The Dumbest Fucking Day in America
I wasn’t gonna say anything, but….
I thought I’d gather my rants from throughout the day and put them together here.
Today is officially one of the dumbest fucking days in America.
— Allison Zapata (@allisonzapata) August 1, 2012
Last week I saw a link on Facebook for Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.
I half-thought it was a joke. Then today I woke up to a shit-show on my social networking feeds.
Turns out, it was for serious.
I saw comments like…
“Yum, Chick-Fil-A!”
“I’m in line and it’s packed! Excited to see this amount of support!!”
And, my favorite…
“I had free speech for lunch!”
Many of these were peppered with, “Oh, but don’t get me wrong, I LOVE gay people. I’m just standing up for free speech!”
And, that’s where I call bullshit.
In my opinion, those who so fervently supported the dumbest fucking day in America were simply using the First Amendment to camouflage the way they really feel. Like cowards, they hide behind the Constitution, because they dislike gay people…for whatever reason – a religious book that’s their truth, homophobia, or good ol’ down-home family values.
Because, somewhere inside, even they know that saying these things out loud makes them sound like a huge dick.
And, fine, it’s their choice to be a dick. It’s being a hypocrite I take issue with.
Here’s the thing.
Everyone knows how strongly I support equal rights. So, it may come as a surprise to learn that I don’t have a problem with the chicken-guy’s stance on gay-marriage.
Because, no matter how small your mind is, or how much you judge others, I do believe each of us are entitled to free speech.
Personally, I’m sure I’ll eat at CFA again one day. I have two kids and I’m lazy. But, right now I have a really bad taste in my mouth, because such a large number of their profits are used to support such a hateful agenda.
And, I don’t care who eats there. Of course, I won’t automatically think you are an asshole or homophobe, just because you love you some waffle fries.
But, I might-sorta-do think you’re an asshole if you were that gung-ho and enthusiastic in supporting the dumbest fucking day in America.
And, I definitely think you’re a hypocrite by pretending it was because of the First Amendment.
Because…
People are not putting chicken-guy in jail for his views, and he isn’t being stoned to death.
So, so what if people CHOOSE not to like his views or support his establishment.
That’s their freedom of speech.
To come out in full force and say some of the things I heard today, as to why people support CFA, kills me.
Don’t they see it?
Don’t they know there are gay kids soaking in every hateful word?
These kids don’t hear free speech. They hear that they’re abnormal, and not worthy enough to be free in the land of the free.
When some of these kids kill themselves, which they will, it is these people’s fault. They gave them the rope they used to hang themselves, and the gun that blew their head off.
Let’s flip sides for a moment with a fast-food hypothetical. I mean, why not, it is the dumbest fucking day in America.
Imagine the owner of Whataburger proclaimed himself an atheist. And, that’s not all. He also donated five million big ones to fund Planned Parenthood.
You can bet your bible-thumping, holier than thou, judgmental, fake Christian ASS, that these people would be boycotting some fancy fucking ketchup.
I mean, sure, I’d call them idiots, but I certainly wouldn’t go out and declare it Whataburger Appreciation Day.
If they chose to no longer support Whataburger, I wouldn’t give a shit, because it would be their right.
So, eat wherever you want to eat, and support whoever you want to support.
But, at least have the balls to admit the real reason behind it, rather than hiding behind politics and freedom of speech.
I declare tomorrow National Abortion Clinic Appreciation Day. ABORTIONS FOR ALL! Lights snacks will be provided.
— Allison Zapata (@allisonzapata) August 1, 2012
Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing]
Good golly, I love every word of this.
admin
I love every word you say, always. xo
Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting
Every. Damn. Word.
Justin
Someday I’m going to tell my kids that I met their father arguing in a Facebook thread about Chick-Fil-A when I publicly called him out for having gay-face (and a wife, LOL).
[Okay, so I've posted this on my Facebook and Twitter already. Stop judging me, I'm practicing my 1st amendment rights]
admin
Oh, I’m not only judging you. I will also no longer buy your chicken.
xoxoxoxo
Zakary
This post rocks.
The end.
admin
Thank you!!!!!!
Zachary
Well said!
Today was very upseting finding out peoples actual views though chicken..
Love you!
Zachary
*through
admin
I will always love you more than chicken. ALWAYS. You are perfect and brave and wonderful. One in a million to me. xo
Ted
I think the worst thing that this has done is opened the door more of these ‘blanky-blank Days’ across the country.
Now, any time someone is offended by something a company spokesman says, the opposing group is going to rush to facebook to create the ‘blanky-blank Appreciation Day’.
