Boston and Chicago Speak Out Against Chick-fil-A | Chi-town blocks new store, Beantown Mayor pens letter
Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy has received a torrent of reactions, both opposing and supporting, to his recent comment:
“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say ‘we know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage’ and I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”
Alderman Joe Moreno, who represents Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, plans to use his aldermanic privilege, a Chicago tradition in which City Council members defer to aldermen on local matters, to block the restaurant’s permit from opening up in his ward.
“It’s a very diverse ward — economically, racially, and diverse in sexual orientation,” Moreno told ABCNews.com. “We’ve got thriving businesses and we want more but at the very least don’t discriminate against our LGBTQ folks.”
Chick-fil-A Blocked From Opening Second Chicago Store | ABC News Story
The Jim Henson Company also severed ties with the establishment and have donated their earnings from making toys for the chain’s kids’ meals to the gay support organization GLAAD.
Additionally, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino sent Cathy a letter informing him “There is no place for discrimination on Boston’s Freedom Trail and no place for your company alongside it.” The entire letter is below. And you may click here if you would like a downloadable pdf copy.
July 20, 2012
Mr. Dan Cathy, President
Chick-fil-A
5200 Buffington Road
Atlanta GA 30349
To Mr. Cathy:
In recent days you said Chick-fil-A opposes same-sex marriage and said the generation that supports it has an “arrogant attitude.”
Now — incredibly — your company says you are backing out of the same-sex marriage debate. I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston.
You called supporters of gay marriage “prideful.” Here in Boston, to borrow your own words, we are “guilty as charged.” We are indeed full of pride for our support of same sex marriage an our work to expand freedom to all people. We are proud that our state andour city have led the way for the country on equal marriage rights.
I was angry to learn on the heels of your prejudiced statements about your search for a site to locate in Boston. There is no place for discrimination on Boston’s Freedom Trail and no place for your company alongside it. When Massachusetts became the first state in the country to recognize equal marriage rights, I personally stood on City Hall Plaza to greet same sex couples coming here to be married. It would be an insult to them and to our city’s long history of expanding freedom to have a Chick-fil-A across the street from that spot.
Sincerely,
Thomas M. Menino
Mayor, City of Boston
CC:
Steven Binnie
Carlisle Properties
26 Daniel Street, Suite 200
Portsmouth, NH 03801
I have to admit, as much as Cathy’s statement bothers me as I find him to be a closed-minded, ignorant bigot, Mayor Menino made a statement in his letter that was unknowingly hypocritical. Menino wrote, “There is no place for discrimination on Boston’s Freedom Trail” which is ironic in itself because is not the Mayor of Boston showing discrimination against Cathy and Chick-fil-A wanting to open up a store in Boston?
Nonetheless, I stand behind Mayor Menino’s opinion and letter to Dan Cathy. It takes a bold political figure to make a stand like this, and it does a heart good to see him stand up for equal rights.
On the other end of the spectrum are Cathy’s supporters. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee organized a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” for Aug. 1.
“The goal is simple: Let’s affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1,” Huckabee wrote on Facebook.
As of this afternoon, more than 117,000 people had indicated they’d participate in the event.
Sen. Rick Santorum (shudder) said on Twitter today that he was eating lunch at Chick-fil-A with five of his children.
“Enjoying chick-in-strips and an awesome peach shake at Chick-fil-A. See you here next Wednesday!” he tweeted.
We have a Chick-fil-A here in Albuquerque which is located pretty much on the complete other side of the county from where I live. I rarely go up to the far north side of the city, so I have not had anything from there for months now. Sad, because I really do like their sandwiches and waffle fries, but I will boycott them and eat elsewhere. They’ll never realize I will no longer add any more profits to their bank accounts, but I know – and that’s all that matters. I can lay my head down at night and not feel guilty because I do not have hatred and nor do I discriminate towards someone else because of who they love.
