Ah, geez. I gave in.

**this post is doing that weird colored text/background thing again. Drives me CRAZY. I know it's from copying and pasting... but still**

I really didn't want to write an entire post about ChickFilA.

But.
Facebook always inspires anger in me... Very specifically, my Mother's facebook. (While we're not friends, sometimes I go to her page and see what she's up to.)

And unfortunately, she posted a link to the most ridiculous petition I've ever seen, which of course she signed, and shared so more ridiculous people would sign.

I. can't. even.

Can I petition a petition?
(You will find all petition excerpts to be italicized.)


Recently, Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy announced that the restaurant chain supports the traditional view of marriage as between one man and one woman. While this stance may offend many, it is within Chick-Fil-A’s right to free speech, and furthermore, Chick-Fil-A does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or sexuality with regard to service or employment. Therefore, Chick-Fil-A cannot be construed as an intolerant organization; rather, it simply states its beliefs in a legal and civil manner.


.....wut?

I'm pretty sure they are seen as intolerant because
1. They don't provide the same benefits for queer employees. How could they when they don't support gay marriage?
2. It's not their stance on marriage that's pissing people off - let's all be honest, how many people were actually surprised this closed-on-sunday Jesus-y Bible thumping corporation is against gay marriage? Not this girl. It's knowing that I have eaten there, and I have thereby funded a corporation's donation to blatantly anti-gay organizations.
2a. I wouldn't give a shit if Dan Cathy in all his holier-than-thou-self-righteous-my-seat-in-heaven-will-be-gold-laden-and-faaaaabulous-religious-bigot- you're-not-getting-into-heaven-faggot-self donated every single one of his PERSONAL pennies to anti-gay causes. PEOPLE can do that. It's when CORPORATIONS do that... with MY money!
3. Furthermore, fuck you. I've only eaten there a handful of times, but I want my $20 back. 

On the other hand, the “Gay Rights” petition, by its very nature, stands as an example of intolerance. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, and Dan Cathy was within the legal parameters of the First Amendment by stating his views, and that of the establishment, with regard to marriage. In sharp contrast, the “Gay Rights” petition moves to terminate the existence, presence, and practice of Chick-Fil-A and its business, a clear example of intolerance. Each party has the right to disagree with respect to their beliefs; it is common knowledge that America was founded upon the principles of religious freedom and respectful disagreement. However, the “Gay Rights” petition crosses the line from disagreement to intolerance in its attempt to shut down Chick-fil-A.

1. I was unaware we were trying to shut them down. If we tried to shut down every corporation that disagreed with gays and homo marriage... well, that would be exhausting. It's simple - it's the only power we have as pawns in the Corporation chess game: simply choose NOT to give our money to corporations/projects/people who don't share the same morals/values/ideals that we do. They'll stay open. But, I'm not giving them MY money.
2. GAY RIGHTS ARE THE SAME AS BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY'RE THE SAME DAMN THING.

• I want to be happy and feel secure in the country in which I currently choose to live. 
• I want to get married, and perhaps have the same benefits (especially those of insurance) as Straight kids.
• I want to have babies of my own AND adopt some babies. 
• I want to be able to visit Girlfriend in the hospital if, Deity forbid, something were to happen to her.
• I want to know I'm not going to be fired just for being a homo. 
• I want to know that I'll be able to find, and keep, housing, despite the fact that I'm homo.

2b. Honestly, I think the Religious Community is more concerned with what's happening in my bedroom than I am. I mean, I don't give a shit what's happening in your boring sex life, so stop caring if/why/when I'm homo.
2c. Maybe the religious folk just need to get laid.
3. Tolerance is like respect. If you give it to me, I'll give it to you. You don't see my Gay Agenda getting all up in YOUR bed, so get out of mine.
3a. American was founded on respectful disagreement? Whaaaa....? Last I heard a bunch of people came over here for the SAME reason - therefore agreement. Not disagreement... Or maybe they skipped over the "Respectful Disagreement" section in all my American History classes.




Chick-Fil-A has every right to support any cause they choose, just as Office Depot has every right to support 'gay marriage.' Chick-Fil-A has never refused a sandwich to a homosexual or those in support of homosexuality. Their choice to support whatever causes they believe through donations and statements is entirely within their rights. It does not produce or formulate a "hostile environment for queer youth and allies." At least, no more so than Office Depot does for those who support traditional marriage. And I see no petition to stop purchases through KU from Office Depot. 

