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Thursday, August 2, 2012
DIMINISHING THE DISABLED
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
The results of a recent survey of
parents of children with disabilities ran cross-grain to the mentality that
characterizes our society’s culture of death. Published
in the medical journal Pediatrics, the survey included parents of 272
children suffering from the extreme genetic conditions Trisomy 13 and Trisomy
18—conditions where a child is born with an extra 13 or 18 chromosome. Only
about 21% of children born with one of these conditions live to five years old.
Increasingly, members of the medical community have embraced a "quality of life" ethic rather than a “sanctity of life” ethic, and doctors don't have a favorable opinion of children affected with Trisomy 13/18. Parents in this survey reported that 57% of doctors told them that their unborn child would live a life of suffering, and 23% even went so far as to say that the child would ruin their family.
These pro-death advocates overlook several key aspects of the lives of the disabled. First, they ignore the intrinsic worth and value of human life. All people are made in the image of God, including the disabled. As a consequence, all human beings have inherent dignity and value, including the disabled. The “worth” of these people is unaffected by disability or infirmity. Those who would destroy the lives of the disabled embrace a cheap view of the value of life and employ a sliding scale of value that equates worth with functionality.
Second, the proponents of death ascribe little to no “meaning” to the lives of the disabled. But meaning is in the eyes of the beholder and the disabled often attach more meaning to their own lives than the onlookers who are quick to write them off. Many people with disabilities have fulfilling, happy lives, and are a blessing to those around them. Just because they do not fit a utilitarian standard that embraces some arbitrary level of intelligence or capacity for physical performance does not mean their lives are any less meaningful to them or those around them.
Our society needs to regain respect for human dignity and the sanctity of human life. Human life is precious, not because of what we can do, but because of who we are—creatures made in the image of God. The imago dei is undiminished by disability or infirmity. On the contrary, the Lord of the universe identified himself closely with those in need. (Matt. 25:40) We have no right to destroy this image, be it our own life or the lives of others.
Increasingly, members of the medical community have embraced a "quality of life" ethic rather than a “sanctity of life” ethic, and doctors don't have a favorable opinion of children affected with Trisomy 13/18. Parents in this survey reported that 57% of doctors told them that their unborn child would live a life of suffering, and 23% even went so far as to say that the child would ruin their family.
The doctors were flat wrong. Ninety-seven percent of the 332 parents surveyed
said their child was happy, and the majority said that caring for their child
has enriched their lives.
This response flies in the face of the prevailing view of our disposable man
age. The proponents of “death as a solution to our social problems” would have
us believe that the lives of such children are not worth living. They tell us
that such children will not have a high enough quality of life to warrant their
continued survival and they will be an undue "burden" on others. These pro-death advocates overlook several key aspects of the lives of the disabled. First, they ignore the intrinsic worth and value of human life. All people are made in the image of God, including the disabled. As a consequence, all human beings have inherent dignity and value, including the disabled. The “worth” of these people is unaffected by disability or infirmity. Those who would destroy the lives of the disabled embrace a cheap view of the value of life and employ a sliding scale of value that equates worth with functionality.
Second, the proponents of death ascribe little to no “meaning” to the lives of the disabled. But meaning is in the eyes of the beholder and the disabled often attach more meaning to their own lives than the onlookers who are quick to write them off. Many people with disabilities have fulfilling, happy lives, and are a blessing to those around them. Just because they do not fit a utilitarian standard that embraces some arbitrary level of intelligence or capacity for physical performance does not mean their lives are any less meaningful to them or those around them.
Third, those who advocate the destruction of the disabled fail to appreciate
all that the disabled can teach the rest of us about the meaning of life. Those
with disabilities teach us what it means to care for and serve the less
fortunate. They teach us not to take our own health for granted. They teach us
what a great blessing it is to give to others. And they often take delight in
the simple joys of life that those of us who are blessed with good health
sometimes overlook.
Sadly, a
large proportion of unborn children diagnosed with disabilities are aborted
before they ever have a chance to live out their lives. They are aborted because
of the recommendations of a utilitarian medical establishment that has embraced
a cheap view of human life. They are aborted because we have become a
self-seeking culture that can't be "bothered" by the lives of the disabled. Our society needs to regain respect for human dignity and the sanctity of human life. Human life is precious, not because of what we can do, but because of who we are—creatures made in the image of God. The imago dei is undiminished by disability or infirmity. On the contrary, the Lord of the universe identified himself closely with those in need. (Matt. 25:40) We have no right to destroy this image, be it our own life or the lives of others.
Our society has much to learn from the disabled. We must not sacrifice their
lives on the altar of pride and selfishness. We need their influence
desperately.
ROBERTS IS RIGHT. THE PLAN WON'T WORK
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
Roberts is Right: The Plan Won't Work
Now that the Supreme Court has given its narrow blessing to the Affordable
Care Act, the big question is whether it will deliver the benefits that its
proponents promise. Unfortunately, as it is now constructed, the plan will
backfire causing fewer healthy people to buy insurance, raise premiums for those
who do, destroy employment opportunities, cripple the health insurance industry,
and weaken the economy.
In order to guarantee insurance to all, regardless of age, health or
pre-existing conditions, the framers of the plan concede that it is essential
that the young and healthy (who are less likely to be heavy users of health
care) pay into the insurance pool. The surplus generated from their premiums
compensates for the money lost to those receiving more in services than they pay
in premiums (e.g. older people and those with medical conditions). But the ACA
has given these healthy people a "Get out of Jail Free" card that many of them
are sure to play.
Most healthy young people know that they are losing money to insurance
providers, at least in the near term. That is the nature of insurance. You pay
to prevent costly exposure to an unlikely event. And just as homeowners wisely
pay for fire insurance even though they don't expect their homes to burn down,
given the high cost of medical care it is also practical that healthy young
people buy health insurance.
But, the ACA makes it illegal for insurance providers to deny coverage to
anyone for any reason. This allows healthy people to drop insurance until they
actually need it without incurring any risk. It's like allowing homeowners to
buy fire insurance after their houses burn down. To counteract these new free
rider incentives, the law imposes "no insurance" penalties (also defined as
taxes by the Supreme Court). The problem is that these "penaltaxes" (for lack of
a better word) are insufficient to the task. In fact, Chief Justice John Roberts
ruled the law constitutional precisely because the burdens were not high enough
to compel behavior. (In other words, he thought the law was constitutional
because it will be ineffective.) The numbers support his arguments.