As a former college newspaper editor it was the attack on the First Amendment that offended me the most. There’s a reason they founders put it first. I may not agree with you, or you with me, but I will die protecting our rights to speak freely. Not everyone in the world has this right and we should never forget that.
Sarah rose
Best post ever. I had acquaintance post that while she doesn’t believe in what Chick Fill-A does with its money, she also doesn’t believe in telling people what they should do with said money. Is she for realsies?! It’s taken all my restraint not to comment back with a snarky remark. Also, I haven’t eaten at the Chick in four years. Partly, because of the whole gay thing,
Bethany
I have to admit that I went to CFA today mostly because the fervor amuses me. And because this whole debate is seriously ridiculous.
Do we really research where the money of other corporations goes? I know next to nothing about where Microsoft and Apple’s charitable money goes. Also, the organizations that CFA gives money to (such as Focus on the Family) are about SO MUCH MORE than their stance on gay marriage – while a belief that homosexuality is a sin IS part of their tenets, there are so many other GOOD things that are a part of them too.
So I took part in CFA Day as a protest against the whole protest.
admin
I agree. It’s a slippery slope. I don’t want to know what the owners of where I shop, eat, drink, etc., think. Just keep your shit to yourself.
And, I drove past one today to rubber-neck
Thanks for your comment!
Ann
Exactly! I do not need or want to know their personal views…
Sarah rose
Sorry if this posts twice but best post ever. I had an acquaintance post that while she doesn’t believe in what Chick Fill-A does with their money, she also doesn’t believe in teeing people what to do with said money. Is she for realsies?! It’s taken all my restraint not to comment back a snarky remark. Also, I haven’t eaten at the Chick in 4 years. Partly, because of the gay thing, partly because the food sucks. Yeah, I said it.
admin
Twice = EVEN BETTER!!! Thank you very much
xo
Michelle
Exactly. Great post!
admin
Thanks!!!
JRiveraRox
In one of my classes I’m taking, my instructor commented about how 75% of HIV transmission for men come from gay relationships. For women, there is a wide range of percentage for different relationships, but for lesbians….0%. Therefore, “the next time you hear someone say HIV is God’s punishment for being gay, you can say, ‘well, lesbian’s must be God’s chosen people, since there has NEVER been a record of an HIV transmission between them’.”
admin
Hahahahaa. I love where this comment ended up. Thank you!
niki key. you know me. you fucking love me.
only thing Ally….
Dumbest Fucking Day in America…. SO FAR.
there will be one, stupider, much stupider. and it will make this look like nbd.
admin
That’s what I’m afraid of….so scary. xo
pgoodness
I adore you and the high-horse you rode in on. bwahaha!
admin
hahhaha I ADORE YOU! Thank you
Your Worst Nightmare
I agree with the whole “freedom of speech” argument, BUT, if the CEO of Apple were to come out and say that he didn’t support equal rights for Mexicans or black people, how would it come across if people were bragging that they are showing support for Apple’s right to free speech? Pure and simple, I think that it’s an attack on the civil rights of a % of our population. I’ll still eat there though, so i guess that makes me a hypocrite?
admin
I agree 100%!!!!!!!
Signed,
Fellow hypocrite – but with a heart at least.
Your Worst Nightmare
you saying i’m heartless?
admin
NO!! HA! But, I can see how it read that way.
I’m saying you have a HUGE heart.
Valerie
Brilliant. And, agreed. Dumbest, most ignorant thing. Shocking but not surprising. Thanks for your great rant!
admin
Thank you!!!!
Swistle
This was a very refreshing read after a very bad day.
admin
Thank you….as was this comment!!
xoxo
Mike
The guy had a right to say what he did. The money he donated was his own and not the company’s. He has gays working for him and has no problem serving them in his stores! He helps each employee with their education thru his philanthropy . The media has blown this all out of proportion. So when people say its free speech,they mean it
admin
Of course he had the right, just like I have the right to call him a bigot.
Amanda
Don’t confuse free speech with hate and prejudice. People can have their beliefs, but don’t say you’re for free speech when you suppress others rights to do and have the same rights as you.
Just like she said above. When you say this is about Freedom of Speech – I call bullshit. This isn’t about free speech. Free speech means you can say what you want and not be put IN JAIL. Nobody’s going to put Dan Cathay in jail – he’s a very rich man, both before and after his fairly obvious comments. He’s going to be fine, I promise.
The people that are rallying CFA – put an issue above people. And it’s impossible to follow Jesus when issues trump people. Jesus never said “love God, love causes.”
