Chick-Fil-A's Chief Operating Officer, Dan Cathy, has been blamed for being anti-gay when in reality his opinions are what the majority of people in this country believe says Kelly Boggs in the following posting.
We agree. What was said was very non-controversial but has been made into an issue by those who think that anyone should be able to "marry" anyone else. While we have no problem with civil unions and giving gays rights such as being able to inherit from their partner or to visit that partner in a hospital, the term marriage has more to it and should be reserved for traditional male/female relationships.
Dan Cathy might not agree with us, however, that is the right of each person to speak and act in a way that they believe is correct. It does not make him or us wrong if we express opposing viewpoints, that is what is great about America.
For those who oppose Cathy's viewpoints and want to run him out of business because of his views shows an immense lack of respect for others. Since when do we get to dictate what people should believe or say. We fought a war over this in 1776. We created a document in 1789 that says each American has the right to freedom of speech. We seem to have forgotten that.
"Hate speech" is the hammer that is used against anyone who says something you don't like. Once that label has been placed on the words, no amount of sanitizing can remove the stench or re-establish the credibility of whomever uttered those words. However, who is the monitor who selects those words that get this term? The answer is anyone who wants to.
So we have a system without standards that anyone can assert they were damaged by the words you said. Sounds pretty fair, huh? It is a recipe for censorship both by government (through the courts) and self. Most people typically don't want to insult someone unless you are a Don Rickles type so when they are told their speech bothers another individual, it usually stops. Of course, there are those "knuckle draggers" who might not but even then should any speech that is not endangering (calling fire in a theater) be verboten. We do not think so.
Cathy's case was not endangering. It was not intended to incite a riot. It was his opinion and for that he has the American right to say exactly what he said.
Conservative Tom
We agree. What was said was very non-controversial but has been made into an issue by those who think that anyone should be able to "marry" anyone else. While we have no problem with civil unions and giving gays rights such as being able to inherit from their partner or to visit that partner in a hospital, the term marriage has more to it and should be reserved for traditional male/female relationships.
Dan Cathy might not agree with us, however, that is the right of each person to speak and act in a way that they believe is correct. It does not make him or us wrong if we express opposing viewpoints, that is what is great about America.
For those who oppose Cathy's viewpoints and want to run him out of business because of his views shows an immense lack of respect for others. Since when do we get to dictate what people should believe or say. We fought a war over this in 1776. We created a document in 1789 that says each American has the right to freedom of speech. We seem to have forgotten that.
"Hate speech" is the hammer that is used against anyone who says something you don't like. Once that label has been placed on the words, no amount of sanitizing can remove the stench or re-establish the credibility of whomever uttered those words. However, who is the monitor who selects those words that get this term? The answer is anyone who wants to.
So we have a system without standards that anyone can assert they were damaged by the words you said. Sounds pretty fair, huh? It is a recipe for censorship both by government (through the courts) and self. Most people typically don't want to insult someone unless you are a Don Rickles type so when they are told their speech bothers another individual, it usually stops. Of course, there are those "knuckle draggers" who might not but even then should any speech that is not endangering (calling fire in a theater) be verboten. We do not think so.
Cathy's case was not endangering. It was not intended to incite a riot. It was his opinion and for that he has the American right to say exactly what he said.
Conservative Tom
FIRST-PERSON: Dan Cathy's views are in the majority
Kelly Boggs
Posted on Jul 20, 2012
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ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) -- Dan Cathy, Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A, supports the traditional definition of marriage.
"Well guilty as charged," is how Cathy responded to the Biblical Recorder when it was pointed out that some are critical of Chick-fil-A's support of traditional values. "We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit.… We are a family owned business, a family led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."
For daring to express his view, he has been labeled homophobic, bigoted and his restaurant chain has been targeted by homosexual activists for a boycott.
The way Cathy and Chick-fil-A have been vilified by some homosexual activists and media reports, you would think that his view is aberrant, marginal and out of step with mainstream America. However, the truth is quite the opposite.