On average, in 2010, a typical healthy young person paid at least $2,500
per year for insurance (for a plan that would still involve significant out of
pocket expenses). In some areas of the country, premiums were more than twice as
high. When the program takes effect in 2014 the penaltaxes will be the greater
of $95 or 1% of household income. A single person earning $40,000 per year who
chooses to go uninsured would then be subject to a $400 penaltax. The decision
would be an easy one: drop the insurance, incur the penaltax and pay for any
routine medical services out of pocket. In the unlikely event that he gets
cancer or is hit by a bus, he can always buy insurance in the ambulance on the
way to the hospital. Even in 2016, as the penaltax increases to the greater of
$695 or 2.5% of household income, it will still not make sense for many people
to buy insurance. The penaltaxes are capped at levels that equal the full cost
of an average health plan. So even high income individuals are no worse off
financially for not buying insurance. In addition, the IRS' ability to actually
collect these penaltaxes is limited to garnishing income tax refund checks. If
an individual is not getting a refund, the IRS is impotent.
The law places no requirements for businesses with fewer than 50 employees
to offer insurance. So when younger workers realize the benefits of dropping
insurance, they will naturally gravitate to savvy businesses that offer higher
pay instead of insurance. This will drain more premiums from the insurance
pools.
In contrast, the burdens placed on employers with more than 50 workers are
complex, onerous and unpredictable. Those that don't offer insurance would be
subject to substantial (and open ended) penalties if at least one employee
receives an insurance tax credit or a government subsidy to an insurance
exchange. If they do offer insurance, they will also be subject to substantial
(and open ended) penalties if the plan fails to cover 60% of employee health
expenses, or if premiums for any employee are more than 9.5% of family income.
It has been left wholly unexplained how employers are supposed to accurately
determine these triggers which involve knowledge of family income, not just
employee income.
Smaller employers will look to avoid these headaches by staying below the
50-employee threshold. Though it should be obvious, there is plenty of evidence
to support this tendency. French law involves significant regulatory
requirements for businesses that have more than 50 employees. As a result,
there are currently 2.4 times more French companies that have 49 employees than
there are with 50. Incentives for businesses to stay small will hurt the economy
and will further shrink the numbers of people paying into the health insurance
pools.
Employers will also be incentivized to avoid hiring lower paid workers who
would be more likely to trigger the penalties tied to household income. As a
result, many small companies will likely look to replace lower rung employees
with temps, automation or outsourcing, further raising the barrier to workforce
entry for lower skilled workers. The unemployable workers will then qualify for
free health insurance, further draining the system.
Unless the penaltaxes are raised significantly, far too many needed premium
payers will drop out. As they do, insurance companies will try to recoup the
lost revenue by raising premiums for the customers who remain. As the gap
between the relatively low penaltaxes and the high cost of health insurance
premiums increases, so too will the incentive to drop coverage. This
self-reinforcing dynamic will render the entire plan non-viable.
It is a foregone conclusion that the Obama Administration and its
congressional allies are already planning to raise the penaltaxes. Although such
increases would render the plan unconstitutional if they compel behavior,
according to Roberts's analysis, I do not expect the Supreme Court to ever rule
on this case again. The Court has a history of opening small cracks in the
Constitutional barn door for the bureaucratic horses to stampede.
OBAMA FEDS WAR ON "BUCKYBALLS"
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
It's come to this: In the name of protecting parents from their own lack of
responsibility and common sense, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is
waging all-out war on an innovative consumer product company in New York.
Last week, the agency filed an "administrative complaint" against the manufacturer/distributor of Buckyballs and Buckycubes, New York-based Maxfield and Oberton Holdings LLC. The legal action -- only the second of its kind in 11 years -- seeks to stop all sales of Buckyballs products, force a recall and order full refunds. According to the bureaucrats, "dozens of young children and teenagers swallowed" the adult desk toy, causing "internal injuries requiring surgeries."
A dozen swallowing incidents have been linked by the CPSC to Buckyballs since 2009. Compare that to the estimated 30,000 emergency room visits that occur every year as a result of children swallowing government-minted coins.
There are no fewer than five cautionary labels on every Buckyballs or Buckycubes product box; the company distributes an educational video on the dangers of swallowing the toys. And Maxfield and Oberton has cooperated with the government on safety policy since its inception.
Yet, several feckless retailers (including Brookstone, Amazon and Urban Outfitters) under the regulatory gun have already yanked the magnets from their virtual and physical shelves despite the company's clear warnings that Buckyballs and Buckycubes are for adults -- not children.
"Obviously the bureaucrats see danger everywhere, and those responsible people -- like our company who have vigorously promoted safety and appropriate use of our products -- gets put out of business by an unfair and arbitrary process," Craig Zucker, founder and CEO of Maxfield and Oberton, said in a statement.
Obama's big-business pals sit on do-nothing jobs councils and host countless dog-and-pony shows touting their commitment to "Startup America." But when a 3-year-old startup that has earned $50 million in sales all on its own faces ruthless bureaucratic extinction, the government jobs blowhards are nowhere to be found.
The Obama administration has issued thousands of waivers to union donors and other politically connected recipients to protect them from onerous federal health care regulations. Where's the usurper-in-chief's special executive order to keep the CPSC's hands off of America's Buckyballs?
"I don't understand how and why they did this without following their own rules before allowing us to make our case," Zucker said. "It almost seems like they simply wanted to put our products and industry out of business."
The magnetic toy company is not alone. The heavy-handed CPSC is notorious for imposing nonsensical rules that have decimated small businesses across the country. A hysterical overreaction to lead in children's toys three years ago ushered in a trial lawyer-friendly nationwide witch hunt against handmade toymakers, manufacturers of artisanal books, sellers of musical instruments and other educational entrepreneurs.
Richard Woldenberg of the family-run Learning Resources, Inc., summed up the nosybodies run amok last year:
"As directed by Congress, the CPSC has dutifully banned the sale of rhinestones to children, ended the era of youth model ATVs and forbidden the use of brass bushings in toy car wheel assemblies. Why? They might emit a single atom of lead! ... Advocates have never produced victim case histories to justify the draconian rules and simply wag their fingers at anyone daring to question their cherished law."
