Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee
is defending Chick-Fil-A's right to be anti-gay by organizing a day
of appreciation.
Huckabee, the host of Fox News' talk
show Huckabee, is organizing the event to counter the
criticism Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy has received over his
recent comments in opposition to gay marriage.
Cathy unleashed a firestorm of
controversy when he said gay marriage is “inviting God's judgment
on our nation.” In
a subsequent interview, Cathy insisted the company doesn't harbor
an “anti-gay or anti-anything policy or attitude toward anybody
that's out there.” Between 2003 and 2010, Chick-Fil-A gave nearly
$5 million to groups opposed to gay rights, according to Equality
Matters.
(Related: Jim
Henson Company quits Chick-Fil-A over gay marriage.)
Huckabee, who is also an ordained
Southern Baptist minister, announced that Wednesday, August 1 would
be “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.”
“I have been incensed at the
vitriolic assaults on the Chick Fil-A company because the CEO, Dan
Cathy, made comments recently in which he affirmed his view that the
Biblical view of marriage should be upheld,” Huckabee wrote. “The
Cathy family, led by Chick Fil-A founder Truett Cathy, are a
wonderful Christian family who are committed to operating the company
with Biblical principles and whose story is the true American success
story. Starting at age 46 Truett Cathy built Chick Fil-A into a $4
billion a year enterprise with over 1600 stores. At 91, he is still
active in the company, but his son Dan runs it day to day as CEO.
It's a great American story that is being smeared by vicious hate
speech and intolerant bigotry from the left.”
“I ask you to join me in speaking out
on Wednesday, August 1 'Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day.' No one is
being asked to make signs, speeches, or openly demonstrate. The goal
is simple: Let's affirm a business that operates on Christian
principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the
Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick
Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1. Too often, those on the left make
corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion,
or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we're
considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant.
This effort is not being launched by the Chick Fil-A company and no
one from the company or family is involved in proposing or promoting
it.”
(Related: Mike
Huckabee calls on 'spiritual warriors' to defend America from gay
marriage.)