Chick-fil-A and Freedom

                    When Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A, affirmed that he was "guilty as charged" for supporting traditional marriage, a national melee erupted and gay activists threatened to boycott his restaurant.  In response, two "national" days to support Chick-fil-A were announced.   The Defense of Marriage (DOM) organization set Wednesday, July 25, 2012, as their "national support Chick-fil-A day," and Mike Huckabee called for August 1, 2012, to be another national day.
 

                    Charlie Daniels wrote an interesting article about how mayors of major cities attacked Christian Chick-fil-A for opposing same sex marriage but did not even mention the Muslim business owners who oppose it.  Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and other "progressive" mayors basically told Chick-fil-A, "You are not welcome in our city if you believe differently than we do."

                    Was it wrong for Dan Cathy to answer a direct question with his true feelings?  No.  Do business owners have the freedom to express their beliefs?  Yes.  Gay activists sought to destroy his company and to take away his freedom of religious expression - his First Amendment rights of Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech - because he has a different belief system than theirs.

                    Dan Cathy is not the only business leader who sticks to his Christian principles and values.  Billy Hallowell at The Blaze reported on other business leaders and companies who stick to their principles and values.  His article listed five companies who share their Christian faith with customers:  Forever 21, Interstate Battery, Tyson Foods, In-N-Out Burger, and Hobby Lobby.

                    In response to all the negative talk against Chick-fil-A, tens of thousands of people went to Chick-fil-A on one or both of the national support days.  Some people ate there more than one day per day.  My immediate family - my children and grandchildren - supported Chick-fil-A on both days; my extended family served Chick-fil-A strips at our family reunion on July 28.  I will continue to support Dan Cathy because he practices Christian principles and stands firm on them.  Cathy not only supports traditional marriage but also closes his restaurants on Sunday in order to keep the Sabbath Day holy. 

                    I am tired of other people trying to control what I can believe and what I can say;  I am tired of being called raciest, homophobe, and other negative names because of my principles.  I believe that other Americans are tired of this treatment also.  I believe that this is the reason why Americans voted with their feet and their money in support of Chick-fil-A and for Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech.  In the United States of America, no one - absolutely no one - has the right to tell anyone what we can believe and what we can say!