In 2001, I reported on the CPSC's crackdown on baby bath seats -- which was based on dubious fatality statistics that whitewashed parents' idiotic decisions to leave infants alone in the seats or with younger siblings who dumped the babies into the tubs to drown. According to the manufacturers, all but three of the bath-seat deaths cited by the feds over the past two decades occurred when a child was left alone.
The vengeful, destructive feds won't stop until the world is safe from tiny,
magnetic Buckyballs -- and until every last job created by the firm is wiped
out.
Where are the defenders of American innovation and entrepreneurship when you
need them? While the White House doles out billions of taxpayer dollars to
failed crony ventures, this phenomenally successful toy maker is fighting for
its life. Last week, the agency filed an "administrative complaint" against the manufacturer/distributor of Buckyballs and Buckycubes, New York-based Maxfield and Oberton Holdings LLC. The legal action -- only the second of its kind in 11 years -- seeks to stop all sales of Buckyballs products, force a recall and order full refunds. According to the bureaucrats, "dozens of young children and teenagers swallowed" the adult desk toy, causing "internal injuries requiring surgeries."
A dozen swallowing incidents have been linked by the CPSC to Buckyballs since 2009. Compare that to the estimated 30,000 emergency room visits that occur every year as a result of children swallowing government-minted coins.
There are no fewer than five cautionary labels on every Buckyballs or Buckycubes product box; the company distributes an educational video on the dangers of swallowing the toys. And Maxfield and Oberton has cooperated with the government on safety policy since its inception.
Yet, several feckless retailers (including Brookstone, Amazon and Urban Outfitters) under the regulatory gun have already yanked the magnets from their virtual and physical shelves despite the company's clear warnings that Buckyballs and Buckycubes are for adults -- not children.
"Obviously the bureaucrats see danger everywhere, and those responsible people -- like our company who have vigorously promoted safety and appropriate use of our products -- gets put out of business by an unfair and arbitrary process," Craig Zucker, founder and CEO of Maxfield and Oberton, said in a statement.
Obama's big-business pals sit on do-nothing jobs councils and host countless dog-and-pony shows touting their commitment to "Startup America." But when a 3-year-old startup that has earned $50 million in sales all on its own faces ruthless bureaucratic extinction, the government jobs blowhards are nowhere to be found.
The Obama administration has issued thousands of waivers to union donors and other politically connected recipients to protect them from onerous federal health care regulations. Where's the usurper-in-chief's special executive order to keep the CPSC's hands off of America's Buckyballs?
"I don't understand how and why they did this without following their own rules before allowing us to make our case," Zucker said. "It almost seems like they simply wanted to put our products and industry out of business."
The magnetic toy company is not alone. The heavy-handed CPSC is notorious for imposing nonsensical rules that have decimated small businesses across the country. A hysterical overreaction to lead in children's toys three years ago ushered in a trial lawyer-friendly nationwide witch hunt against handmade toymakers, manufacturers of artisanal books, sellers of musical instruments and other educational entrepreneurs.
Richard Woldenberg of the family-run Learning Resources, Inc., summed up the nosybodies run amok last year:
"As directed by Congress, the CPSC has dutifully banned the sale of rhinestones to children, ended the era of youth model ATVs and forbidden the use of brass bushings in toy car wheel assemblies. Why? They might emit a single atom of lead! ... Advocates have never produced victim case histories to justify the draconian rules and simply wag their fingers at anyone daring to question their cherished law."
In 2001, I reported on the CPSC's crackdown on baby bath seats -- which was based on dubious fatality statistics that whitewashed parents' idiotic decisions to leave infants alone in the seats or with younger siblings who dumped the babies into the tubs to drown. According to the manufacturers, all but three of the bath-seat deaths cited by the feds over the past two decades occurred when a child was left alone.
Government paternalism is wreaking havoc on the economy. They have self-made
entrepreneurs who refuse to play their games by the balls. The Nanny State is
not a lifesaver. It is a self-serving serial job-killer.
MILTON FREIDMAN'S CENTENARY
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
If Milton Friedman were alive today -- and there was never a time
when he was more needed -- he would be one hundred years old. He was born on
July 31, 1912. But Professor Friedman's death at age 94 deprived the nation of
one of those rare thinkers who had both genius and common sense.
Most people would not be able to understand the complex economic analysis
that won him a Nobel Prize, but people with no knowledge of economics had no
trouble understanding his popular books like "Free to Choose" or the TV series
of the same name.
In being able to express himself at both the highest level of his
profession and also at a level that the average person could readily understand,
Milton Friedman was like the economist whose theories and persona were most
different from his own -- John Maynard Keynes.
Like many, if not most, people who became prominent as opponents of the
left, Professor Friedman began on the left. Decades later, looking back at a
statement of his own from his early years, he said: "The most striking feature
of this statement is how thoroughly Keynesian it is."
No one converted Milton Friedman, either in economics or in his views on
social policy. His own research, analysis and experience converted him.
As a professor, he did not attempt to convert students to his political
views. I made no secret of the fact that I was a Marxist when I was a student in
Professor Friedman's course, but he made no effort to change my views. He once
said that anybody who was easily converted was not worth converting.
I was still a Marxist after taking Professor Friedman's class. Working as
an economist in the government converted me.
What Milton Friedman is best known for as an economist was his opposition
to Keynesian economics, which had largely swept the economics profession on both
sides of the Atlantic, with the notable exception of the University of Chicago,
where Friedman was both trained as a student and later taught.
In the heyday of Keynesian economics, many economists believed that
inflationary government policies could reduce unemployment, and early empirical
data seemed to support that view. The inference was that the government could
make careful trade-offs between inflation and unemployment, and thus "fine tune"
the economy.
Milton Friedman challenged this view with both facts and analysis. He
showed that the relationship between inflation and unemployment held only in the
short run, when the inflation was unexpected. But, after everyone got used to
inflation, unemployment could be just as high with high inflation as it had been
with low inflation.
