So I’ve decided to take some time and discuss what I think about the whole Chick fil-A controversy, where Truett Cathy declared (to no surprise to anyone sane) that he was against gay marriage. Sure, I could discuss how Congress just decided to allow the government to keep spending money it doesn’t have, in the same way that a high-heeled, annoying wife spends her husband’s credit cards, or I could talk about how Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke just told everyone in the United States who is frugal and saves their money to go and fuck themselves, but why would I discuss really important issues?
Truett Cathy has never hidden his faith. You may not agree with it and you may think that he’s a little batty when it comes to religious matters and that’s fine. But he has never hidden it nor has he ever forced it upon anyone. I have never heard of a employee who has complained about being bullied about being atheist while working for Chick fil-A. I doubt Truett Cathy has any religious tests for the people he hires or makes it a company policy. As a free marketeer, I believe he is free to do so yet in spite of this, he has not.
The mere fact that he requires all his restaurants to be off on Sunday states two things: one that he is a man of conviction and two that he is willing to provide his retail workers a better deal than they get anywhere else. There is almost no retail restaurant or store out there that consistently closes down on a Sunday. If anything, they remain open to get the Sunday Christian after-Church lunches (although the waiters will get Bible Tracks for tips). Not even Family Christian Bookstore closes on Sunday and, in fact, requires their employees to work one Sunday a month.
In any case, people had to have known what his stances were on these political matters. I mean, it was fairly obvious to me and I didn’t really care about it either way. But apparently, if someone expresses their belief that the sexual behaviors of 1.5% of the population is immoral based on their faith in a higher power, you have somehow gone too far. You’d think he was rounding them up and sending them into concentration camps given the rhetoric from the mainstream press, which has done what it does best in every polarizing issue: make it worse.
I don’t agree with Truett Cathy on this issue as I disagree with both social liberals and social conservatives on this issue. I believe that the government should just stay entirely out of the marriage business (and make no mistake, it is a business), cease issuing marriage licenses and let the various religious institutions set up their own standards. I believe that our religious (and non-religious) leaders have done a piss-poor job of standing up for their convictions in these matter and simply deferred to the authority of government, a fallible human institution. If anything, Truett Cathy has more courage than the vast majority of our pastors in America in the fear that they will be associated with the Democrat party supporting Fred Phelps, head of the cult known as Westboro Baptist Church.
I don’t know if Truett Cathy cares about all this, although I’m sure he’s happy at the increased business that resulted. I fairly certain he did not care about the repercussions about his statements and was simply stating who he was and what he believes. Someone having the courage to stand on their principles, even in the face of possible negative consequences, is rare these days. He should be admired for his conviction, even if you disagree with him, not bashed and thrashed for it. Of course, the mainstream press would go down on a spineless politician at any time on any given day but if someone touts his principles and stands by them, he’s somehow a kook and a freak.
I’m glad I don’t have cable television service anymore.