Cathy has admitted to giving family foundation millions of dollars to groups that work to ban gay marriage (ie: Family Research Council). We have fought long and hard for freedom of speech and proud of this right. But I (a heterosexual, Christian) – cannot support an establishment who is fighing to ban gay rights.
Dan Cathy must feel really loved now. As well as CFA. As well as Mike Huckabee and the many other people that supported the Aug 1st CFA Appreciation Day. But because of this “made-up day” – there are a lot of people – good people – people you might disagree with, that now, feel really unloved.
jack
How could the money all be “his own and not the company’s”? He has another source of income outside of Chick-Fil-A that he uses separately to support political agendas?
Yes, he’s free to spend it however he chooses, but as president of the company, his personal views are regarded as being representative of the company.
TheAvasmommy
Not much I can add to this post, except A-fucking-men.
Also, I’d like to remind people that not all speech is free.
Anex
OMG Your thing about Planned Parenthood is almost exactly the same thing I said to a friend who was all like “happy to see people supporting Free speech”…
Except i asked him what he would do if he found out wal-mart was throwing their money at Planned Parenthood as opposed to just saying they believed in birth control. Naturally, I didn’t get an answer.. why would I? I was being rational and logical.
John
the dumbest day in america was when people all of a sudden became outraged over the owner of a southern based closed on sunday chicken place said he didnt like gay marriage
admin
Yay for freedom of speech.
laura
Because I live in TX and grew up in a southern baptist town (a ridiculous s baptist church to person ratio) this crap has been all over my fb feed. I just finally said, I don’t care if you eat at CFA or not, I *do* care if you believe that the biblical definition of a family hinges on a sngle chromosome (or hormone ratio, or anatomical traits…none of which are perfectly correlated nor do they rep a simple binary) instead of love. I think God must have better priorities than that, and I think we should too. Then I said, fuck your stupid appreciation day. jk.. I left that part out. because my Nana (who totally supports equal rights, btw) follows me on fb.
admin
Hahaha! Also, thanks for this comment. Loved every word of it. xoxo
Ade
I’ve lost one “friend” on fb so far for posting your blog, let’s see how many more
Good way to weed ppl ouey Not only do ppl get offended by gay right thru also get offended by profanity. Lol
admin
Oh I’ve lost a good number as well! Fuck em!
thanks. xoxo
Rob
Those traditional values are what brought you in this world. I support equal rights but do not support alienation because you think you are angry.
Amanda
Well didn’t you just contradict yourself, Rob?!
“Those traditional values are what brought you in this world. I support equal rights but…”
So support the loving, stable, and caring gay families who are fighting to adopt a child that was given up from a broken family and created without love.
Tamara
You are so rockin! You make the world a better place! Thank you! Can’t wait to meet you in person! xoxo
admin
Thank you so much!! I can’t wait either!!!
Jen in VA
The people that seem to be most riled up by this are the same people that were boycotting JCPenney for hiring a gay spokesperson (Ellen). I don’t recall a JCPenney appreciation day to support freedom.
admin
Good point!
Angela @ninemoremonths
You are so awesome. I wish I was hanging out with you at BlogHer!
admin
Thank you!!! How’s new baby!?
xo
Jayme
Fucking bravo! This is exactly how I feel. It is not about free speech. This is about hate and bigotry. I don’t care if the gay population are not a protected class. They are human beings and have the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
admin
Thank you!!!
Laura
I think you’re missing the point.
If your blog was shut down by your web hosting service or if your Twitter account was blocked by Twitter, wouldn’t you want some support for your Freedom of Speech instead of being denied your right to have your opinions, whether they be wrong or right?
Because that’s what happened to Chick-Fil-A. They were denied business in certain areas just because of one man’s opinion.
Just don’t go there if you don’t agree with it. Plain and simple. But don’t curse others who want to support it…because it IS about Freedom of Speech.
Do we to become like China, a country that has shut down social media altogether to control what is said?
admin
Hmm, I could be wrong, YES IT’S TRUE, but didn’t the mayor simply voice his own opinion as well…like “ewww, I don’t want you guys here bc you make me feel icky,” rather than denying them or forbidding them from opening?
Because that’s two different things.
Laura
“These statements clearly raise First Amendment issues. A city can’t deny permits because it disapproves of the owner’s exercise of his First Amendment rights. Both Menino and Moreno were dead wrong even to claim they would do so. That crosses the line between simply speaking out and abusing government power.”