When both unemployment and inflation rose at the same time in the 1970s
-- "stagflation," as it was called -- the idea of the government "fine tuning"
the economy faded away. There are still some die-hard Keynesians today who keep
insisting that the government's "stimulus" spending would have worked, if only
it was bigger and lasted longer.
This is one of those heads-I-win-and-tails-you-lose arguments. Even if
the government spends itself into bankruptcy and the economy still does not
recover, Keynesians can always say that it would have worked if only the
government had spent more.
Although Milton Friedman became someone regarded as a conservative icon,
he considered himself a liberal in the original sense of the word -- someone who
believes in the liberty of the individual, free of government intrusions. Far
from trying to conserve things as they are, he wrote a book titled "Tyranny of
the Status Quo."
Milton Friedman proposed radical changes in policies and institution
ranging from the public schools to the Federal Reserve. It is liberals who want
to conserve and expand the welfare state.
As a student of Professor Friedman back in 1960, I was struck by two
things -- his tough grading standards and the fact that he had a black
secretary. This was years before affirmative action. People on the left exhibit
blacks as mascots. But I never heard Milton Friedman say that he had a black
secretary, though she was with him for decades. Both his grading standards and
his refusal to try to be politically correct increased my respect for him.
PROGRESSIVE INSURANCE IS PROGRESSIVELY LEFTIST
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA SUPPLY WFZR/TV
|
Progressive
Insurance. Who are
they?
|
OBAMA LOSING BLACK PASTORS OVER GAY MARRIAGE
Posted By The Circuit Rider
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
Black pastors add to Obama campaign tremors
Coalition blasts president for abandoning traditional marriage, promises opposition
by 
Barack Obama’s campaign has been outraised and outspent by Gov. Mitt Romney’s
GOP machine during several reporting periods already, and surveys show that the
Democrat’s supporters are much less excited about his candidacy this year than
they were in 2008. That means they’re less likely to work at getting out the
vote.
Now, the tremors underneath Obama’s hopes for the 2012 election have expanded even to a core constituency – the black community – with a coalition of pastors promising to raise opposition to Obama because of his endorsement of same-sex “marriage.”
At the Washington event, CAAP leaders issued a statement in which they “responded strongly to President Obama’s declaration of support for same-sex marriage.”
“We cannot and will not remain silent while marriage, the most fundamental institution in our and any nation, is undermined by our own president while using Christian language and relating it to civil rights. We stood, marched and fought against racial discrimination as legally and morally evil. It is a violation of the first principles of our faith that God created all men in His image, and the first principles of our nation that recognized that all men are created equal,” the statement said.
“The hijacking of the civil rights movement by homosexuals, bisexuals and gender-confused people must and will stop. There is no legitimate comparison between skin color and sexual behavior. In addition, the high cost of achieving racial parity by ours and previous generations demands that we speak out against President Obama’s support for this destructive agenda. Our God requires it, our nation needs it and our people deserve it.
“We will stand in our pulpits, stand in the streets, stand in the chambers of policymaking and stand at the ballot box for those who are for God’s design of marriage and family. We, like Martin Luther in his crucible hour, can only say, ‘Here we stand, we can do no other.’ This fight for marriage, family and the very existence of a moral order has just begun.”
Among those joining the action are Bishop George D. McKinney, general board member of the Church of God in Christ and senior pastor of St.Stephens Cathedral in San Diego, Calif.; Bishop Felton Smith, senior pastor of New Covenant Fellowship Church of God in Christ in Nashville, Tenn.; Bishop Ed Stephens, Jr., senior pastor of Golden Gate Cathedral in Memphis; Bishop James H. Gaylord, senior pastor of Kelly Temple in Harlem, N.Y.; Dwight Montgomery, pastor of Annesdale Cherokee Baptist Church, Memphis; Chuck Singleton, senior pastor of Loveland Church in Ontario, Calif.; Bishop Robert Jefferson, senior pastor of Cullen Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; Bishop Janice Hollis, presiding prelate of the Covenant International Fellowship of Churches; and Owens, Sr., founder and president, Coalition of African American Pastors, Memphis.
The group also has launched a 100,000 Signatures for Marriage effort.
Owens said he intends that the campaign will make a difference in the presidential race by making members of the black community aware of how Obama’s view conflicts with the standards in the community.
“The black community has spoken very loudly. In every state [where there have been votes on same-sex "marriage"] … in not one state did the black Americans vote for same-sex marriage. Overwhelmingly they are against same-sex marriage. We resent the president coming out [with something that is ] not the will of the people. He’s in the most powerful position to endorse it. It means a lot to people.”
Asked about the GOP candidate, Romney, Owens said: “He’s not the president. When he becomes president [we may criticize him]. We’re dealing with the person who now is the president.”
The CAAP statement was released just hours after the Democratic Party announced its 2012 platform would endorse same-sex marriage.
A recent poll said African Americans oppose homosexual “marriage” 55 percent to 41 percent, an opposition level well above that of other constituencies.
It was in 2008 when some 95 percent of the African American voters supported Obama.
But a recent Public Policy Polling survey said Romney would collect 20 percent of the black vote this year in North Carolina, a sea change from the 2008 result.
The report noted: “All of Obama’s numbers with African Americans are sliding. His approval rating is down from 86 percent to 77 percent. Romney’s favorability, meanwhile, has doubled from 9 percent to 18 percent.”
Now, the tremors underneath Obama’s hopes for the 2012 election have expanded even to a core constituency – the black community – with a coalition of pastors promising to raise opposition to Obama because of his endorsement of same-sex “marriage.”
“We voted for Obama. We campaigned for Obama. But he has left our founding
purposes,” Rev. William Owens Sr., the founder
of the coalition of African American Pastors, told WND today.
“With all of the problems in America within the black community – education,
jobs, business, the economy – with all of our problems, he chooses to get in
front of same-sex marriage,” he continued. “That flies in the face of the
African-American community.
“We feel betrayed.”
Owens’ comments come just a day after his organization, a “grass-roots
movement of African-American Christians who believe in traditional family values
such as supporting the role of religion in American public life, protecting the
lives of the unborn, and defending the sacred institute of marriage,” held a
news conference.At the Washington event, CAAP leaders issued a statement in which they “responded strongly to President Obama’s declaration of support for same-sex marriage.”
