The next city to tell Chick-fil-A to keep out? San
Francisco.
Edwin M. Lee, mayor of the progressive city,
tweeted Thursday night: "Very disappointed #ChickFilA doesn't share San
Francisco's values & strong commitment to equality for everyone."
He also added a warning to his subsequent tweet:
"Closest #ChickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly
recommend that they not try to come any closer."
Until Thursday, San Francisco had stayed mum on
the debate, which began when Chick-fil-A's president, Dan Cathy, went on the
record as saying his Atlanta-based chicken chain operated on biblical values
and opposed same-sex marriage.
He told an interviewer last week that the
fast-food giant was “guilty as charged” of supporting “the biblical definition
of the family unit,”
Since his comments, the reaction has been intense.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald that he no longer wanted
Chick-fil-A in his city. Muppets creator Jim Henson Co. backed out of a
partnership with the chain to make kids-meal toys.
Later, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a statement
saying the company did not share "Chicago's values."
On Thursday, at a newly opened Chick-fil-A
restaurant in Laguna Hills, customers were met by a group of protesters who
urged them to buy fast food elsewhere.
Conservatives have been rallied by former
presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who has urged supporters to swarm into
Chick-fil-A restaurants on Aug. 1. Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin
blogged that Menino’s “beef with the beloved chicken sandwich supplier is as
full of holes as Chick-fil-A’s trademark waffle fries.”
“When an elected public official wields the club of government
against a Christian business in the name of 'tolerance,' it’s not harmless kid
stuff,” Malkin wrote. “It’s chilling.”
Last week, Chick-fil-A issued a statement saying
it would “leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and
political arena." The company added that it has always aimed to “treat
every person with honor, dignity and respect -- regardless of their belief,
race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.”
No reaction yet from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio
Villaraigosa, who supports same-sex marriage and is mayor to a city with a
sizable LGBT population.
No comments:
Post a Comment