I don't know how many of you have been following the Chick-fil-A controversy, but it has gotten me thinking about how people like to boycott over things when others don't agree with their way of thinking. Clearly this is a common trend, and I'm sure many will disagree with what I think which I'm hoping will lead to a boycott of my blog. Wouldn't that prove my point?
Recently, the owner of Chick-fil-A was being interviewed by a Southern Baptist Christian magazine and he was asked about his PERSONAL view regarding same-sex marriage. He answered that he supported traditional marriage. First, if you know the background of Chick-fil-A, you know that its founder is a man who has always been very open about his Christian faith. Second, the man was speaking to a CHRISTIAN magazine! What did you expect him to say? Third, last time I checked, this was America, and free people were free to hold their own personal opinions!
I think it is important to point out before going any further that to the best of my knowledge, Chick-fil-A does not discriminate in the workplace nor does it discriminate against its customers. However, that doesn't matter when it comes to the THOUGHT POLICE! Especially the geniuses in Hollywood.
Mental giant number one: Eliza Dushku (I think that's how you spell it; it really need an editor.) She said the government should stop Chick-fil-A from operating in the United States. Nevermind that the government can't get the unemploment down from 8.2% for the last year or so; eliminate a business that provides jobs for thousands of Americans! Genius! Then again, she works in an industry where people change their names for asthetic purposes all the time and her last name still sounds like a feminine cleansing product. Maybe she just has that "not-so-fresh" feeling and it makes her cranky........
And then there's Rosanne Barr....She said anyone who eats $?!+-fil-A should get cancer and die. Has she ever said anything that wasn't disgusting, hateful, or cruel? If only we had more tolerant people in the world like her.....Even Tom Arnold dumped her. Sad.
More disturbing are the public officials who felt they needed to weigh in on the matter. The mayor of Boston stated that Chick-fil-A franchises would not be allowed to set up business in his city. He walked it back probably after someone told him that there was some silly First Amendment or something that allowed people to operate a business and hold an opinion that was different than the mayor's.
But even better, there is former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel, newly elected Mayor of Chicago. He said Chick-fil-A values and Chicago values are not the same. So is that an endorsement for Chick-fil-A???? Chicago.....the city that gave us Al Capone, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Rod Blagoavich, decades of politcal corruption, crime......a crime rate that has increased since Emmanuel was elected! You are more likely to get beaten, stabbed, or shot in Chicago than just about any other major
American city. I think the mayor should focus more on cleaning up his city and less on chicken sandwiches.
I remember when all this politically correct food thinking started back with "dolphin free" tuna. I have always bought Chicken of the Sea tuna. I like it. Then I remember someone saying they weren't sure if it was "dolphin free." They explained how some fishermen get dolphins all tangled in the nets and isn't that so sad, blah, blah, blah, wah, wah, wah....At first I was like, "Oh, my gosh, poor dolphins. That is so sad. I can't eat Flipper. I will only eat dolphin free tuna. I am so conscious and aware." So I read all the cans and bought the "dolphin free" tuna and it sucked. So I started thinking; you might call it justifying. Dolphins are just big fish. I know; they're mammals, but they look like fish. If I can eat Charlie Tuna, why not Flipper? You want mammals? Let's put it this way; Porky Pig never stopped me from eating bacon!
Now we think that companies have to share our political beliefs too. How is that possible? I get the emails all the time......Don't shop at Target; they are a French owned company and they do not support our troops and their families. But I like Target and they provide quality goods at a low price. Shop at Sears. They support our troops. While I like Sears, they don't always have everything I need. It got me thinking, how can you ever make sure that you know that you only frequent businesses and buy products that are made by companies that agree with your values and your values only? That would be impossible.
Can you imagine? You finally find a restaurant that you know is owned by someone who shares the same values as you. But what about the cook? Can you be sure? What if he voted differently than you did in the last election? What about the waitress? Maybe she worships differently than you. Back to the owner. Do you really think that you and the owner agree on everything? And if you don't are you going to stop eating there because of that? What if they agree with you on everything and the food and service totally suck? Do you still keep going there just because you are of the same thought? No! That would be stupid!
That is the beauty of a free market economy. It is based on freedom and liberty. Freedom of choice. Freedom to choose the products you like best, the services you like best. The businesses you will support depends on the quality of the goods and services that they provide and how well they meet your needs, not the personal opinions held by the people who create or provide them. I don't agree with the politcal opinions of Ben and Jerry, but I know they make some great ice cream. I also love liberty more than the idea of controlling their opinions. I'm not a big fan of Ellen but I still use Cover Girl products. I would never boycott them just because I disagree with some of the things their spokesperson has publically stated. She has a right to her opinion and this is America.
So what's it gonna be Thought Police? Freedom and Liberty? Do people have the right to their opinions, even when they are different from yours? Or, tyranny of thought and boycotts because we just can't tolerate someone having the audacity to not think the same way that we want them to think therefore they must be destroyed.........
I know what I'm thinking...........
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