Sources and related articles:
ABC News: Chicago Politician Will Ban Chick-fil-A From Opening Restaurant After Anti-Gay Comments
ABC News: Chick-Fil-A Surprises Some With Gay Marriage Talk
Boston Herald: Mayor Menino on Chick-fil-A: Stuff it
Boston Herald: Experts: Mayor’s power has limits
Boston Herald: Mayor’s letter to Chick-fil-A
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This burns me up..I live in the PSyCHO Bible Belt..The Chick Fil-a here puts Jack T. Chick pamphlets(google him) in the bags. Not only are they closed on Sunday, but they were instrumental in shutting our Elks club down because we were open on Sunday..The Elks were mostly Veterans that did a lot of good for the community. But They did not want people to drink beer on Sunday Private club or not..The Evangelical Conservatives always preach about freedom ( mostly about freedom to make money) but they sure try to tell people how to live here. Chick Fil-a stays busy here because the patrons think they are buying chicken sandwiches for Jesus..
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This is just the tip of the Iceberg.. I live in a place where Southern Fundamentalists make Islamic Fundamentalists look like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood..(My apologies to Fred Rogers) The Chick Fil-A here isnt open on Sundays and across the street from them was our Elks Club which I was a longstanding member. The Elks consisted of mainly veterans and never caused any problem. But we were open on Sunday.. The was an Archaic county ordinance against sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday, so we all brought our coolers.Like I said..we caused no trouble..But the fact that we drank beer on Sunday Burned Chick-Fil-A up. They shut us down..completely..Had Better lawyers than we could afford. the people LOVE Chick Fil-A..Not because of their tiny 6 dollar dry chokey sandwiches, but that all the money they spend goes to Jesus and will make abortion and being Gay illegal…..grrrr.
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Absolutely ridiculous! Just as I do not push my atheistic beliefs on anyone else, I expect the same in return. Bible-thumpers need to learn to simply tend to themselves and their family. No one else is any of their business. Period. Dot.
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I hear some of you whine about how Chik fila is not open on Sunday and they shut down the Elks Club…yada yada…yet you have an ordinance that supported their position of no alcohol…stop whining about they have better lawyers and more money…get politically involved and find away to change the law. This article screams at Chik fila for their religious beliefs…OMG they actually believe in the bible AND they follow those beliefs…what a novel idea. You cry rivers that they are not open minded and they espouse hate yet you that whine are the haters. I don’t believe that same sex marriage is what God intended but I am not going to hate those that believe that it is right. I am going to love them they way Jesus would. Let them do what they want and you don’t have to purchase their food…as you want to have what you want(elks club serving beer on Sunday, same sex marriage, whatever) let them have what they want. Don’t hate!
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I do feel so sorry for you. I hope one of these days you will see the truth. Best of luck to you.
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So often people pick and choose the parts of the bible that they wish to preach. Jesus, who, if I remember correctly, is high up in the Christian religion, never spoke about homosexuality at all but did condemn divorce unless it was because of adultery. The bible is full of positive references to slavery but never condemns it. Wonder what this oh-so-righteous person privately thinks on that. I’ll never eat at one of their restaurants again. A healthy move, anyway! Grease and breading and salt…oh heavens, there’s something to get indignant about!
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And you can sell your daughter in the bible.
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Ed..You speak Volumes..Where do you hail from? i hope you dont live in the deep south. Brother John Birch and the First baptist Church are alive and well here and take every opportunity to tell someone how to live. You were right on about “Cherry Picking” the bible. They also do it with the Constitution. They know two amendments..The 2nd and the 10th (because of Fox Limbaugh) And they dont even know those right.Thank you Ed……
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These “folks” are on my Boycott List. Yay for Bostons Mayor…
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You are another hater hypocrite.
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A nugget..I think George Carlin(my favorite) would have came up with this had he lived..
If Southern Evangelicals are so preoccupied with the “End of the World” then why cant the demise of planet Earth be from “Global Warming” HAHAHA!!!
