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Fascists in pink jackboots.

THE DESTRUCTION OF liberty doesn’t necessarily begin with the arrival of an invading army. It can begin with a small and seemingly unimportant conflict. Like that between a chain of chicken sandwich restaurants and a group of fanatical gay rights activists, for instance.

In the States the latter found fault with one of the former, in this case, Chick-fil-A, a family-owned business, because one of its top executives, Dan Cathy, said in an interview that he and his company endorse the traditional Christian view of marriage: “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 want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that. We intend to stay the course. 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.”

Such is the febrile condition of western cultures that this unexceptional – and unexceptionable – statement was enough to trigger a frenzy of vilification by the militant gay lobby. Cathy’s statement and his support, via his company’s charity, of groups who campaign against same-sex marriage, was instantly labelled as “hate”. Chick-fil-A was a double hit: homophobic and Christian. If only the animal rights activists, the veggies and the Bloombergian food fascists had joined in the League of the Righteous could have had a mulitiple hit.

This form of witch hunt is a standard procedure of the progressives: identify an individual or group that does not conform to your values and use every means possible – insults, smears, distortions and lies, if necessary – to bully them into submission.

As soon as the witch hunt was underway various politicians jumped in, claiming Chick-fil-A didn’t represent Chicagoan values, for instance, and wouldn’t be granted planning permission for their outlets.

The public response to this noise and fury has been heartening. The people, unlike some of their representatives, are more in agreement with the values of Chick-fil-A than the thinkers of correct thought. They turned out in their thousands to support the chain, forming long queues to vote with their cash. Not only are the people stubborn traditionalists but they also don’t like bullies.

Ironically the only hate that has been expressed so far has come from the proponents of rainbow-hued diversity and inclusion. One branch of Chick-fil-A had to be closed as a result of a bomb threat and others have been vandalised and staff subjected to abuse.

At the heart of this minor clash between two opposing views on sexuality, religion and marriage lies a profoundly important idea about liberty. Progressives deliberately conflate disapproval with intolerance. In their world-view that which is disapproved of cannot be tolerated. The essence of liberty – of thought, speech and religion – is that one may tolerate something of which one disapproves. In the words of Milton, it’s that “many be tolerated rather than all compelled”.

The intolerance that demands people change their businesses, modify their personal choices and abandon their values in order to conform to the diktats of a minority, all in the name of “diversity” is dangerous. Replicate this witch hunt across a whole range of matters – sexism, racism, health, etc – and the full force of the assault on liberty becomes plain. The activists attacking Chick-fil-A may present themselves as kissy-kissy nice folk but their actions prove them to be otherwise; they’re simply fascists in pink jackboots.

– Michael Blackburn.

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SherryLevine
SherryLevine
11 years ago

Excellent piece. Totally agree. If only another CFA Appreciation day could happen in November with the votes.
I also hope to see CFA expand. On Huckabee’s FB page, many people expressed that they would love to patronize an outlet where they lived, but there weren’t any. It would be a lovely response to the vile attacks they have received. What a sweet image to see liberals reading the news that new CFA outlets were opening everywhere 🙂

Ron Donaghe
11 years ago

This article begins with these ominous words: THE DESTRUCTION OF liberty doesn’t necessarily begin with the arrival of an invading army. It can begin with a small and seemingly unimportant conflict. Like that between a chain of chicken sandwich restaurants and a group of fanatical gay rights activists, for instance. But it is also relevant to mention another way liberty can end:”When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.” In this case the tireless diatribe against gay people from the pulpits, spewing lies about homosexuals and calling for all homosexuals to be… Read more »

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