Today is National Same-Sex Kiss Day at Chick-Fil-A, in response to Chick-Fil-A’s continued funding of an anti-gay hate group and many other anti-gay groups that actively work to fight equal rights, demonize gay people. Wednesday, thanks to Mike Huckabee, was reportedly Chick-Fil-A’s best day ever.
A few thoughts to my equality-supporting friends and allies who may be visiting a Chick-Fil-A today.
First, don’t do this!
You may get fired, and rightly so. No one likes a bully, even when you’re standing up for equality. Actually — especially when you’re standing up for equality.
I think this has been a challenging week for all, so second, be careful.
The blatant anti-gay “Christian” nationalism we saw this week is not far removed from white supremacism. There is a possibility of retaliation. It’s not like anti-gay hate crimes have been eradicated.
This, filmed Wednesday during Mike Huckabee’s “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”
(Video hat-tip Buzzfeed via Towleroad.)
Third, keeping the “national conversation” focused on Chick-Fil-A — when the people we are trying to talk to have made it clear, thanks to their leaders, like Mike Huckabee, that there can be no dialogue, rather merely freedom of speech only for them, religious protection, only for them — is pointless.
This battle, by the way, was never about the First Amendment, which, should you care to remind conservatives, states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
It’s a mere 45 words — you’d think Mike Huckabee and his pals could have bothered to read it before appropriating and redefining it.
Frankly, I have my doubts this is the best course of action, but it’s made national headlines, so if we don’t have a good showing, we look bad, and if we do, we continue to help our opponents mischaracterize the issue.
(Being the creator and co-founder of The Great Nationwide Kiss-In, I think I have some credibility on this.)
Fourth, be prepared. Maybe print out a few articles you think might help educate folks on both sides. Of course, I recommend  these:
Five Reasons Chick-Fil-A Isn’t What You Think
BREAKING: Chick-Fil-A Gets Multiple Human Rights Act Complaints Filed Against Them
Chick-Fil-A Profits Are Supporting Uganda’s ‘Kill The Gays’ Bill?
Have fun today at Chick-Fil-A, but please, be careful, and please know the right is watching and will use bad behavior against us.