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I love Carlin and he is so missed. I see you got signed up with Gravatar. Now upload that adorable pic of you and your kitty.
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I’ve somehow managed to never go to Chick-fil-a, although there’s one within a couple of miles. I guess I’ll never know what I’ve missed. Too bad. I love waffle fries.
If Cathy wants to stake his business’s success on his religious beliefs, it’s his money. I’d like to think it will lose him more business than it gains, but hey, it’s a free country.
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Yes it most certainly is. I have to say, I’d like the “no work on Sundays” rule. I worked an inbetween job for about 6 months doing telemarketing – setting appointments with businesses for AFLAC agents to come in and talk about their product. Anyway, the owner was a very christian man and a preacher. He would always start work with a prayer and a 5 or 10 minute sermon. It was “optional.” We had to be in the room, but didn’t have to sit up at the front where he preached. I sat in the back and would drink my coffee, read the morning paper, and do the crossword puzzle. This guy also stepped out of the boundaries of legality, too. When his manager left, he needed to promote someone to that position. I had no interest as I wasn’t planning on staying there for that long. But I wouldn’t have been considered anyway because he had a requirement that his manager could not smoke.
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gee Michelle..Why come atheists have HALF the divorce rate of Evangelicals?
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Not sure… because they are free-thinkers and know the difference between reality and make-believe? Honestly, not sure. Every atheist I know is so much more level-headed, logical and thinks things through much more carefully. So perhaps because they don’t marry because the church and society says they should. Sadly, I don’t fit that stat… twice divorced.
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Hypocracy….When one man judges another for his beliefs and does not follow the doctrine he espouses..He should dig two graves.. I know ..poorly paraphrased Confuscius.
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Ayup. Most are pretty much hypocrites. Those that are hard-core anyway.
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Well tomorrow..Im going to our Chick Fil-a at the drive through and order.. “Welcome to Chick Fil-A, Hope your not Gay, can I take your order?” Yeah I would like a Pro Life Combo, John Boehner fries , and easy on the Defense spending…hehehe
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Do you have a camcorder? Or on your phone? That’d be great!
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Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat.Com™ and commented:
Thank you Motley News and Photography for this update.
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Brett Butler (comedian, not ball player) once said, “I hate bigots so much it makes me one,” or words to that effect.
It is NOT discrimination to stop a bigot from proliferating, or from profiting off others.
In this age, where all those old white boy patriarchs want to implement new “country club rules,” it’s simply good manners to show them the door.
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I saw that letter from the Boston Mayor on facebook and I LOVE it…
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It’s great! I’m glad he had the dignity and honor to write that.
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How come Dan Cathy know so much about what god is thinking.I’ts amazing,the man must have a direct line to god.Could it be that Dan Rathy are making it all up. No he’s a christian,he wouldn’t lie to us.
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He has the direct “red” phone. And a another line set up just for delivery orders straight from god.
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Dear Michelle, I just love chickens, but I would never consider bringing harm to a favorite Hen. It’s just that I can’t leave those eggs alone! Just nip off the small tip ( make sure the egg is still warm ) ; slip your tongue in and slip it around and around in a counter clockwise manner. Be sure to clean the shell out and above all DON”T LET ON THAT YOU ARE INTO THIS most satisfying gastronomical practice.
Sincerely and Secretly, eggsuckingpup
PS Welcome to the most hated group in the U S A. I don’t mean the “League of Egg Suckers”, but that 10% who are Atheists. I try to be quiet about both the egg sucking and the Atheism, but sometimes I just SNAP!
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Oh, there are a LOT more than 10%. I think our numbers are actually approaching 40%. Many people are just hesitant to cross from the label of “agnostic” to “atheist.” But that’s fine. It’s what is in their mind and heart. They know the truth.
And it never ceases to amaze me how many people I meet that are atheists. That’s why I think the percentage is much more than 10%. I think most are just more quiet about it. Just like we don’t like have the bible shoved down our throat, most atheists give the same courtesy to Christians et al… we don’t try to shove freethinking down their throats.
That egg sucking description was… well… different. 😉
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The egg sucking dog is not an invention. On the pharm some dogs go over to the dark side and start making regular visits to the hen house where they eat (suck) eggs. Many dogs get shot dead for this behavior as it is very persistent “jones”. Phillip
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I have heard about that, but thought it was more foxes and coyotes. Makes sense that dogs would do it too.
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Sry Michelle I disagree with your atheists remark…your life experiences with other atheists does not represent the worldly reality…just like your belief that Mr. Cathy has a direct red phone line to God. You pop off such nonsense about other peoples beliefs and you make a crazy comment that there are more atheists in this country because you met two of them at the park…don’t hate Mr Cathy, be tolerant, be loving. Just like the 90% of us have to or should be loving, tolerant of you being an atheist…I am praying for your soul though even if you don’t believe you have one.
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I’m so glad you are here and know me well enough to correct me.
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Hey, Joshua. Help me out here. I cannot seem to find in my article or in my comments where I said I “hate” Mr. Cathy. You see, I don’t hate him, but I do feel sorry for him being lost in the world of nothing buy myths. Also, you ask me to be tolerant? Looks like you need to focus on yourself in that category first before you start worrying about others since you have felt the need to rudely respond to four people who have commented here. Also… and I’m sorry, I do so have to chuckle at this one… “met two [atheists] at the park.” Ohhhh… you have NO idea how many atheists there are now. Many still refer to themselves as “agnostic” only because they either a) don’t want to have to listen to the vomit and hatred spewed forth by the fundamental Christians, or b) are just having a difficult time making that final step since they were raised from they day they were born to believe in god, either from their family or from society as a whole. It is not easy to wipe out the brainwashing of many decades – but it can be done. You are free to believe what you like, but please don’t create or support laws which force your hateful fiction into my life and household. Oh, seeing as where you live, your comments make perfect sense. Rich republican suburb. Nice area – I’ve been there many times. Just full of ignorant people.
In regards to Mr Cathy – as the owner of a very successful company, he really had no business bringing in his personal beliefs to the public – especially beliefs that are full of hate and intolerance. He is free to believe as he wishes at home and in his church – even to his employees as they all made the choice to work there, they don’t have to stay – but there was absolutely NO gain or anything positive to be found by making the statement he did. That was done out of hatred – so please, do not tell me to stop hating when it is Cathy that hates.
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Right now, I’m proud as hell of our Mayor Thomas Menino, and his no nonsense letter to Chick-Fucking-Fil-A. And if the KKK tried to come to Boston and set of a souvenir shop on The Freedom Trail selling lynched black guy bobble head dolls, I would support his “discrimination” of them too, when he told them they aren’t welcome here in Boston.
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I agree. I suppose technically it is discrimination not wanting a business in your city – but sometimes one must discriminate in order to rid the city of bad influences. So rather than discrimination, call it “selective reasoning.”
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I can run with that. I can also run with “Hey Intolerant Religious Fanatics, Racists, and Bigots! Don’t even bother thinking about running your business here in Boston, because we hate everything you represent, and we don’t want you here, you fucking promoters of social cancer!”
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Peace, Michelle. Peace…
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Michelle, I just want to ask. Have you ever had an offensive experience at Chick-fil-A, before all of this has happened? From my experience, regardless of what you believe, everyone who enters the store is treated with respect, and served. And that is the end of it. I have been reading some of your comments, and while everyone is open to their own opinion, isn’t part of being tolerant accepting people for who they are? By you pointing your finger and criticizing others’ beliefs, isn’t that being intolerant of them? You doing the same thing, pointing your finger at them and saying you are wrong, just because they do not agree with you? I see many people taking your sarcastic comments about God, and telling them that you feel sorry for them for what they believe, just as offensive as others have taken Chick-fil-A not supporting gay marriage.
I looked up the def. of tolerant and it reads: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward opinions and practices that differ from one’s own.
So if you are claiming to be tolerant, shouldn’t you respect someone else’s opinion, regardless of what you believe? That is what you are asking of others.
I don’t want this to be offensive at all. I just want to point out that as so many people are pointing fingers at people for being hypocritical and intolerant, it might be a good time for us to all look inside our selves and see if we are practicing what we are preaching. I respect that you are going to disagree with me, but I just wanted to share my thoughts with you, just like you have with everyone else reading this article.
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Thank you for sharing. When it comes to beliefs that are hateful and discriminatory, then no, I do not respect their opinion. Yes, I do have to tolerate it as there is no choice. I cannot change others, nor is it my place to do so. I only hope that people who do not see all people as equals will eventually realize that we are all equal, regardless of skin color, who we sleep with, or the amount of money in our accounts (or lack thereof, in some cases).
To respect someone’s opinion that is hateful towards others would be like asking me to respect Hitler’s opinion, or the KKK. I can’t and I won’t.
In regards to my experiences at CFA, no, I have never had a bad experience, nor bad food. But I have a choice to spend my money where I want to and if I do not want it going towards organizations that CFA supports, then I will not purchase my food from there. There are many other choices available. And personally, I rarely get fast food. It’s been months now since I have. I just don’t eat that stuff – although I do have a weakness for McD’s fries… 😀
Yes, sometimes I do often make sarcastic remarks about god. And I really should hold back more, but it really hurts me to see people follow and believe in something that just is not true. That the bible is a form of control over the masses. Yes, there are some excellent morals, many of which I follow. But, to me anyway, does not make the bible true. When I accepted the fact many years ago that I was an atheist, I felt like I had completely cleansed my entire being, my soul, my mind, my heart. Thinking freely is such an incredible feeling, it is very hard to describe. I live my life because it is the way I want to – not because a book or a pastor/priest/minister/etc or a congregation tells me to. It’s a wonderful feeling. Of course I am human and mistakes are made. And when I do wrong towards another person, boy do I feel guilty about it. And if it is possible I almost always apologize.
Am I a hyprocrite by calling groups names, such as bigot while I become angry when gays and minorities are treated poorly? Of course I am. And this is where my intolerance for hatred and discrimination shows. I just do not have tolerance towards those behaviors and beliefs. Although when I say I hate a group, person, or whatever, hate really is too strong of a word. I do not believe I am capable of truly hating like some people do. But I do have an enormous amount of disgust.
Yes, I am opinionated when it comes to certain things. When I say I respect other’s opinions when it comes to this site, what I am saying is that I will respect when people share opinions which vary from mine. In other words, so long as comments are done in a respectful manner – and your comment here is a perfect example – I will not become hateful in my reply. I may not agree, but I will not be hateful, but rather respectful. I have seen other bloggers respond to a polite, but opposing, comment with full-out hate – and that pushes me away and actually keeps me from commenting, even though I may agree with the writer.
I most certainly am not perfect. But when I point the finger at someone, or a group/organization, that looks down upon others, or is indifferent towards others feelings, I don’t feel guilty about calling them a bigot or a racist – because that is what they are. I can call them a butterfly, but that does not change what is in their heart. And I do feel sorry for them because they live in a world of hate and anger.
Wow, I have carried on. Thanks for commenting. It sounds like you may be following my blog since you have rather nailed some of my traits on the head. If so, thank you. I hope I do not lose you. I must get moving and head to work now (ugh). And I do hope you have a good day today. I hope mine is – I’m in a pretty good mood, especially considering I have been home sick the past two days. Take care and hope to hear from you again.
