It was a day that has been delayed for two months now -- the opening of Chick fil A at 2750 North Main St. Due to Chick fil A president Dan Cathy's remark last summer that opposed same sex marriage, groups that support gay marriage have organized protests, and those who support Cathy's position have done the same.
But Thursday's opening in Walnut Creek was relatively uneventful. Crowds seemed more intent on getting lunch than making a political statement. On the sidewalk, about a dozen gay rights activists stood with banners, bullhorns and signs, urging passing traffic to honk in support of their cause.
Meanwhile, on the other side of driveway, four men held anti-gay signs and shouted at the activists to "leave your $%*#ing hands off my children."
One customer who was on her way out of the store stopped at the driveway and rolled down her window, addressing the anti-gay activists.
"You're not helping your cause, you know," she said.
"Do you have children?" one of the protesters asked. "They are the target of these people." The woman drove away.
Meanwhile, a spokeman for Chick fil A named Josh, who said he was from the store in Sacramento, was asked about all the ruckus in the driveway.
"All I can say is that we'll serve anybody. We don't care who they are," he said.
You are absolutely correct - in my haste to post the story, I wrote an ill-considered sentence. I have since changed the sentence to read "opposed sex marriage." Thanks for the feedback and catching that important difference.
"First they ignore you. Then then laugh at you. Then they fight you. and then you win."
I wish the key shareholders weren't fundies-- but mostly because they then might stay open on Sundays. Maybe the In-N-Out family can provide Mr. Cathy some Biblical analysis to justify their "no day of rest" policy. In any event, if I made purchase decisions based on politics, I would have very very limited choices.