“We cannot and will not remain silent while marriage, the most fundamental institution in our and any nation, is undermined by our own president while using Christian language and relating it to civil rights. We stood, marched and fought against racial discrimination as legally and morally evil. It is a violation of the first principles of our faith that God created all men in His image, and the first principles of our nation that recognized that all men are created equal,” the statement said.
“For activists, politicians and now the highest office in the nation to link
sexual behavior God calls sin to the righteous cause Martin Luther King gave his
life for is abominable in and of itself. There is no civil right to do what God
calls wrong.”
The statement continued: “Marriage between one man and one woman was created
and ordained by God, is the only stable union in which women are protected and
cared for, in which children are born, reared and nurtured in safety, and upon
which the very stability of our society rests. The propaganda spun by moral
anarchists who have taught our youth that sex is for entertainment and marital
commitment is optional has brought death, chaos, poverty and great harm to our
community for decades.“The hijacking of the civil rights movement by homosexuals, bisexuals and gender-confused people must and will stop. There is no legitimate comparison between skin color and sexual behavior. In addition, the high cost of achieving racial parity by ours and previous generations demands that we speak out against President Obama’s support for this destructive agenda. Our God requires it, our nation needs it and our people deserve it.
“We will stand in our pulpits, stand in the streets, stand in the chambers of policymaking and stand at the ballot box for those who are for God’s design of marriage and family. We, like Martin Luther in his crucible hour, can only say, ‘Here we stand, we can do no other.’ This fight for marriage, family and the very existence of a moral order has just begun.”
Among those joining the action are Bishop George D. McKinney, general board member of the Church of God in Christ and senior pastor of St.Stephens Cathedral in San Diego, Calif.; Bishop Felton Smith, senior pastor of New Covenant Fellowship Church of God in Christ in Nashville, Tenn.; Bishop Ed Stephens, Jr., senior pastor of Golden Gate Cathedral in Memphis; Bishop James H. Gaylord, senior pastor of Kelly Temple in Harlem, N.Y.; Dwight Montgomery, pastor of Annesdale Cherokee Baptist Church, Memphis; Chuck Singleton, senior pastor of Loveland Church in Ontario, Calif.; Bishop Robert Jefferson, senior pastor of Cullen Missionary Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; Bishop Janice Hollis, presiding prelate of the Covenant International Fellowship of Churches; and Owens, Sr., founder and president, Coalition of African American Pastors, Memphis.
The group also has launched a 100,000 Signatures for Marriage effort.
Owens said he intends that the campaign will make a difference in the presidential race by making members of the black community aware of how Obama’s view conflicts with the standards in the community.
“The black community has spoken very loudly. In every state [where there have been votes on same-sex "marriage"] … in not one state did the black Americans vote for same-sex marriage. Overwhelmingly they are against same-sex marriage. We resent the president coming out [with something that is ] not the will of the people. He’s in the most powerful position to endorse it. It means a lot to people.”
Asked about the GOP candidate, Romney, Owens said: “He’s not the president. When he becomes president [we may criticize him]. We’re dealing with the person who now is the president.”
The CAAP statement was released just hours after the Democratic Party announced its 2012 platform would endorse same-sex marriage.
A recent poll said African Americans oppose homosexual “marriage” 55 percent to 41 percent, an opposition level well above that of other constituencies.
It was in 2008 when some 95 percent of the African American voters supported Obama.
But a recent Public Policy Polling survey said Romney would collect 20 percent of the black vote this year in North Carolina, a sea change from the 2008 result.
The report noted: “All of Obama’s numbers with African Americans are sliding. His approval rating is down from 86 percent to 77 percent. Romney’s favorability, meanwhile, has doubled from 9 percent to 18 percent.”
COURT ALLOWS NATIVITY
Posted By WP
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR/TV
Christmas in August: Court allows Nativity
Determines government censored display over religious message
A federal appeals court panel has ruled that a Michigan county improperly
censored a Nativity because of the religious content of the Christmas-season
display, and ordered a lower court to resolve the situation in accordance with
its ruling.
“Although the lawsuit is not yet over, we are tremendously pleased with the unanimous decision of the 6th Circuit Court panel,” said Richard Thompson, president of the Thomas More Law Center.
“This is a great victory for private religious speech in a traditional public
forum,” added Robert Muise, who was with the Thomas More Law Center when the
case was begun, but now works with the American Freedom Law
Center.
“As the 6th Circuit confirmed today, Mr. [John] Satawa’s private religious speech is as fully protected under the Free Speech Clause as secular private expression. We are pleased that the 6th Circuit not only restored Mr. Satawa’s cherished holiday tradition, but upheld the protections afforded to all private citizens by our Constitution.”
The dispute centered on a display that has been on a public property in Macomb County, Mich., for decades. Then in 2008, the county ordered the holiday displayed removed.
The Thomas More Law Center in 2009 brought a case on behalf of Warren city resident John Satawa, whose family has maintained the display from 1945 on, against the Road Commission for its decision to censor the message.
A federal judge upheld the county’s decision to ban the display, but the appellate judges said the decision had to be reversed on free-speech and equal protection challenges.
Those who worked on the case said it was 1945 when St. Anne’s Parish was established in Warren. At that time Christmas statues depicting the Nativity were donated, but since they were too large to be inside the church, the congregation obtained permission from the village to display the scene on the median of a local street.
The government finally stopped it when a protest was received from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
However, the appeals court ruled that the land was a public forum, since the government had a process for citizens to display structures on public rights-of-way – and there were, in fact, several improvements on the median in question including old farm implements as well as a gazebo.
On appeal, the county had argued that it made the decision based on the safety factors involved.
“Before this lawsuit, there was no indication that safety concerns played any role in the board’s decision. Quite the contrary. Even though Satawa’s permit application specifically claimed that the crèche did not obstruct traffic or pose ‘any other safety concerns,’ [the county's] letter denying the permit only addressed religion,” the judges wrote.
The judges noted that the rejection letter said, “The Road Commission of Macomb County cannot permit you to display this Nativity scene in the Road Commission’s right of way. This undoubtedly would be interpreted as our endorsement of religion…”
Wrote the judges, “Not once did he use the word ‘safety;’ not once did he use the word ‘traffic.’
