I’m going to step on toes again. I’m going to voice my opinion. I’m going to love you even if you vehemently disagree with me. But, as usual, I’m going to voice my views anyway. I know, you’re shocked.
First of all, let me ask you, have you read the original interview that started all this hullabaloo? Have you? Or are you just drinking the koolaid, believing what every other sheep is telling you about the hate speech being spewed by Chick-fil-a CEO Dan Cathy? Because it matters. Question everything. Don’t just drink, from either side, go to the source. Here’s where it all started, please go read that link before moving on here.
And here’s where my beef is. Chick-fil-a got into all this boiling water, not because they said ugly things about certain groups of people, not because they refused to serve people who believe differently than them, not because they are promoting an agenda that says to go boycott someone somewhere. No. The owner (openly Christian) made a brief statement about his personal views. (which by the way, should have divorcees as up in arms as the gay community, go read the quote again)
This is not about my love or hate for people. I love people. Yes, I do support traditional marriage, but I love the people who choose otherwise. Several that I know personally. I do love. But you know something else I love? I love America. And all that she stands for. I love freedom. And the rights that God-fearing men fought for back in 1776 as they first drafted our laws. And you know what I hate? Those who would limit those freedoms. Especially by spreading lies about hate speech. Really? Have you read that original article? Go back, check it again, because there is no hate speech in it. The places I’ve seen the most hate and arrogance spewing from are from the far left who haven’t actually checked into the true quotes, just swallowing the koolaid, and the Christians who are hating on other Christians for getting involved. And both make me mad. Don’t spout about others’ arrogance and how we’re up in arms over some chicken and how we’re alienating the “lost” by supporting someone’s beliefs and how we should be making more noise about issues that really matter and how we’re doing less than Jesus would have us to do. Because you know what? You sound as arrogant as those you are railing against. I totally agree we should be fired up about orphans, and the starving, and the aborted, and the “real” issues. You’re totally right. But you know what else? I see our country changing before my very eyes. I see the conservative and the Christian giant slumbering. I see, in our slumber, the slipping away of our rights that we just take for granted now. They won’t be here if we don’t fight for them. And that’s important to me. I want the ability to speak up in a public place about things I believe that you might disagree on. And I want that for you as well, I want you to be able to speak about what you believe, to anger me with your freedoms. Because at least that means we’re free. And for me, that’s what this is all about. If you know me, you know I love people. You know I went tonight out of support for someone who turned the other cheek and didn’t ask for this support. And I went as a voice that is waking up from a far too long sleep. I went in support of freedom. May you have yours and may I have mine. Because this is what it was all about for me.
And so at this point I’ll talk about our sweet experience of showing support for someone strong enough to speak up for his beliefs. And live them. We went to Chick-fil-a tonight. Though we had heard there were crowds we were unprepared for a couple of things. One was the traffic outside and down the highway a half mile away. Crazy.
At this point we thought surely it was a wreck or something, anything other than a restaurant creating this much traffic after rush hour was completely through.
It was at this point that we realized the entire traffic jam ended, indeed in front of Chick-fil-a.
It was at this point, seeing the line outside the store, that we decided to not brave what appeared to be insanity. But when I asked Matt to drive closer for me to get a better picture, we realized the crowd was actually amazingly orderly and we asked a family leaving the restaurant how long the wait was. No more than 30 minutes. We decided to go ahead and try it. I’m so glad we did.
Not only were the people in line incredibly sweet and patient, all visiting with one another and passing the time in the heat by chit chatting, but not one person was overheard hating anyone. No one complained about anyone. No one protested, no one spouted ugly sentiments. Everyone around us turned out not in protest, but in support. In support of the ability to be there. To have a voice. To assemble peaceably.
As we got in the door, what could have been potentially a totally chaotic environment was far from it. The staff was as pleasant and cordial as they ever have been (and I can’t imagine the amount of work they had today, but it didn’t show in their voices or demeanor). There was one calm, patient line going in one door, every register taking orders, a group of customers waiting patiently and pleasantly to the side and everyone exiting out the other door. No one told anyone to do these things. We just did them. Happily. And as the orders were prepared they called out names, not numbers. Emphasizing what they always emphasize – that they serve people, not just another number through the door. We were in and out with our ice creams and lemonade in less than 30 minutes.
As we waited outside another thing I noticed was that their sign was not promoting or even mentioning this day. They were advertising some other event they have planned. Because this day was not organized nor promoted by Chick-fil-a. I like that.
And I like my freedoms. And I pray that there will be turnouts like this around the country come November. I pray that we will turn the tide on only being able to have one view and limited freedoms.
