Picking up the Pieces after Chick-Fil-A Day

I did not eat at Chick-Fil-A today. Don't stop reading yet. Let me tell you why.

I could have. Easily. We have a Chick-Fil-A in the Student Center at my university. I just returned to my on-campus library job on Monday, and walking through the Student Center last night, I noted a sign outside the entrance saying that they would open for lunch today, August 1.

I semi-followed the Chick-Fil-A drama and controversy after it erupted. I have Facebook friends and follow people on Twitter from both polar ends of the debate spectrum. I heard all the arguments. I saw all the bitingly sarcastic memes.

More than anything, I saw adult human beings blatantly refusing to take a moment to try to see things from someone else's point of view.

First of all, First Amendment rights are not really at stake, as much as people seem to think they are. This article from CNN, written by First Amendment attorney Marc J. Randazza, points out the fact that a boycott and negative media exposure in response to Mr. Cathy's statement are not a curtailment of his First Amendment rights. Those protesting and boycotting are also exercising their First Amendment rights. "The First Amendment protects you from government action suppressing your right to free speech. It does not protect you from private individuals' negative reaction to your speech."
Chick-Fil-A itself does not discriminate against customers or employees based on sexual orientation. The CEO of the company merely shared his personal views in the public arena. 
What some people have been reacting to, instead, are the threats of mayors and city leaders to do their best to use zoning and "adverse secondary effects" reasoning to deny permits to Chick-Fil-A to operate in the cities and areas under their jurisdiction. THIS, as the article points out, is where the First Amendment rights come into play. "A city can't deny permits because it disapproves of the owner's exercise of his First Amendment rights. Both Menino [Mayor of Boston] and Moreno [Mayor of Chicago] were dead wrong even to claim they would do so. That crosses the line between simply speaking out and abusing government power." The mayors are allowed to express their opinions about Cathy's opinion, but they cannot legally deny Chick-Fil-A operating permits in their cities based on their dislike of the CEO's stance on marriage equality. Legally and constitutionally, the chances are extremely slim that these mayors will be able to make good on their threats.

What is more disturbing to members of the LGBT community and their supporters is the fact that Chick-Fil-A supports the Family Research Council and the Family Foundation (which, I will point out, it did even before all the craziness erupted). Both foundations conduct and circulate research that opposes equal rights for same-sex couples. Chick-Fil-A financially supports both organizations at least partially with their profits, made when we purchase their delicious chicken nuggets and sandwiches.

And here is the divide--we've transitioned from a Chick-Fil-A debate to the equal rights debate underneath.

I'm not here today with a contribution to the equal rights debate. I'm becoming more and more clear on where I personally stand in that debate every day, but that's not for this post. It doesn't matter where I stand. It doesn't matter where you stand. It doesn't matter where anybody stands because love has nothing to do with where we stand on anything. For the love of all that's holy, can we just please pick up the pieces of this debacle and love each other?

In the words of Rachel Held Evans, "our allegiance is to Jesus Christ, not a restaurant." And in the words of Jen Hatmaker, "when we turn to politics and power to legislate our brand of morality, we take the opposite approach of Jesus whose power was activated in the margins with the outcasts...humbly...peripherally... With every hate Tweet and finger jab and Bible bludgeon, you are telling my gay friends they are indeed unwelcome, unloved, unvalued, and uninvited."

I support Dan Cathy's right to free speech, and I do support his right to hold to his views, regardless of who does and doesn't agree with him. Also, the vast majority of Chick-Fil-A supporters that I know are not homophobes. You are not mean, spiteful people, and I'm pretty sure most didn't choose to eat at Chick-Fil-A because you hate LGBT people. In fact, most of the time you say you're loving them (whether or not it comes across).

But I also love and support my LGBT friends, and I hurt for you in the aftermath of this charade.

I came to my individual conclusion today that there are more important things in life than making a stand on either side of this fast food frenzy. Like this, for example. That's why I didn't eat at Chick-Fil-A today. My fast food money went elsewhere.

Dear friends, is there a way we can come together after this? Can we bridge the gap made wider by insensitive comments and well-meaning people on both sides saying things that didn't help? Whether it's possible or not, can we please try anyway?

In closing, to my LGBT friends, I am so sorry about anything that may have been said or done today that made you feel like anything less than a human being with feelings and dignity. You are loved, you are valued, and you are precious.