A man who runs one of the most successful and respected fast-food companies in America says that, based on his faith, he strongly supports the idea of a married mom and dad raising their kids together. I assume that is what he meant by “traditional family.” This businessman told a reporter:
We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.
Oh, he also feared we might win God’s disfavor if we tinker with the family as He created it. That is all he said. And now all of this!
He did not utter a word about homosexuality, about same-sex marriage, or about people who identify as homosexuals. He said he believes in the biblical view of marriage and family. Essentially what Christians have believed since Christians started believing.
But today, we see powerfully demonstrated before us that such talk is now considered hate speech. The blogosphere is teeming with judgment. In fact, Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post says by his words and support for organizations that work for strong, married mom/dad families, Mr. Cathy, his family, and his company are “actively working to deny fundamental rights to same-sex families who want nothing more than to share fully in the American dream.” Really?
So it’s not just, “Say something untoward about gays or lesbians and we will shut you down!” but, “Say something good about the virtue of intact mom/dad families, and throw in a tidbit about your Christian faith to boot, and we will shut you down!” Mayors and politicians will seek to ban you and your business from their towns. Schools will have your business ejected from their campuses. Journalists will call you nasty names. Activists will slander you and demean your company.
Well, millions of Americans protested such nasty thuggishness today by taking up the delicious but humble chicken sandwich (with waffle fries and a refreshing, ice-cold lemonade), thereby making a statement that they also support the biblical definition of marriage. Or at least they support a nice family-businessman’s right to communicate his convictions, which were not denigrating to anyone.
Dan Cathy simply said that he supports the traditional family and donates to organizations that do so as well. And it appears that is enough to get your neck wrung today.