Atlanta, GA - Liberty Counsel stands behind Chick-fil-A and its president, Dan Cathy, regarding Cathy’s recent statement about supporting natural marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Following Cathy’s comments supporting natural marriage, government officials from three cities said they will ban Chick-fil-A from opening restaurants in their municipalities.
“To deny business permits or zoning approvals to Chick-fil-A because the president of the privately owned family business expressed his Biblical view of natural marriage is outrageous,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “Any city trying to ban Chick-fil-A will not win this battle.”
As a guest on a syndicated radio talk show, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy said that he supported the Biblical definition of marriage as one man and one woman. “We are very much supportive of the family – the Biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business. …We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that,” Cathy said.
Demanding a public apology, Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno said that he will deny Chick-fil-A from opening a restaurant in Chicago’s Logan Square. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino told the Boston Herald that he would block Chick-fil-A from opening a restaurant in the “Cradle of Liberty.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel followed suit.
“These government officials ought to be ashamed. For a public official to threaten denial of a right to do business because the president of a private company supports natural marriage is the height of stupidity and intolerance,” said Staver. “Unfortunately, their response is typical of intolerant homosexual activists. They will go to any lengths to silence the majority of Americans who believe that children do best when raised in a natural family with one mom and one dad,” added Staver.
“There is absolutely no evidence that Chick-fil-A has discriminated against anyone,” Staver continued. “The intolerance displayed by these government officials ought to serve as a wakeup call to the majority of Americans who support the commonsense understanding of natural marriage. If given the chance, these intolerant officials would silence anyone who supports natural marriage. They have placed extreme ideology over freedom,” Staver concluded.
Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