Uh. No. No no no no no.
1. Chick-Fil-A's funding DIRECTLY supports anti-gay groups, which helps perpetuate the idea that it's okay to blatantly despise, hate, bully, hold down, discriminate gays AND THEREFORE perpetuate the idea that it's OKAY to "create hostile environments for queer youth and allies"... and all other queers, regardless of age.
1a. According to 6 varying sources, Chick-Fil-A has donated an estimated 5 million dollars (2003-2010)  to Anti-Gay groups such as Exodus International (which spreads the idea that gays can, and should, be 'cured'... but RECANTED their mission  and apologized to all the Christian gays), Marriage and Family Foundation, Family Research Council.
1b. "Chick-fil-A has donated at least $5 million to organizations (including a certified hate group) that, among other things, depict gay people as pedophiles, want to make "gay behavior" illegal, and even say gay people should be "exported" out of America." Source
1c. Let's face it: despite what the company's president says, Chick-Fil-A is an anti-gay corporation," wrote Tyler Coates in Blackbook. "I hate Chick-Fil-A, and not just because I think pieces of chicken slathered in pickle juice is inherently revolting. I hate Chick-Fil-A because Chick-Fil-A hates me. You know what I do have a problem with? The fact that the company gives so much g**damn money to anti-gay groups. Source
2. Why are they bringing up Office Depot? Do they think they can redirect the attention from themselves to Office Depot? Unlikely. No one boycotts businesses that are friendly and open and support equality.
2a. It's more than just gays who are included in the ideal of "equality". It's every single person who has EVER identified as a minority. (Yes. Even Christians. They were a minority once, too... It's just unfortunate  that now, the only Christians in the minority are the awesome ones.)

If Chick-Fil-A is undeservedly banned from the campus, there will certainly not be the “diversity and inclusion” that supporters of the petition claim is so important. There will only be those who disagree with traditional marriage. While, a sizeable number of students and faculty may feel this way, it is certainly not representative of the entirety of those who make up the staff and student body of the University of Kansas. If those who disagree with Chick-Fil-A’s stance don’t want to support its values, then by all means, they can stop eating there. Chick-Fil-A’s stance has always (or at least, for some time) been this way. That is, one of supporting traditional family values and biblical principles. It is only of late, when those values were reaffirmed, that those in disagreement sought its removal from KU’s campus. Chick-Fil-A has served quality food with respect and integrity to all who come through its doors. There is no valid reason why disagreement from those opposed to Chick-Fil-A’s values should succeed in not allowing Chick-Fil-A to be in existence, presence, or practice.


1. Honestly, if things get banned from a campus, it's because students rallied around a cause and made it happen. It's not because all Teh Gayz got up in arms and decided to run them out of town on a rail.
1a. Diversity and Inclusion means that no one discriminates against anyone else. And maybe without Chick-Fil-A they can get back to doing that.
1b. If it's being banned because of a student petition it CLEARLY is the majority of students wanting Chick-Fil-A to the fuck out of Dodge.
1c. orrrrrrrr MAYBE THEY DON'T EVEN LIKE YOUR CHICKEN.
2. NO ONE DISAGREES WITH 'TRADITIONAL' MARRIAGE. Get married, we don't give a fuck. But we want to get married, too. Bottom line. That's all.
3. If you're supporting 'Biblical principles', support them all. Why are you picking and choosing? Because the ones you choose benefit you and make you feel less guilty?

From The West Wing “The Midterms” (2x03).

Bartlet: I like your show. I like how you call homosexuality an abomination.

Jenna Jacobs: I don’t say homosexuality is an abomination, Mr. President, the Bible does.

Bartlet: Yes, it does. Leviticus.

Jenna Jacobs: 18:22.

Bartlet: Chapter and verse. I wanted to ask you a couple of questions while I had you here. I’m interested in selling my youngest daughter into slavery as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. She’s a Georgetown sophomore, speaks fluent Italian, and always clears the table when it was her turn. What would a good price for her be? While thinking about that, can I ask another? My chief of staff, Leo McGarry, insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly says he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself or is it okay to call the police? Here’s one that’s really important, ‘cause we’ve got a lot of sports fans in this town. Touching the skin of a dead pig makes us unclean - Leviticus 11:7. If they promise to wear gloves, can the Washington Redskins still play football? Can Notre Dame? Can West Point? Does the whole town really have to be together to stone my brother John for planting different crops side by side? Can I burn my mother in a small family gathering for wearing garments made from two different threads? Think about those questions, would you? One last thing: while you may be mistaking this for your monthly meeting of the Ignorant Tightass Club, in this building, when the President stands, nobody sits.

Lastly, what the actual fuck is this petition petitioning? The opinions of everyone else in the world? The fact that KU doesn't want Chick-Fil-A on their campus anymore? I'm not even sure.

This existence of this petition is absurd.



In other news, while researching this topic, I found this.
Granted, it IS Fox News (but hey. I wrote in my last post that you should read all the sources in order to form A, facts and then B, opinions.)
Those comments drew a sharp response from Rev. William Owens of the Coalition of African American Pastors. “Some people are saying that because of the position that Chick-fil-A is taking, they don’t want them in their cities. It is a disgrace. It is the same thing that happened when I was marching for civil rights, when they didn’t want a black to come into their restaurant," he told a press conference in Washington, DC.

And in closing, I'd like to point out the irony of 666 people have signed the petition at this very moment.