It's never been a secret that Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain that is closed on Sundays and has previously spouted an anti-gay agenda, lacks a certain separation of church and chicken. We've shared our views on the company's politics before, as have many, and now it seems the rest of the world is taking notice.
The media shitstorm currently circling Chick-fil-A HQ sprung of an interview its president, Dan Cathy, held with the Biblical Recorder, a weekly published by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. Originally published on Monday, July 16, quotes from the story were soon parsed and passed around by news outlets around the country, quickly going viral. Of particular interest was Cathy's stance on gay marriage -- or lack thereof:
"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.
Within four days of the interview going viral, the Jim Henson Company announced it cut ties with the chain, a national grassroots campaign titled "National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A," slated for Friday, August 3, sprung up, and in response to that, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee called for Wednesday, August 1, to be celebrated as "Chick fil-A Appreciation Day." We're not sure how Arrested Development so perfectly saw this coming, but man, a tip of the hat from Gut Check. To wit: "You can afford to do anything you want. You're just a big chicken."
This morning, the Onion shared its take on the debacle in a story titled "Chick-Fil-A Debuts New Homophobic Sandwich," promoting the farcical "Queer-Hatin' Cordon Bleu" sandwich made with, "...the national fast food chain's trademark fried chicken filet wrapped in a piece of specially-smoked No Homo ham that would be topped with a slice of Swiss cheese and lathered in a creamy new Thousand Island-based Fag Punching sauce."
And while criticism of Chick-fil-A's president peppers the internets, there are outlets sharing their support, too. Take the Westboro Baptist Church -- please! (Sorry, too easy.) In a less-than-surprising move, Shirley Phelps Roper, spokesperson of the controversial church best-known for espousing a "God Hates Fags" message and protesting U.S. military funerals, supports Chick-fil-A's anti-gay position.
According to Good At You, last week Phelps Roper commented in support of Cathy's agenda on a Yahoo article titled "Chick-fil-A President Slams Gay Marriage."
Which made-up protest holiday will you be observing next week? No, we're really curious. Will St. Louisians turn out in droves on Wednesday, August 3, to shove chicken down their gullets in support of Cathy? Or will they post-up in area Chick-fil-A restaurants and make-out in the name of love and equality on Friday, August 5? Vote in the poll below to share where you stand -- or will be standing, for that matter:
