Canada has not waded heavily into the Chick-fil-A scandal largely due to the fact that we don't have these restaurants or any kiosks at Canadian mall food courts. The closest Chick-fil-A would seem to be Erie, Pennsylvania.

The chain actually started in the 60's in a suburban Atlanta mall food court and now has over 1600 locations, including stand alone restaurants. Most were in the southern United States but expansion has put them into the Eastern Seaboard, the U.S. Midwest, California, New Mexico and even the Phillippines. Canada doesn't seem to be on the horizon although many have previously lamented about our need for their signature white-bun/pressured cooked chicken sandwich.

SAME-SEX CHICKEN

Recently the chain came under fire when their ownership, steeped in traditional Southern Baptist values (most locations are closed Sundays) spoke out against same-sex marriage. COO Dan Cathy made several public statements saying that those who support same-sex marriage "have the audacity to define what marriage is about" and were "inviting God's judgment on our nation." The Cathy family are Chick-fil-A founders. Details then came forth of the chain's monetary and ethical support of anti-gay organizations, one considered a hate group.

That's when the chicken S hit the fan. I don't really have too big a problem with protesting or even boycotting a business that doesn't coincide with one's own moral compass. Pro same-sex marriage groups held a "Kiss-In" August 4th at many locations, where same sex couples invaded Chick-fil-A restaurants and same-sex kissed in public. Fair enough.

I did have a problem with a customer in Arizona berating a Chick-fil-A employee, recording it and posting the video. I don't yell at the high school Sobey's cashier about the price of food. I generally feel that my frustration would be misplaced. (The guy in the VIDEO BELOW was fired from his job at a different company for his actions.)

And now mayors, pundits, politicians, activists et al, are talking about the very existence of the chain. Some are trying to block expansion of Chick-fil-A's in their neighborhoods. I sense many just want to be observed as being on the correct side of an issue.

When Chick-fil-A starts banning gay people as patrons or employees (and I don't know that they do or don't) then we've got a problem. Til then, we must be careful how we tread. Facism can work both ways. Are people aware of EVERY ethical stance of The Colonel, Ray Kroc, Dave Thomas, or for that matter the head of General Motors, Apple, Coca-Cola, WalMart et al? Of course not. We shop where we shop and we work where we work, oft times out of necessity. Turning our lives upside down based on other people's ethics is exhausting, mostly impossible. Can we not agree to disagree?

Here's a thought. If you don't like Chick-fil-A's stand on same-sex marriage, don't go. To believe that they shouldn't exist because they have an opposing view is doing exactly what you are accusing them of doing. LEAVE COMMENTS.

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