Eat at Chick Fil A!!!!!!

[lao tzu]

what? now you want retroactive permission to post in restricted areas?

Great!

Now this time: Don't think of a pink elephant.

[lao tzu]

The Chick-fil-A controversy is, in many ways, a manufactured one--artificial liberal outrage over facts about the company that have been known for several years and sparked by the company's founder's recent comments confirming his worldview in a recent interview. If anything, the controversy and attendant boycott have been a boon for the company: Many people who had never heard of Chick-fil-A have given the restaurant a try, and many Americans who support traditional marriage have taken to eating at Chick-fil-A as a show of support (not to mention to enjoy some delicious chicken).

There's no question which way the zeitgeist is blowing on the gay marriage issue. America seems to be on the fast track to following the Roman Empire's pattern of decline. We have near-insurmountable debt. We have a decline in arts and entertainment (Jersey Shore, anyone?). We have bread and circuses for the poor, in the forms of welfare and pornographic violence and sex available at the click of a mouse. And we have a growing acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle--over half of Americans are in support of so-called gay marriage now.

The Left has now couched the gay marriage issue in terms of the civil rights struggles of the nineteen-sixties, thus giving them carte blanche for spewing the most acerbic vitriol (including insults and death threats) against those who they see as the oppressors. Contrast this to the actual civil rights movement of the sixties, when the oppressed (by and large) let civil discourse rule the day and the vitriol--often in the form of physical violence rather than merely verbal--came from those opposed to change. I do not believe this bodes well.

But I'll be eating at Chick-fil-A on August 1, despite my conviction that the downward spiral we're in may be irreversible.

Yup, that's the regularly scheduled gay bashing y'all may continue, now.

[Sparko]

Yup, that's the regularly scheduled gay bashing y'all may continue, now.

Thanks for your permission. I guess that makes you a gay basher too.

[brother vinny]

Yup, that's the regularly scheduled gay bashing y'all may continue, now.

I didn't think I had bashed anyone. Next you'll be calling me an intolerant bigot.

While we're on the subject: When did tolerance become a synonym of affirmation? The latter is clearly what the gay community wants; when it's not granted, the word "intolerant" is quickly slapped on the offending party.

To tolerate something is to put up with that something with the implication that one would rather do otherwise.

[technomage]

I didn't think I had bashed anyone.

Your speech regarding "liberals" was quite derisive (not to mention logically fallacious).

[brother vinny]

Your speech regarding "liberals" was quite derisive (not to mention logically fallacious).

Have specifics to point out? As far as derisive, it was the paragon of restraint when compared to what I've witnessed this past week or so (of course, I frequent FARK, and derisive is de rigueur there). And if I've been fallacious, please point out my fallacy so I might shore up my logic, which I ever seek to improve.

In point of fact, I didn't even say the word "liberals." I used "liberal" once, in reference to the source of the manufactured outrage I was commenting upon. Are you saying that the outrage wasn't manufactured? Or that the source of outrage isn't from the Left?

[technomage]

Have specifics to point out?

"artificial liberal outrage" is a good start. Also, your comment "The Left has now couched the gay marriage issue in terms of the civil rights struggles of the nineteen-sixties, thus giving them carte blanche for spewing the most acerbic vitriol (including insults and death threats) against those who they see as the oppressors" completely ignores the frequent vitriol (and occasional violence) from the Right on the issue.

And if I've been fallacious, please point out my fallacy so I might shore up my logic, which I ever seek to improve.

Fundamentally, broad-brush fallacy (both by attributing the ill behavior of some on the Left to all on that side), and cherry-picking (by ignoring the vitriol from the Right).

[brother vinny]

"artificial liberal outrage" is a good start.

So, you're saying outrage over facts that have been known about Chick-fil-A for years isn't artificial?

Also, your comment "The Left has now couched the gay marriage issue in terms of the civil rights struggles of the nineteen-sixties, thus giving them carte blanche for spewing the most acerbic vitriol (including insults and death threats) against those who they see as the oppressors" completely ignores the frequent vitriol (and occasional violence) from the Right on the issue.

Sorry, but I haven't seen a whole lot of that. A little, but it's easily drowned out by the sheer volume of derision coming from the Left. I don't seek to excuse vitriol from the Right--it's inexcusable coming from either side.

Fundamentally, broad-brush fallacy (both by attributing the ill behavior of some on the Left to all on that side), and cherry-picking (by ignoring the vitriol from the Right).

I don't believe I said the whole Left was involved. I don't even know how I would gauge such a thing. I can only report on what I see. For future reference, it's pretty safe to assume that when I refer to the Left, I'm talking about a subset. I can't even tell how big a subset it is, only that it is very vocal and wants the Right to know they're "on the wrong side of history," whatever that crap means. Maybe it's just a lone nut with a lot of sock puppets on facebook.

[technomage]

outrage over facts that have been known about Chick-fil-A for years isn't artificial?

I, for one, was not aware of it. I cannot, of course, present you with hard facts and figures on how many were already aware and how many were not, but in my case, most assuredly, the outrage is not "artificial." (There is also the fact that I do not qualify as "leftist"--I am centrist in my politics.)

Sorry, but I haven't seen a whole lot of that.

I have, unfortunately--both on the media and in person (I have a family member who is gay).

I don't believe I said the whole Left was involved.

You simply said "The Left," with no disclaimer, which certainly connotates "the whole Left."

[brother vinny]

I, for one, was not aware of it. I cannot, of course, present you with hard facts and figures on how many were already aware and how many were not, but in my case, most assuredly, the outrage is not "artificial." (There is also the fact that I do not qualify as "leftist"--I am centrist in my politics.)

Okay, so you're one person in whom the outrage is not artificial. Just as I cannot speak for the Left as a whole, neither can you. What I do know is that the facts about Chick-fil-A have been known for several years, so much so that there have been people boycotting Chick-fil-A before boycotting it was cool.

Even if it wasn't commonly known, what is almost universally known about Chick-fil-A (by anyone who knows what Chick-fil-A is) is that their founder is a Christian who closes all his restaurants on Sunday. What did you think he was going to say when it came to traditional marriage?

I have, unfortunately. . . a family member who is gay.

Sorry, it was low-hanging fruit.

You simply said "The Left," with no disclaimer, which certainly connotates "the whole Left."

I know. I didn't mean to connotate the whole Left. Which is why I said, "For future reference. . . "

[technomage]

Sorry, it was low-hanging fruit.

It was also quite disrespectful to me and to my family member.

[brother vinny]

It was also quite disrespectful to me and to my family member.

Yeah, it was. I shouldn't have done it. I'll edit it out if you like. Would you like me to do that for you?

[technomage]

Yeah, it was. I shouldn't have done it. I'll edit it out if you like. Would you like me to do that for you?

Words are ephemeral, BV. Their effects can last long after the words are washed away.

Edit the words or not as you choose. But know that your actions have consequences.

[brother vinny]

Geez, back only about a day and already rubbing people the wrong way.

Apologize to your family member. Think I'll go back to lurking for a while.

[Jedidiah]

Lots of us are glad to see you back. We have so much liberal outrage here, a little conservative is not unwelcome. Stick around.