(2nd page – http://articles.cnn.com/2012-07-30/opinion/opinion_randazza-first-amendment_1_first-amendment-adult-bookstores-free-speech/2)
You are right, they technically COULDN’T deny them business, but the threat to abuse their power is the problem which is why it IS a Free Speech issue.
Laura
And Moreno IS still working to deny them business in Chicago by working around the law. So if he succeeds, there you go. Government abuse of the First Ammendment. (sadly typical for Chicago)
Allison Zapata
Hmmm, That is indeed a slippery slope when it comes to government officials. I’ll def be keeping an eye on it and curious to see how it plays out. I mean, obviously it’s not going to go anywhere…it’s like the “other side” trying to deny planned parenthood from opening in their city…..wait.
Curious, and in no way antagonistic….do you consider yourself conservative or liberal?
Laura
The point isn’t that it’s not going to go anywhere…maybe it will, maybe it won’t. The point is that we can’t allow government to do this. It’s wrong. Everyone has their right to establishment, yes, Planned Parenthood, too.
And it really doesn’t matter what view I hold in this particular instance because this is not about supporting or opposing gays in my mind. But I’m a Christian and I’d love if gays had the same rights as everyone, but banning businesses is not the way to go about that. That’s why we live in America…so we CAN have Chick-Fil-A and gay bars on the same block. I’m for ANYONE’S right to Freedom of Speech, Assembly and Religion – they are our basic rights. So it stinks that owners of businesses go through stuff like this just because of their opinions.
Laura
Thinking about this more as I get ready for the day…
And I have to go more into other issues besides First Amendment that you raised, too, because I feel like I just have to say something.
First, the only reason there was an appreciation day was because there was FIRST a boycott on CFA urged.
Second, as far as young gays killing themselves over this, well here are plenty of blogs and people who write publicly about hating Christians and just in general so many hateful comments out there in the news, social media, schools, etc. There are always uninformed and hateful people on each extreme side. Unfortunately the loudest, meanest and most radical get heard. What we need is better bullying awareness because it’s ALL gotten so out of hand.
For instance, take anything they are saying about Chick-Fil-A (but really, it’s just what they are saying about the conservative Christian owner who represents the company…not the entire entity because gay people work there!) and replace “Chick-Fil-A” with “gays” and see how it sounds. Jane Lynch (the actress) said, “F— Chick-Fil-A”. Sounds pretty hateful either way, right?
You have to see that group doing the same thing to another group of people. This is why it gets so heated – it’s doing the same thing back to the other side. I wish BOTH were more tolerant and open minded to each other! And respectful!
I don’t feel the need to go into this further because I don’t want to make it personal. You have your right to write this post and I respect that.
Laura
One more thing…sorry!
Here is a link to a man bullying a CFA employee.
I bet that innocent woman feels horrible.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-chick-fil-a-20120803,0,2409892.story
Desiree Eaglin
I LOVE this. You’re my new favorite.
Heidi Oran
Oh.. I love you. lol
I like this because sure you are straight up about your beliefs, but you are also playing devils advocate. I think anyway.
Was so great to spend some time with you at the RoomKey party!
H
Kristen
I agree, this isn’t about free speech. I don’t think this should ever have been A Thing at all. And to be totally annoying and literal, I don’t think Mr. Cathy is a bigot. Bigot is defined as someone “obstinately intolerant” of others’ beliefs, practices, etc., and who treats that group with “hatred and intolerance.”
Mr. Cathy said nothing more than he supports “traditional marriage.” He doesn’t treat homosexuals as lesser people. He doesn’t refuse service to them. He doesn’t refuse to hire them. Just a thought.
He has every right to say what he wants to say and think what he wants to think and put his money where he wants it to go. Whatever, I could care less, to be totally honest, because you know what? I f***ing LOVE their chicken and their waffle fries. Just like I love Oreos (who came out in support of Pride and gay rights) and will continue to eat them, too.
The food I eat (in my case, at least) has zero to do with my political or religious stance. It has everything to do with what I’m craving, and what I want in my belly, whether I’m pregnant or not. The day was stupid, no matter what my belief is regarding gays, gay marriage, and gay rights. The overzealous just got in my way of picking up a bag full of chicken and waffle fries on my way to the airport last week.
And now I want Chick-Fil-A and Oreos.
admin
Well, if he were to simply have a stance on gay marriage, I wouldn’t call him a bigot. I’ve always known how he feels about it. BUT BUT BUT (you knew it was coming
), he is donating money to people ACTIVELY trying to legislate hate laws against gay people. THAT is what makes him a bigot.
Now go getcha some damn chick-fil-a for that baby in your belly.
xo