Based on the ballot box, a significant majority of Americans agree with Cathy. To date, 32 states have voted on the issue, and by an average margin of 67-33 percent, Americans in those states have said marriage is between only a man and a woman. North Carolina, in May, was the latest.
If you did not already know this, allow me to point out that if a candidate or issue garners 67 percent of the vote in an election, it is considered to be a landslide of epic proportions. Traditional marriage has even been affirmed by voters in liberal states like Oregon and California. The Golden State affirmed it twice -- once with an initiative then with a constitutional amendment.
In spite of what the media seeks to portray, in spite of polls touted by special interest groups, in spite of what homosexual activists insist, if you support the concept of traditional marriage, you are not in the minority in America. Quite the contrary, you are part of a significant majority.
What you are witnessing with Chick-fil-A is an "end justifies the means" political effort to convince society to endorse homosexuality as natural, normal and healthy. This will be achieved if same-sex marriage is ever accepted in America.
There are millions of people like Dan Cathy who affirm a biblical and traditional view of sexuality.
So when the activists want to brand Dan Cathy as a hateful homophobe, don't be deceived. They are actually calling the 67 percent of the American population who have voted to support traditional marriage hateful, homophobic and bigoted.
Dan Cathy is a hardworking, good man. He operates a good company. In many ways he is just like you and me.
Like many of us Cathy ascribes to traditional values. As a result, many brand him as hateful and his company worthy of boycott. Keep in mind that when they hold Cathy in contempt, they hold the 67 percent of us who agree with Cathy in contempt as well.
--30--
Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press, director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention's office of public affairs, and editor of the Baptist Message www.baptistmessage.com , newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
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"Well guilty as charged," is how Cathy responded to the Biblical Recorder when it was pointed out that some are critical of Chick-fil-A's support of traditional values. "We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit.… We are a family owned business, a family led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."
For daring to express his view, he has been labeled homophobic, bigoted and his restaurant chain has been targeted by homosexual activists for a boycott.
The way Cathy and Chick-fil-A have been vilified by some homosexual activists and media reports, you would think that his view is aberrant, marginal and out of step with mainstream America. However, the truth is quite the opposite.
Based on the ballot box, a significant majority of Americans agree with Cathy. To date, 32 states have voted on the issue, and by an average margin of 67-33 percent, Americans in those states have said marriage is between only a man and a woman. North Carolina, in May, was the latest.
If you did not already know this, allow me to point out that if a candidate or issue garners 67 percent of the vote in an election, it is considered to be a landslide of epic proportions. Traditional marriage has even been affirmed by voters in liberal states like Oregon and California. The Golden State affirmed it twice -- once with an initiative then with a constitutional amendment.
In spite of what the media seeks to portray, in spite of polls touted by special interest groups, in spite of what homosexual activists insist, if you support the concept of traditional marriage, you are not in the minority in America. Quite the contrary, you are part of a significant majority.
What you are witnessing with Chick-fil-A is an "end justifies the means" political effort to convince society to endorse homosexuality as natural, normal and healthy. This will be achieved if same-sex marriage is ever accepted in America.
There are millions of people like Dan Cathy who affirm a biblical and traditional view of sexuality.
So when the activists want to brand Dan Cathy as a hateful homophobe, don't be deceived. They are actually calling the 67 percent of the American population who have voted to support traditional marriage hateful, homophobic and bigoted.
Dan Cathy is a hardworking, good man. He operates a good company. In many ways he is just like you and me.
Like many of us Cathy ascribes to traditional values. As a result, many brand him as hateful and his company worthy of boycott. Keep in mind that when they hold Cathy in contempt, they hold the 67 percent of us who agree with Cathy in contempt as well.
--30--
Kelly Boggs is a weekly columnist for Baptist Press, director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention's office of public affairs, and editor of the Baptist Message www.baptistmessage.com , newsjournal of the Louisiana Baptist Convention.
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