#dancathy

Truett’s Chick-fil-a Stockbridge Ribbon Cutting.

When Dan Cathy interviewed with the Baptist Press in mid July, I am sure he did not anticipate the instant backlash that would hit his company, Chik-Fil-A.  He surely felt comfortable expressing his position in the company of his peers and like minded people.  But as the say in the Social  Network, the internet is written in ink. and these statements flew quickly around and around and around.  What has been created is a huge Medusa head of hate, snaking out from both sides of the issue.  This makes me wonder...when did hate become in Vogue?

The internet is an amazing thing, but dangerous.  It provides a platform of anonymity, a distance from others that in person contact cannot.  We say things that we may not say in person because we don't actually have to physically view the outcome of our actions.  We can post a photo mocking someone or post racist messages and not have to see the pain or tears that they cause for someone.  We can just go on about our day, following the unkind post with one quoting the Bible or an inspirational quote and think nothing of it, not realizing the contradiction in the two actions.

Please take a look at Merriam-Webster definition of hate. Fear. That is what most often motivates hate. Fear of what is not known, fear of what may happen, fear of being ridiculed by our peers for taking an opposite stance on an issue all factor into the things we say and do.  If someone is brought up from an early age that homosexuality is wrong, via their religion or otherwise, it can be to terrifying stand up against it when your entire family and all your peers will turn their backs on you and make you the enemy.  It seems easier to just comply and not risk losing everyone who means something to you. So you blindly follow the masses, even if the heart isn't in it.

I was fortunate enough to be taught at a young age the impact of using the word hate, and the power it had.  I once was at my grandmother's house and said I hated someone.  She sat me down and told me that hate is a strong word, and that I should never use it, particularly when in reference to people.  She asked I use the word dislike instead.  She explained that just because I don't like how a person behaves or who they associate with, that I should not hate them, but treat them how I would want to be treated.  There are many people out there who have not had someone in their lives to educate them in this way.

I can't help recalling that conversation as Facebook and other social media outlets are flooded with posts concerning Dan Cathy and his statements.  Huffington Post recently reported that Chik-Fil-A employees are being harassed and have to put up with hate speech in their stores.  This hate speech is not singular to any one group.  Pro and Anti-GLBTG folks are equally guilty and it has to stop. 

We don't know the reasons why someone is working at Chik-Fil-A.  Until recently, they may have been unaware of the types of groups Dan Cathy donates his company's money to, as was much of the general public.  They may not agree with those views and to ridicule them for the stance a privately owned company takes is wrong.  As employees, they are required to treat every customer with dignity and respect, regardless of any circumstances.  So basically, they have to sit there and take it when a customer says they 'hate queers' or a protester calls them a horrible person for working there.  Think about that for a minute. One day you come to work at job you like, then the next day it's chaos and you have a whole new set of challenges you must face while working for a little more than minimum wage. No one deserves that, regardless of their beliefs.

Every customer that enters a Chik-Fil-A may also not be aware of same issues, so to call someone a hater of gays for eating a chicken sandwich is insane.  Granted, there are quite a numerous amount of people recently supporting Chik-Fil-A based on what Dan Cathy believes, but to lump all customers into this category is a generalization.  I have seen photos posted taken at Chik-Fil-As all around the country, not only taken on Mike Huckabee's "Support Chik-Fil-A Day", but from the time this news came out.  These photos have been altered or given hateful captions without regard to those shown in the photos. That employee's or customer's photo, now marked for life, with the phrase "Gay Hater", may in fact be (GASP)...gay. 

"You write your snide bullshit from a dark room because that's what the angry do nowadays."  I think this quote from Erica Albright in the Social Network aptly sums up what is occurring these days, not only with Chik-Fil-A, but so many other issues.  Because we have the safety of anonymity, we feel we can say whatever we feel without consequence.  We don't think before we post, or alter photos or comment on social forums.  We are losing our humanity and it frightens me.  It frightens me to see tiny children, faces twisted and screaming, holding anti-gay protest signs.  It terrifies me to think that our society has become so willing to rip each other apart just because of differences of opinion.  It hurts my heart knowing that there are so many uneducated people spreading messages of hate and fear.

I have not eaten at Chik-Fil-A since this news became public, as the ONLY way Dan Cathy can donate money to hate-based organizations is if we give it to him.  I propose that all of us who are opposed to Dan Cathy and the organizations he supports do the following:

1. Stop your patronage of Chik-Fil-A.  Immediately. Encourage like minded people to do the same and in doing so, take away the power of the almighty dollar.

2. Put aside the money you would spend there.

3. Donate that money (or if you never ate there, a dollar amount of your choosing) to organizations which support the LGBTG community.  Here is a list provided by Wikipedia of such organizations around the world. Please verify the validity of the organization before donating.

4. Send all donations in honor of Dan Cathy and have the organization send a letter citing the donation, along with information on what the organization does for the LGBTG community to this address: 

Chick-fil-A CARES P.O. Box 500367 Atlanta, GA 31150

5. Educate, don't hate.  Show supporters of Dan Cathy and his beliefs how hurtful anti-gay organizations can be instead of just choosing to hate back.  Keep in mind, their beliefs and views may not be coming from a place of hate, but ignorance and fear.