Christian bible-based fast-food retailer Chick-Fil-A is not welcome in Boston, says long-time Boston Democratic mayor Thomas M. Menino, who has led the city –New England’s largest — since 1993. Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy has been making the rounds recently, attacking same-sex marriage and promoting his bible-based business which has 1600 outlets and annual sales of $4.5 billion.
READ: Chick-Fil-A: So What’s The Big Deal, It’s Just Some Chicken, Right?
“Chick-fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston,” Mayor Merino told the Boston Herald. “You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion,” Merino said, adding, “That’s the Freedom Trail. That’s where it all started right here. And we’re not going to have a company, Chick-fil-A or whatever the hell the name is, on our Freedom Trail.â€
“The Freedom Trail is a red (mostly brick) path through downtown Boston, Massachusetts, that leads to 16 significant historic sites,” Wikipedia notes.
Merino “said he plans to fire off a letter to the company’s Atlanta headquarters ‘telling them my feelings on the matter’,” The Herald reported:
“If they need licenses in the city, it will be very difficult — unless they open up their policies,†he warned.
Chick-fil-A does not have any restaurants currently in Boston, although they do have two in Massachusetts, and are reportedly scouting for locations in Boston recently.
Yesterday, Chick-Fil-A published a statement claiming they would “leave” the marriage debate, but that statement did not say they will cease contributing to anti-gay hate groups and other organizations that actively attempt to make same-sex marriage illegal.
Chick-Fil-A over the past few years has donated $5 million to these organizations.
Related:
Like Chick-Fil-A? They Really, Really Don’t Like You.
Chick-Fil-A Has Spent $5 Million On Groups Trying To Stop Gay Marriage
Â
Image by Dan4th Nicholas via Wikipedia