Republicans Fight for Chick-fil-A’s First Amendment Rights

August 2, 2012 By 25 Comments

The Chicago Republicans filed a formal complaint with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office along with the Illinois Attorney General’s office following Chicago Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno’s declaration that he intended to deny a permit to a proposed Chick-fil-A in his ward because the chief executive officer of the company, Dan Cathy, recently publicly proclaimed his support for traditional marriage.

Moreno said that gay marriage was the defining civil rights issue of our time and proclaimed that Cathy’s stance amounts to a form of homophobia and discrimination.

According to Chicago Republican Party Vice President Chris Cleveland, Moreno’s public statements amount to an abuse of power and violate the First Amendment.

“The complaint asks that the Attorney General Investigate Alderman Joe Moreno for abusing the power of his office and engaging in direct and overt religious discrimination against Chick Fil A.”

The Chairman of the Republican Party in Chicago said that the issue is not one of marriage but free speech and religious liberty.

“This not a marriage issue. It’s a free speech issue,” said Adam Robinson, the Chairman of the Chicago Republican Party.

Cleveland echoed those sentiments.

“This is a basic legal issue. It’s a Constitutional issue. It’s a free speech issue,” said Cleveland of their complaint.

Suzanne Devane, a Republican Committeeman from the 49th Ward, said that this latest salvo against Chick-fil-A was part of a larger war on religious liberty.

“First, we had the Obama administration saying they would refuse to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, a law duly enacted  by the United States Congress. Next, we had the Department of Health and Human Services mandate in which the government is telling employers that must offer insurance coverage for their employees where they should pay for medications and procedures that violate their religious beliefs. Now, we have a company whose founder believes in the Judeo-Christian tradition of marriage told by the City of Chicago that you can’t open a second location here.”

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Filed Under: Daily Mailer, FrontPage
About

After spending more than a decade in finance, Michael Volpe has worked as a freelance journalist since 2009. He's based in Chicago. Volpe published his first book in October 2012, titled "Prosecutors Gone Wild: The Inside Story of the Trial of Chuck Panici, John Gliottoni, and Louise Marshall." His new book, "The Definitive Dossier of PTSD in Whistleblowers," is now available.

  • Chezwick

    I went and ate at Chick Fil A yesterday to show my support for free speech. At my locality, the restaurant was positively packed….as it apparently was throughout the country. I was proud of my townsfolk….and proud of my country. It gave me hope that the America I grew up in is still alive and well.

  • davarino

    Hahahah, are there any other businesses you want to boycott? I'll bet the Chik-fil-A's in my city did a month's worth of business in one day. Its not so much that I went to defend CfA, although I like the restaurant, it was in protest to the leftist thugs who think they have a right to tell us what we can think and believe, and the gall to determine whether or not a business can operate in your fare city. There is no discrmination at CfA, they just serve food, but the thought police cant stand it when someone voices their OPINION.

  • Asher

    People have been driving from long distances to go to Chick-Fil-A locations that are not in their home towns. The food is good, and people are friendly and want to stand up for rights and Freedoms, as well as Heterosexual marriage. The support is incredible for Chick-Fil-A and its owner, the lines are long but people are glad to wait for their chicken or other foods. A great sign for Freedom….

  • Kevin

    The Left lives up to a book that was out a few years back: Protest for me, but not for thee (or something to this effect). I am so sick of the homo Left. Though a mere 2% of the population, they act as if they are the other 98%. How such a minuscule minority ever got so much political clout is a mystery, especially THIS minority. They are defined by whose you-know-what-goes-you-know-where. This is a sick group of people parading and masquerading as "just another slice of the wonderful diversity of America." The APA got it wrong with its political decision in 1972; these people are in need of mental help, not encouragement.

    • Jim_C

      They're human beings who want to be able to having loving relationships without shame, and share the same legal benefits as the rest of us who commit our lives to the ones we love. Believe what you like, but keep your heart open.

      • mlcblog

        OK Civil union then, but the word marriage is between a physically male man and an actually born that way woman. The gays, in order to use the word marriage, go into all sorts of strange!! concoctions and imaginings in their minds about "really" being such and such. All pretend, like little children.

        I am OK with adults wanting to cement a union and live together and have a partnership that is respected by laws, mutual health insurance, etc., but they don't get to use the word Marriage for it. I think civil unions should be available to all who want them, homo or otherwise.