“If [Macomb County Road Commissioner Robert] Hoepfner’s concern really were traffic safety, it is implausible that there would be no mention of traffic safety in either his letter to Satawa or his presentation to the board. Hoepfner’s dealing only with religious concerns in documented letters and discussions before litigition began strongly suggests that the Establishment Clause, not safety, was the reason for his decision.”
“Although the lawsuit is not yet over, we are tremendously pleased with the unanimous decision of the 6th Circuit Court panel,” said Richard Thompson, president of the Thomas More Law Center.
“As the 6th Circuit confirmed today, Mr. [John] Satawa’s private religious speech is as fully protected under the Free Speech Clause as secular private expression. We are pleased that the 6th Circuit not only restored Mr. Satawa’s cherished holiday tradition, but upheld the protections afforded to all private citizens by our Constitution.”
The dispute centered on a display that has been on a public property in Macomb County, Mich., for decades. Then in 2008, the county ordered the holiday displayed removed.
The Thomas More Law Center in 2009 brought a case on behalf of Warren city resident John Satawa, whose family has maintained the display from 1945 on, against the Road Commission for its decision to censor the message.
A federal judge upheld the county’s decision to ban the display, but the appellate judges said the decision had to be reversed on free-speech and equal protection challenges.
Those who worked on the case said it was 1945 when St. Anne’s Parish was established in Warren. At that time Christmas statues depicting the Nativity were donated, but since they were too large to be inside the church, the congregation obtained permission from the village to display the scene on the median of a local street.
The government finally stopped it when a protest was received from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
However, the appeals court ruled that the land was a public forum, since the government had a process for citizens to display structures on public rights-of-way – and there were, in fact, several improvements on the median in question including old farm implements as well as a gazebo.
On appeal, the county had argued that it made the decision based on the safety factors involved.
“Before this lawsuit, there was no indication that safety concerns played any role in the board’s decision. Quite the contrary. Even though Satawa’s permit application specifically claimed that the crèche did not obstruct traffic or pose ‘any other safety concerns,’ [the county's] letter denying the permit only addressed religion,” the judges wrote.
The judges noted that the rejection letter said, “The Road Commission of Macomb County cannot permit you to display this Nativity scene in the Road Commission’s right of way. This undoubtedly would be interpreted as our endorsement of religion…”
Wrote the judges, “Not once did he use the word ‘safety;’ not once did he use the word ‘traffic.’
“If [Macomb County Road Commissioner Robert] Hoepfner’s concern really were traffic safety, it is implausible that there would be no mention of traffic safety in either his letter to Satawa or his presentation to the board. Hoepfner’s dealing only with religious concerns in documented letters and discussions before litigition began strongly suggests that the Establishment Clause, not safety, was the reason for his decision.”
HOW MANY DOD, DOJ, FBI LAWYERS DOES IT TAKE TO FILL A CLOWN CAR OR PENTAGON LUNCH ?
Posted by BH
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZT FZTV
The Pentagon's top lawyers and the executive director of
controversial Muslim group Council of American Islamic Relations were
invited to lunch with radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki on Feb. 5, 2002, as
part of the Defense Department's outreach to moderate Muslims,
according to new documents obtained exclusively by the Fox News Specials
Unit.
For the first time, Fox News is making the document available online.
After the Fort Hood massacre in November 2009, a Defense Department employee came forward to tell FBI investigators that the cleric, the first American on the CIA's “kill-or-capture” list, was a guest speaker at the Pentagon five months after 9/11.
The internal Defense Department email, obtained by Fox through the Freedom of Information Act, shows that more than 70 people were copied on the luncheon invitation at one of the Pentagon's executive dining rooms. While most of the names were redacted by the defense department, citing the privacy exemption, the names that remain include Deputy General Counsel Charles Allen, former Deputy General Counsel Whit Cobb, former principal Deputy General Counsel Dan Dell'Orto, former General Counsel William Haynes, Deputy General Counsel Paul Koffsky and former deputy General Counsel Douglas Larsen.
Koffsky, Allen and Dell'Orto responded through a Defense Department spokesman who said they did not go to the lunch. In the case of Mr. Koffsky and Mr. Allen, the spokesman added "Nor do they have any recollection or specific information of who may have vouched for or recommended the cleric."
Cobb said that he did not attend the lunch. Separately, Fox News learned that Haynes believes he did not go either. There was no immediate response from Larsen, who could not be reached through a Washington, D.C., area listing. Cobb, Haynes, Dell'Orto are now attorneys in private practice.
According to the email, there was at least one civilian on the guest list. The email invitation reads: "Mr. Nihad Awad, President of the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations has also expressed interest in attending."
Fox News sent questions to Awad though a spokesman at CAIR, including whether he had provided positive recommendations for Awlaki to either the FBI or the Defense Department immediately after 9/11.
Fox News also asked whether Awad attended a fundraiser at UC Irvine on Sept. 9, 2001, for the defense of Jamil al-Amin who was later conficted of killing a sheriff's deputy in Atlanta Georgia. Documents show Awad provided a video message for the fundraising event and al-Awlaki went to the fundraiser. On Sept. 10 of that year, al-Awlaki, who has documented ties to three of the five Sept. 11 hijackers, flew back to Washington, landing on the morning of Sept. 11.
Fox News contacted CAIR multiple times over a 10 day period and there was no response after the initial contact when a spokesman asked for questions to be submitted.
Separately, the email invitation suggests that Awlaki was trying to pad his resume for the Defense Department employee who vetted him for the lunch. The email invitation reads: "(Awlaki) is currently working on his PhD in Human Resource Development at George Washington University, received a Master of Education Leadership from San Diego State University..."
But Fox News confirmed the cleric did not receive either degree. And while some embraced the cleric as a moderate in 2002, the FBI had interviewed him four times in the first eight days after 9/11 because of his contacts with the hijackers. His rap sheet also included arrests for soliciting prostitutes and loitering around a school.
Though pork is forbidden for Muslims, the proposed menu of sandwiches included smoked ham and bacon. The email reads:
"Assuming that sandwiches will be the easiest thing to get consensus on, here are the selections:
Smoked turkey
Roast Beef
Smoked Ham
East side West side (beef, turkey and bacon on marbled rye)
Vegetarian"
EXCLUSIVE: Click here to read the full email invitation.
