A confession: On Wednesday, some New Times folk wanted to eat Chick-fil-A. Music Editor Liz Tracy and video guy Jake Katel stopped by a store in Pembroke Pines and discovered the hullaballoo around "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day," in defense of Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy's statement that Americans are "inviting God's judgment" in trying to expand marriage rights to the LGBT community.
Video camera in hand, they chatted with a few people, whom you can see talking in the video after the jump. Also provided for you: Some of their comments, with translations to help you see through the pseudo-constitutional balderdash they're blabbering about.
- "I want my country back, man."
I would like to go back to the time where people who made me uncomfortable were silenced rather than allowed to make me uncomfortable.
- "We just wanna get God back into our country."
Why do so many people not believe what I believe? And can we please force them to believe it?
- "I'm here celebrating free speech, freedom of religion, and good chicken."
If your prejudices are backed by religion, then you should be immune from criticism. Also, I like chicken.
- "I was incensed by Rahm Emmanual and the mayor of Boston. They have some nerve. Trying to affect a man's business because he has an opinion?"
Advocating for denying gay people their rights: freedom of speech.
Advocating for denying a millionaire the right to open a chicken shack: DISGUSTING.
- "What people do in their bedroom is their business. For me, marriage is between a man and a woman."
What people do in their bedroom is their business. When they ask for legal rights and protections afforded to straight people, that is my business. For me, marriage is between a man and a woman. For everyone else, it should also be between a man and a woman. I have decided this, and wish it to be true.
- "We believe in freedom of speech and the freedom that we're able to stand up and open a business without no one stopping us, because this is America."
This is America -- where no corporate entity can be criticized but entire swaths of the population can be thrown under the bus for political points.
- "I believe what the word of God says. And the word of God says is a family unit. OK, between a man and a woman... In the New Testament it talks about it, yes."
I will cherry-pick Bible verses to justify my prejudices. Leviticus discusses men laying with men (Leviticus 20:13), though it also discusses wearing clothing of mixed cloth (Leviticus 19:19), so please disregard my poly-cotton blend shirt. Also please disregard the second chapter of First Timothy, which says women should be silent. Silence makes it harder to hate the gays.
- "It's really just standing together, and that we live in the United States and we should have freedom of religion as well. So we don't believe that a leader of a company should be condemned because of one thing that he said. He has a right to stand up and say what he feels and that's what we're here for."
There should not be consequences for people's actions. I do not understand what the First Amendment is for, but Dan Cathy reaffirms my hatred of gay folk, so give me some chicken!
- "In our reality, we don't come against the person, regardless of their sexual orientation, we love the person we just don't agree with their lifestyle, and there's nothing wrong with that."
I would like credit for loving people while simultaneously denying their civil rights. And there's nothing wrong with that.
- "And thats why I love being an American. Because I should be able to stand here and have the freedom to state that without feeling that I'm going to be crucified for it."
America is wonderful. People have rights, and shouldn't be discriminated against. Except gay people.
- "Regardless of a person's sexual orientation, I love that person as a person because we're humanity, we're mankind, and I'm here to defend the next human being."
We're humanity! We're mankind! Some of us are just better.
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