      • HoR_Emperor

        No, most of them are Leftist radicals pursuing the totalitarian dream of sexual liberationist theology.

      • HighPressure

        but "they" stop even former homosexuals from free speech… "they" try to recruit … but "they" don't want others to promote traditional family…. but "they" want to interfere with raising of children of other groups… but "they" can live together without forcing others to recognize it…. and forcing others to recognize it, pay for it is a violation of civil rights and goes beyond the scope of government and becomes tyranny…

      • Western Spirit

        No Jim that spiel sounds lovely but isn't true. Gays want to change marriage, period, to the detriment of America's traditional values. That' s why having civil rights accorded to their relationships simply won't do. It's as simple as that, no matter what rational they use to justify their demands.

        But an open heart is a good thing even for those who offend our values and our good sense.

  • BS77

    So now it is an ORWELLIAN thought crime to express your own beliefs if they contradict the Supreme PC Liberal Agenda. No wonder thousands flocked to Chicken Fil A………..it is an expression of support for the First Amendment .

  • Steve Chavez

    "REVENGE OF THE NERDS." The nerds finally stood up to the bullies. Up until the Tea Party coming out by the thousands in their first protest, the BULLIES HAD THE MICROPHONE. The Silent Majority just watched these childish games that the bullies played on a daily basis. THEN WE GOT THE BULLY-IN-CHIEF who said the most vile things about a whole group of Americans which is opposite of being a President of all the people. He never quit the partisan attacks.

    Since 1986, this author has watched protests and 99% by the CPUSA FRONTS based at Peace Centers. After the invasion of Iraq, there were protests at the university and a SMALL COUNTER-PROTEST across the street which was a first. One leftist protester attacked a counter-protester, a teenager, and police were called. A National Lawyers Guild representative came over and wanted to blame the teenager but every witness blamed the leftist who had crossed the street to attack. The cops were called and they took the teenager home and the leftist ASSAULTER GOT AWAY WITH IT!

    THE CHICK FIL A PROTEST WAS THE FIRST PROTEST AGAINST THE P.C. POLICE WHO ARE HANDCUFFING our way of life, what we eat and drink and how much, what we drive and live in, what toys we own, what shows we watch and listen to, and what we are to believe in. ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH!

    Here in Albuquerque, news clips showed the twenty counter-protesters instead of the hundreds in line and the hundreds of cars surrounding the place to get in the drive-thru lane. THAT'S OUR MEDIA. BUT IT SHOWED THE MOST RADICAL PROTESTER WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL and is the leader of all types of protests. She is a lesbian at the university and the leader of the OCCUPY MOVEMENT, AND OTHER GROUPS, WHO DISRUPTED THE NONIE DARWISH SPEECH HOSTED BY THE ISRAEL ALLIANCE. Members of the audience tried to remove the OCCUPY NUTS and one person was charged with assault by this same leader when THEIR OWN VIDEOS SHOWED SHE WASN'T EVEN TOUCHED. THE CASE AGAINST THE MAN, BROUGHT ON BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO, WAS DISMISSED THIS WEEK. NO PENALTY FOR THE OCCUPY GROUP who broke at least three UNM Code of Conduct rules.

    The same woman was the leader of the Chick Fil A counter-protest AND YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT SHE WILL CAUSE ENOUGH PROBLEMS ON FRIDAY. THE PLAN IS TO BLOCK THE DRIVE THRU WITH THEIR CARS, BUT LIKE THEY BROKE DOWN so police don't tow it away costing them a couple hundred to get it back. BLOCK THE DOOR WAY, AND MAYBE THE COUNTER so customers can't get access to put in an order. WHAT THEY WANT IS FOR SOMEONE TO GRAB THEM, TO PUSH THEM, TO CUSS AT THEM, SO THEY CAN CLAIM ASSAULT AND THERE YOU HAVE THE MEDIA WATCHING THE COURT CASE and the publicity they want and will get. They are the bullies and someone will finally tire of them and lose their cool. They'll also use their free speech to cuss out the religious fanatics which is HATE SPEECH and someone somewhere will react therefore giving the avenue for a court case and damages.

    IN THE END, THEY WANT TO SUE CHICK FIL A for not providing security from "the crazy Tea Party right-wing racists." Now they get the media attention they seek and the "evil dollar" that they hate!

    • fiddler

      At some point there is going to be a response to the left-wing media. They have long since been outed as compromised and biased. Somehow they think they are immune to public scrutiny. That needs to change. Our country is at a tipping point. These people live for 11 o'clock news sound bites. They (these neo-sixties radicals) are noting but social agitators, without scruples. I heard a gay man call Sean Hannity saying he had a change of heart back in 2008 and for the first time voted Republican. We can only hope that the lefts self-disclosure will continue to show voters who the REAL "bullies" are. This marvelous turnout is encouraging. Hopefully the masses will grow weary of the constant distortions of the news and just turn CNN et. all OFF.

  • intrcptr2

    But I thought the whole LGBT agenda was based on the idea that they were not a minority; they are no different from the rest of us.

    Of course, as yet, the Supreme Court has not added "sexual behavior" to suspect classes which are afforded special attention in non-discrimination law.

    Each of these political blowhards crossed the line when they issued their proclamations on government letterhead.

  • Jim_C

    Much as I hate to say it, you guys are right on this.

    If you don't want to support the bigotry of a company's CEO, don't buy his food. Pretty simple.

    • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLNn2YflwNs Roger

      Sounds like what we do with JCPenny now that they've gone politically active on the same issues.
      http://godfatherpolitics.com/6225/j-c-penney-flou…

    • HoR_Emperor

      There is nothing "bigoted" about resisting the Left's ongoing campaign to deconstruct fundamental social and sexual norms.

  • Looking4Sanity

    "Moreno said that gay marriage was the defining civil rights issue of our time and proclaimed that Cathy’s stance amounts to a form of homophobia and discrimination."

    This brings to mind an image of the conversation that must have taken place on that fateful day that God cast Lucifer down from the heavens.

    Lucifer: "You're just scared of me because I'm different and you treat me badly because of my behavior!"

    God: "Get the He!! out of here!"

  • http://tarandfeathersusa.wordpress.com/ Iratus Vulgas

    I'd have more sympathy for the gay rights people if I believed the Chick-fil-A boycott actually had something to do with gay rights. Let's not kid ourselves. The radical left will not be happy until every conservative is put out of business and is thrown out into the street.

  • bkopicz

    The idea that elected officials are demanding its citizens (with threats of commercial viability) to believe (not act but think) according to a particular ideology is nothing short of fascism. It is an attach on America and what it has stood for from the beginning of its inception.

  • Ghostwriter

    Well,I've been attacked for my discomfort with BL and GL manga and anime and my belief that most homosexuals should keep their private live private if they wish. I see where Mr. Cathy is coming from. He should not be threatened simply because he has a different point of view from those like Mayor Emmanuel and those like him.

  • mlcblog

    You are exactly correct. That is their agenda!

  • Christina Davis

    I went back today for more Cick-fil-A! Our local one is still doing very brisk business…YAY!
    I took my empty Chick-fil-A cup and used clear sticker dots to glue it to my back car window…freedom of speech! :0)

  • rockman

    "We are proud of Chick-Fil-A and their courageous stand against political correctness and and the venal, corrupt politicians and militant homosexuals who have attempted to harm a decent and productive company because of their deeply held traditional beliefs about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman"

    The Cows

  • kafir4life

    The nut jobs have to be careful where their ire is spent. Chick-Fil-A is a much easier target than the Black Baptists ministers that say exactly the same thing. Kinda like when President Stinky (BO) used to say the same thing, but they gave him a pass, but rallied against Carrie Prejean when she said the exact same thing that Stinky did about gay marriage.

  • CurmudgyOneJr

    "Moreno said that gay marriage was the defining civil rights issue of our time …" Good grief, if that's the case, then our priorities are horribly skewed away from what is really important. Gays are already given the privilege of being domestic partners, with the benefits that also accrue to married couples; they just want to denigrate the word "marriage" because the Christian Bible defines it as one man/one woman.

    But, if this is the defining civil rights issue of our times, then we are already near the bottom of that slippery slope to failure as a society … what about little girls in Muslim countries being surgically altered so they cannot enjoy the sex act? What about "honor killings," or rapes where the girl is held responsible?What about people in Darfur being murdered? What about Assad killing innocent civilians — Isn't the right to life (for adults) more important than homosexual "marriage?" And, since I mention "right to life," how about the almost 60 milion babies (most of then Black, to make it even worse) murdered? Talk about a civil rights issue! Let's get real,here. Political correctness has morphed into absolute political idiocy!