Within days of the lunch, Awlaki left the U.S. Eight months later, after he had been out of the country for months, the cleric mysteriously returned. He was stopped and detained by Customs officers at JFK International Airport because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest, until an FBI agent ordered Awlaki's release, even though the warrant was still active.
That same month, October 2002, Awlaki appeared in a major FBI investigation with a government witness. Based on Fox NEWS' reporting, Republican Congressman Frank Wolfe wrote to the FBI and Justice Department over a year ago demanding more information about the cleric's mysterious return and his contact with the FBI in October 2002. The congressman said he still has not received a satisfactory answer.
National Correspondent Catherine Herridge's first book, "The Next Wave: On the Hunt for al Qaeda's American Recruits"
will be published by the Crown Publishing Group on June 21. It draws on
her reporting for FOX News into al-Awlaki, his new generation of
recruits, and it explores why information about the cleric was withheld
from government investigators.
For the first time, Fox News is making the document available online.
After the Fort Hood massacre in November 2009, a Defense Department employee came forward to tell FBI investigators that the cleric, the first American on the CIA's “kill-or-capture” list, was a guest speaker at the Pentagon five months after 9/11.
The internal Defense Department email, obtained by Fox through the Freedom of Information Act, shows that more than 70 people were copied on the luncheon invitation at one of the Pentagon's executive dining rooms. While most of the names were redacted by the defense department, citing the privacy exemption, the names that remain include Deputy General Counsel Charles Allen, former Deputy General Counsel Whit Cobb, former principal Deputy General Counsel Dan Dell'Orto, former General Counsel William Haynes, Deputy General Counsel Paul Koffsky and former deputy General Counsel Douglas Larsen.
Koffsky, Allen and Dell'Orto responded through a Defense Department spokesman who said they did not go to the lunch. In the case of Mr. Koffsky and Mr. Allen, the spokesman added "Nor do they have any recollection or specific information of who may have vouched for or recommended the cleric."
Cobb said that he did not attend the lunch. Separately, Fox News learned that Haynes believes he did not go either. There was no immediate response from Larsen, who could not be reached through a Washington, D.C., area listing. Cobb, Haynes, Dell'Orto are now attorneys in private practice.
According to the email, there was at least one civilian on the guest list. The email invitation reads: "Mr. Nihad Awad, President of the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations has also expressed interest in attending."
Fox News sent questions to Awad though a spokesman at CAIR, including whether he had provided positive recommendations for Awlaki to either the FBI or the Defense Department immediately after 9/11.
Fox News also asked whether Awad attended a fundraiser at UC Irvine on Sept. 9, 2001, for the defense of Jamil al-Amin who was later conficted of killing a sheriff's deputy in Atlanta Georgia. Documents show Awad provided a video message for the fundraising event and al-Awlaki went to the fundraiser. On Sept. 10 of that year, al-Awlaki, who has documented ties to three of the five Sept. 11 hijackers, flew back to Washington, landing on the morning of Sept. 11.
Fox News contacted CAIR multiple times over a 10 day period and there was no response after the initial contact when a spokesman asked for questions to be submitted.
Separately, the email invitation suggests that Awlaki was trying to pad his resume for the Defense Department employee who vetted him for the lunch. The email invitation reads: "(Awlaki) is currently working on his PhD in Human Resource Development at George Washington University, received a Master of Education Leadership from San Diego State University..."
But Fox News confirmed the cleric did not receive either degree. And while some embraced the cleric as a moderate in 2002, the FBI had interviewed him four times in the first eight days after 9/11 because of his contacts with the hijackers. His rap sheet also included arrests for soliciting prostitutes and loitering around a school.
Though pork is forbidden for Muslims, the proposed menu of sandwiches included smoked ham and bacon. The email reads:
"Assuming that sandwiches will be the easiest thing to get consensus on, here are the selections:
Smoked turkey
Roast Beef
Smoked Ham
East side West side (beef, turkey and bacon on marbled rye)
Vegetarian"
EXCLUSIVE: Click here to read the full email invitation.
Within days of the lunch, Awlaki left the U.S. Eight months later, after he had been out of the country for months, the cleric mysteriously returned. He was stopped and detained by Customs officers at JFK International Airport because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest, until an FBI agent ordered Awlaki's release, even though the warrant was still active.
That same month, October 2002, Awlaki appeared in a major FBI investigation with a government witness. Based on Fox NEWS' reporting, Republican Congressman Frank Wolfe wrote to the FBI and Justice Department over a year ago demanding more information about the cleric's mysterious return and his contact with the FBI in October 2002. The congressman said he still has not received a satisfactory answer.
National Correspondent Catherine Herridge's first book, "The Next Wave: On the Hunt for al Qaeda's American Recruits"
will be published by the Crown Publishing Group on June 21. It draws on
her reporting for FOX News into al-Awlaki, his new generation of
recruits, and it explores why information about the cleric was withheld
from government investigators.Black pastors add to Obama campaign tremors Coalition blasts president for abandoning traditional marriage, promises opposition
Posted by BH
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR FZTV
Barack
Obama’s campaign has been outraised and outspent by Gov. Mitt Romney’s
GOP machine during several reporting periods already, and surveys show
that the Democrat’s supporters are much less excited about his candidacy
this year than they were in 2008. That means they’re less likely to
work at getting out the vote.
Now, the tremors underneath Obama’s hopes for the 2012 election have
expanded even to a core constituency – the black community – with a
coalition of pastors promising to raise opposition to Obama because of
his endorsement of same-sex “marriage.”
“With all of the problems in America within the black community –
education, jobs, business, the economy – with all of our problems, he
chooses to get in front of same-sex marriage,” he continued. “That flies
in the face of the African-American community.
“We feel betrayed.”
Owens’ comments come just a day after his organization, a
“grass-roots movement of African-American Christians who believe in
traditional family values such as supporting the role of religion in
American public life, protecting the lives of the unborn, and defending
the sacred institute of marriage,” held a news conference.
At the Washington event, CAAP leaders issued a statement in which
they “responded strongly to President Obama’s declaration of support for
same-sex marriage.”