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Attaboy Chris…compare the KKK with someone who does not believe in same sex marriage! Comparing a group that has murdered with someone who has a belief that something is wrong. Your hatred of someone else’s beliefs is what is wrong…go ahead and don’t support Chik fila but your foul language and hate just undermines what you espouse…you are just another hypocrite. You don’t like Chik fila so you drop some f-bombs and want Chik fila to believe in your point of view…take care of the plank in your own eye before you point out the speck in mine.
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First of all, Joshua… I was not making a direct comparison of KKK lynchings to Chick-Fil-A, but only including the KKK in the discussion, because the Klan is also a group that believes they have an exclusive monopoly on the truth, and no toleration for anyone else’s right to believe anything that is in conflict with what the Klan believes to be true.
In this regard, there are very direct similarities between the Klan and the ownership of Chick-Fil-A. So your accusation is groundless and stupid because it exposes your inability to think carefully and clearly about the actual meaning of someone else’s point of view.
But why would you want to think carefully and clearly about another person’s point of view, when you can jump to incomplete and wrong headed conclusions, and launch an attack? Why would you want to have a reasonable conversation with someone, when you would rather start a fight instead?
The only thing that you got right Joshua, is that yes, I am a man who absolutely hates the haters, who hate others for exercising their right to have their own beliefs about the definition of what is right and wrong.
You can be certain that I hate the haters, who hate people for living a different life style, or believing in a different religion, or choosing to believe in no religion at all, while living peacefully and not doing any harm to others, and even minding their own business – instead of attacking others for thinking and being different from them.
Yes Joshua, I do hate all the haters, and I’m very proud of it. And you know who else I hate? People who stick their stupidly hostile opinions into other peoples conversations uninvited. Because I wasn’t talking to you Joshua… I was talking to Michelle. And as far as my use of profanity? Well that’s none of your fucking business too!
I’m done with you now, Joshua – because not only are you a fool trying to punch way out of your weight class, you are also a waste of my time.
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Woo-hoo! You tell ’em Chris!
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Thanks Michelle.
Not that I really care, but I wonder what happened to our new “friend” Joshua? I tried clicking on his name twice to check out his blog, and both times I was directed back to Motley News. But no great loss… In fact, none whatsoever.
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He entered in my website in the website field. He doesn’t have a wordpress account. He gave an email, but not sure it’s legit. But I won’t give it out or post it regardless of how much of an idiot he is. I want people to trust when they comment – even if their views are completely different.
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It’s not important. I was just mildly curious to see what his blog looked like, assuming he had one, and I wouldn’t have even bothered to comment if he did.
And of course I completely agree with you that his e-mail address shouldn’t be exposed. I’ve seen other people on other sites resort to doing that, and I have no respect for it whatsoever.
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Update……Folks here in Milton Florida are losing their minds over the Chick Fil-A debacle..Every church (southern fundamentalist, not Catholic or any sane sect) are fighting over getting Chick Fil-A to cater their Sunday Services this Sunday. I need to make pictures of the lines and signs outside of chick fil-a. There are even signs about the second amendment.. What does that have to do with gays?
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2nd Amend. doesn’t have anything to do with homosexuality – unless the homophobes plan on shooting the gays in self-defense – they’re defending themselves against “gay cooties.” Yes, this Chick-fil-A has completely gone off the deep end. I don’t agree with Mr. Ignorant, but he does have a right to say what he did – just as we have a right to stand up for equal rights. People need to simmer down or there will be some injuries or deaths over this.
Yeah, pictures!!!!
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I do support their rights to first amendment free speech.. If I did not It would make me a hypocrit..Im making a sign and going out into the fray..It says..”GOD, GUNS and GAYS” That ought to confuse the hell outta them.
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LOL… Yes, that most certainly will.
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Joshua..I respect this post..If more people followed the sermon on the mount more people would be led to Christ. But dont be condescending.The goal is not to outlaw Gay marriage or abortion.. The goal is to show people that God and Jesus are real and they are not a way to make money or legislation..
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