So, I seldom am posting these days due to busy life, that is until something comes along that gets under my skin and I decide to finally post about it.

So in the news there have been many posts and news updates around about the CEO of Chick-Fil-A stating that he is oppose to Same Sex Marriage.  The posts that have been going around are stating that people should boycott Chick-Fil-A stores because of this....  Well, in my humble opinion... They have every right to boycott patronizing a business for whatever reason they have, whether that is because they don't like the food, they had a friend get sick there once, they hate the color of the packaging, they think the business is using products from China...  who knows, but they have that right..  I also have a very very strong opinion that the CEO of Chick-Fil-A has every right to make a statement on their beliefs just like you or I...  we live in the US for heavens sake and we should all feel safe to state our opinion...  that is what makes this country great!!

Ok, so here is the quote that Dan Cathy made (from the Baptist Press http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38271:

quote
"Some have opposed the company's support of the traditional family. "Well, guilty as charged," said Cathy when asked about the company's position.

"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

"We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that," Cathy emphasized.

"We intend to stay the course," he said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles." 

end quote

So, first of all I ask...  where is the hate in this statement?  Just because he states that they take the stance of following "the biblical definition", does not mean hatred toward "the gay definition".  The Bible states it a certain way, depending on the translation or alteration that has been done, and that is largely believed to be between a man and a woman.  He also did say that they were married to their "first wives", was that a hate message to everyone that has gone through a divorce?  I think not

So, here is where it gets dicey.... and where I get upset on this issue....

Chick-Fil-A has plans to open a new restaurant in Chicago in the 1st Ward area, when news of this statement by Dan Cathy came out all of a sudden Joe Moreno, the alderman of Chicago's 1st Ward began a series of statements rallying people to oppose Chick-Fil-A's expansion into the area.  He also got others to enlist to his call...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/joe-moreno-chicago-alderm_n_1701646.html

I'm sorry, but that is both unethical and immoral to block businesses based solely on either religious or sexual orientation basis.  If the tables were turned there are laws in place to protect people on issues like this, but because it was "pro biblical definition of marriage" it is okay to discriminate, in this alderman's eyes.

There are clear boundaries in place for cities to set up laws that govern what type of businesses can be in certain areas and what rules are around them...  If Chick-Fil-A had been wantonly discriminating against people based on sexual orientation, then by all means, do an investigation and then if there is evidence, take them to court and convict them if guilty.  If Chick-Fil-A was feeding people tainted food, or not keeping the restaurant in a clean and safe manner, there are agencies that are in place to protect the people from getting sick eating there, and if there was evidence that those things were going on, then shut them down till all the infractions can be remedied.

What this has escalated to is something that I am really worried about...  government (or I should say, those in government) being able to just pick and choose the businesses that they like and discriminate on the rest.  The act of bullying others due to their beliefs (and yes that is exactly what Joe did) is a slap in the face of everyone that is trying to make equal rights, truly "equal rights".

Whatever your stand on same sex marriage is, I would hope that you find these developments extremely worrisome.  I would encourage you to take up the call of action to make certain that people, regardless of opinion, will always have a right to that opinion, and that those in opposition are not permitted legally, to bully them based on that opinion here in the US.  I may not agree with those that have different opinions than I, but I will fight for their rights to be heard.  I do not have to listen, I do not have to agree, I can even decide based on the statements that I choose not to endorse or patronize a place of business that they may own...  but they can still under the rights we have in place, do their best to run their business ethically and successful. They have a right to be honest and state what they believe, and finally they have a right to choose what they will or won't in our society, and not have that dictated for them.

Joe, my question to you is this...  if they are not discriminating against gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, and any others in their hiring practice...  and are bringing needed jobs to people in your area, where they can start getting back to supporting the needs of their families...  shouldn't you help Chick-Fil-A do more of this in your area, not sit there and criticize and bully them based on their beliefs, and drive them out of Chicago, or even the state?

Today was Chick-Fil-A appreciation day due to those that are outraged by these turn of events...  I have heard that there are droves of people going into Chick-Fil-A's all over the country...  well, if we had one here I would go, not only because it is appreciation day, but because they have good food, I have always received excellent and friendly service from their employees, and they are closed on Sundays which I applaud these days.  May we always have our freedoms, and fight like hell for them!!

OK...  so I have been quiet for a bit....  today I had to speak up again.

So, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional today.  Why should I be upset you say?  Truth be known, I do not endorse same sex marriage...  Do I feel that they should have the same rights to medical care coverage, visitation, and legal rights like opposite sex marriages...  YES.  Do I feel that in a lot of ways their rights were being infringed upon before this...  YES  Here is my beef with this....  The people voted, passed Prop 8, now you have the arm of the Judicial System that is overriding this in one vote, how is this constitutional.  From my HS days (I know long, long ago, in a far away land) I learned that the three powers in our country do not have the ability to circumvent the majority decision of the people.  In the Constitution, Article 3, Section 1 it gives no power to the Judicial System to vote something "unconstitutional"  That was a power that was asserted by the Judicial System (Supreme Court) back in 1803 and was never challenged, so that group has been doing it ever since.  (see http://www.senate.gov/civics/constitution_item/constitution.htm)  Also, in Amendment X it states "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.", thus it is the people's right unless the Constitution specifically outlines that power or the people or the elected politicians from that state have given the Federal Government the power...  They cited the 14th amendment as a reason for it being unconstitutional.

I feel that this is actually an infringement on my rights.  What this is saying is that it does not matter what I vote for...  the Judicial System can just choose what they want and I have to go along with it.  I just have a hard time with the Government coming in a without vote or voice of the people making changes that can have such far reaching consequences that it effects so many without most understanding the ramifications. So, we have a Presidential Election coming...  what if the person that the majority of the people vote for gets elected, but then the Judicial System decides that it is "unconstitutional" to all him or her to make changes in the current health care program, and remove him.  I have a problem with this, and I think so would all of you.  Extreme example, you may say, and that this would never happen.  Well, at some point when you keep allowing the Government to take the little bits of your freedom away, you don't have freedom and no way to get it back unless there is a revolution.

Again, I do want equal rights for all.  Prop 8 was put on the ballot due to the LGBT community wanting to have a union between same sex attracted people to be called a "Marriage"  I do not agree, and yes I know that some will feel that I am old fashioned and allowing my religious beliefs to get in the way and dictate my decisions....  Yes I am allowing my beliefs to shape my decisions..  It is a free country.  I worry that with this there is no limit to what will be called a "Marriage".  Man and Man, Woman and Woman, Dog and Man, Car and Woman....  What will limit this..  if a union of 2 men or 2 women must be called a "Marriage" because our constitution says that it must, then a Man can Marry his Goat, and the constitution says that is correct as well.  This is a very slippery slope to go down, and I have to take a stand that it should not be a "Marriage".  Call it a Union and outline the rights that those that are in this Union.