Chick-fil-A's popularity in the District is booming thanks to their new food truck, but the company has presented an ethical conundrum to locals who love chicken and think same-sex couples should be allowed to marry. The company's president, Dan Cathy, revealed just how strongly opposed to gay marriage he is. ("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," Cathy said in an interview this week.)
Robert Turner, president of D.C. Log Cabin Republicans, provided his thoughts on the matter to Yeas & Nays. He sees no issue with enjoying a spicy chicken sandwich and also supporting the right of two men or women to walk down the aisle together.
"No problem at all," he said. "At the end of the day, if one looks deeply at the companies one patronizes -- eating at Chick-fil-A, shopping on Amazon, ordering a Coke with your meal -- you'll find a multitude of issues where you and that company disagree."
As for the crest of tweets urging folks to boycott the chain, Turner said, "People need to make up their own minds and not succumb to peer pressure."
Turner added that private companies are entitled to their religious beliefs, though "if people believe that marriage is a religious institution, then let's get the government completely out of marriage. No more marriage licenses, no more justice of the peace weddings, no more tax breaks." The Log Cabin Republicans officially oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment, which seeks to define marriage between a man and a woman.
As for Cathy's recent remarks, Turner wasn't surprised. "I'm not sure why this should come as a shock to anyone," he said. "Their religious beliefs have been well-known for years. Have you ever seen a Chick-fil-A open on a Sunday?"