“We cannot and will not remain silent while marriage, the most
fundamental institution in our and any nation, is undermined by our own
president while using Christian language and relating it to civil
rights. We stood, marched and fought against racial discrimination as
legally and morally evil. It is a violation of the first principles of
our faith that God created all men in His image, and the first
principles of our nation that recognized that all men are created
equal,” the statement said.
“For activists, politicians and now the highest office in the nation
to link sexual behavior God calls sin to the righteous cause Martin
Luther King gave his life for is abominable in and of itself. There is
no civil right to do what God calls wrong.”
CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE
Exclusive: Obama authorizes secret U.S. support for Syrian rebels
Posted by BH
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR FZTV
HERE WE GO AGAIN, AN IN SECRET ?
WASHINGTON
Obama's order, approved earlier this year and known as an intelligence "finding," broadly permits the CIA and other U.S. agencies to provide support that could help the rebels oust Assad.
This and other developments signal a shift toward growing, albeit still circumscribed, support for Assad's armed opponents - a shift that intensified following last month's failure of the U.N. Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against the Damascus government.
The White House is for now apparently stopping short of giving the rebels lethal weapons, even as some U.S. allies do just that.
But U.S. and European officials have said that there have been noticeable improvements in the coherence and effectiveness of Syrian rebel groups in the past few weeks. That represents a significant change in assessments of the rebels by Western officials, who previously characterized Assad's opponents as a disorganized, almost chaotic, rabble.
Precisely when Obama signed the secret intelligence authorization, an action not previously reported, could not be determined.
The full extent of clandestine support that agencies like the CIA might be providing also is unclear.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined comment.
'NERVE CENTER'
A U.S. government source acknowledged that under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.
CLICK BELOW TO READ MORE
Man buys knife, stabs 2 at Salt Lake City grocery store: Armed citizen Stops the Madness! **video**
Posted by BH
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR FZTV
Man buys knife, stabs 2 at Salt Lake City grocery store: Armed citizen Stops the Madness! **video**
This
is one of the reasons we have a 2nd amendment my friends. To protect
ourselves and our communities. This man's actions by drawing his weapon
and stopping a knife-wielding psycho- who had already stabbed two people
critically- is a hero you won't hear about on your nightly news. Don't
blame the media though, the made up Chick-Fil-A story about them being bigots for supporting traditional marriage is much more important then any pro- 2nd amendment story. EDITORS
Utah – SALT LAKE CITY — A
man stabbed two people at the Smith’s Marketplace grocery store in
downtown Salt Lake City before being subdued by a bystander.
The attack took place around 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the store at 455 S. 500 East.
According
to a witness, it appears one man was stabbed in the side of the head
and another was stabbed in the stomach. The exact condition of the
victims is unknown, but police believe the injuries are very serious
and possibly critical.
Police say a bystander with a concealed carry permit witnessed the attack and stepped in to keep it from escalating.
Americans Flock To Support Chick-fil-A
Posted by BH
FREE ZONE MEDIA CENTER WFZR FZTV
Americans Flock To Support Chick-fil-A
 |
| Robin Minichino of Stuart, Fla., was proud to show her support for Chick-fil-A on Aug. 1, 2012 (WND photo / Joe Kovacs) |
WND
STUART, Fla. – Across the country today, Americans are flocking to Chick-fil-A restaurants in a national show of support for the eatery after the company’s president publicly stated his support for the biblical definition of marriage between one man and one woman.
“It’s packed!” said Colleen Shaler of Port St. Lucie, Fla., who had lunch at a crowded franchise in nearby Stuart, Fla.
The
parking lot was overflowing and cars were wrapped around the building
waiting to reach the drive-up window. There were extra attendants
outside on foot taking people’s orders before they even got near the
window.
“Today’s
actually my 23rd anniversary,” Shaler said. “I don’t normally eat at
Chick-fil-A, I just don’t do a lot of fast food, but I definitely
support their beliefs and what they’re doing. I just felt today was the
right day to come out and show my support.”
Robin
Minichino of Stuart was eating lunch with some friends from her Grace
Place Church, and told WND, “I’m a Christian and I believe in the
Christian values and this is just an awesome, amazing thing. I’m so
proud to see so many people out here today supporting [Chick-fil-A]. The
people in there are so accommodating. They’re helping out. Even the
patrons are so kind enough to share tables with other people because
it’s so packed in there, you can’t find a seat.”
Asked
whether she was confident the restaurant chain would survive criticism
from homosexual activists who are boycotting the company, Minichino
said, “Oh, absolutely. God’s got his hand in everything, so His plan is
the best plan and He’s got this all worked out already.”
John
Roetman of Hobe Sound, Fla., came to dine with his wife as well as his
granddaughter, Katie Clement of Lancaster, Pa., and he noted, “We were
here Monday for lunch, and we’re back to support them because we stand
for what they stand for, and that is believing in Jesus Christ as Lord
and Savior.”
Clement
added, “I think it’s a very good cause because it’s showing people
about Jesus, and there are so many people [here today]!
Some
600,000 people had signed up to celebrate Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day
today, which former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee created to counter a
boycott launched by same-sex marriage activists last week after
Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy said he was “guilty as charged” for not
supporting homosexual marriage.
“The
goal is simple,” Huckabee wrote on Facebook. “Let’s affirm a business
that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing
to take a stand for the godly values we espouse by simply showing up
and eating at Chick fil-A on Wednesday, August 1.”
Cars
were wrapped around Chick-fil-A in Stuart, Fla., as part of a national
fan-based Appreciation Day on Aug. 1, 2012 (WND photo / Joe Kovacs)
Reports are consistent from across America today.
“There’s
only one Chick-fil-A in Iowa, in Des Moines,” said WND news editor
Drew Zahn. “At 1 p.m. today, they announced they had served more than
3,000 customers. And there were another 300 in line at the time. One
family drove nearly 2 hours to come for lunch.”
Gene
Maples of Arizona tells WND: “My wife and I just got back from a local
Chick-fil-A on the mall in Mesa, Ariz. When we arrived there was a
line like you wouldn’t believe. As we stood in line and by the time we
got up to place our order the line had doubled in length. We sat down
to eat our meal (took about 30 minutes) and the line continued to stay
long. Went to a local department store and shopped for awhile and when
we came out the line was just as long. