaking the law.  To physically prevent people from entering the restaurant is illegal.  The political representatives elected to office are violating the trust of the voters by making statements and performing actions to bar a legitimate business from building and establishing itself in the community.  In short, these are bullying tactics taken against someone for simply stating what he believes in, a first amendment right.  These bullies are not helping the cause they are trying to promote.  They are, in fact, hurting themselves and their message.  They are doing the very things that they claim other people have done to them because they were gay.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Haven't they learned by now that these protests and bans don't work?  The backlash bullies need to find another tactic because judging from the photos posted since the backlash began, they're only making Chick-fil-A more popular as business has nearly tripled.  Remember when gay people protested Basic Instinct (the movie) because they claimed gay people were being portrayed unfaily as psychologically unbalanced?  Sales increased.  Remember when the movie The Last Temptation of Christ was protested because Jesus was portrayed to have sex with Mary Magdalene?  The movie would have bombed at the box office, but because of the protests, they turned it into a hit.  Remember when a housewife started a protest against the television show Married with Children?  The show lost a few sponsors, but other companies took their place and the show became even more popular than ever with increased ratings.

Now, before anyone starts in on me about being anti-gay or a gay basher, here are some facts to chew on: (1) I purchased my last two vehicles from a dealership whos president is openly gay; (2) I frequently recommend a restaurant that is owned and operated by an openly gay person to people looking for a restaurant that serves good food.  I would eat there more often if his hours were expanded; I purchased discount coupons for this restaurant one time, but I never got a chance to use them.  I also consider this person a friend of mine; (3) I have written in my blog my belief that gay couples should be allowed to have the same relationship rights and priviledges on a civil union level as heterosexual couples.   My parents had a civil union, not a marriage because they were married by the justice of the peace at the courthouse.  It was not a religious ceremony  ... but that's just how I see things.  Even though I am 100 percent heterosexual and a zionist christian, I have gay friends and I respect their feelings and their beliefs and do not hold it against them.  

Having said all this, when I go to Chick-fil-A to pick up dinner for myself, it will be because I enjoy their food or to show support for dealing with the bullying they're receiving right now.

The Chick-Fil-A Controversy: What I Think

Here's what I believe about the Chick-fil-A controversy:

The owner expressed an opinion about his religious beliefs. He has broken no laws, donates to charity, and helps feed volunteers who help people in need.

Since then, he has been vilified as a hater and has been the target of harassment and other bullying tactics. The people participating in the backlash against him claim to be exercising free speech, but the manner in which they do so is questionable at best. American citizens have the right to assembly and peaceful protest. However, when the participants start yelling and getting in the face of restaurant patrons, the participants are breaking the law. To physically prevent people from entering the restaurant is illegal. The political representatives elected to office are violating the trust of the voters by making statements and performing actions to bar a legitimate business from building and establishing itself in the community. In short, these are bullying tactics taken against someone for simply stating what he believes in, a first amendment right. These bullies are not helping the cause they are trying to promote. They are, in fact, hurting themselves and their message. They are doing the very things that they claim other people have done to them because they were gay. Two wrongs don't make a right.

Haven't they learned by now that these protests and bans don't work? The backlash bullies need to find another tactic because judging from the photos posted since the backlash began, they're only making Chick-fil-A more popular as business has nearly tripled. Remember when gay people protested Basic Instinct (the movie) because they claimed gay people were being portrayed unfairly as psychologically unbalanced? Sales increased. Remember when the movie The Last Temptation of Christ was protested because Jesus was portrayed to have sex with Mary Magdalene? The movie would have bombed at the box office, but because of the protests, they turned it into a hit. Remember when a housewife started a protest against the television show Married with Children? The show lost a few sponsors, but other companies took their place and the show became even more popular than ever with increased ratings.

Now, before anyone starts in on me about being anti-gay or a gay basher, here are some facts to chew on: (1) I purchased my last two vehicles from a dealership whose president is openly gay; (2) I frequently recommend a restaurant that is owned and operated by an openly gay person to people looking for a restaurant that serves good food. I would eat there more often if his hours were expanded; I purchased discount coupons for this restaurant one time, but I never got a chance to use them. I also consider this person a friend of mine; (3) I have written in my blog my belief that gay couples should be allowed to have the same relationship rights and privileges on a civil union level as heterosexual couples. My parents had a civil union, not a marriage because they were married by the justice of the peace at the courthouse. It was not a religious ceremony ... but that's just how I see things. Even though I am 100 percent heterosexual and a zionist christian, I have gay friends and I respect their feelings and their beliefs and do not hold it against them.

Having said all this, when I go to Chick-fil-A to pick up dinner for myself, it will be because I enjoy their food or to show support for dealing with the bullying they're receiving right now.

AVON Reports Loss as Sales Slide

Clicking on the link above will take you to the actual article. The comment I left on the site is below:

I was a representative twice: the first time during the mid 90s and the other time was 2006 -2008. Schools have banned representatives using students to sell their product on school property or during school hours. Most companies have policies against their employees working a second job (including selling items from a catalog) while on the clock. I have bought nearly 700 catalogs (yes, we have to pay for them) and drove by each house as I left them in their newspaper boxes or on their driveways. I maybe got a total of 4 customers out of that 700 with an average sale of $20.00 for each customer. Do we need to figure in gasoline costs and wear and tear on my truck to show just how much money I lost?

As for their products, they need to stop creating all these new colonges face treatments, and home/kitchen products that won't be around after a year. No incentive to try and like a product that will be discontinued after a few months. Also, stop selling overpriced junk items that don't work i.e. coin counter bank, video cameras, body-cleansing foot pads ... quality, NOT quantity. Avon stood for quality at one time. Now it seems they want to sell EVERYTHING or jack the price up and call it exclusive. The public is not that stupid, and representatives are fed up and/or become disenchanted.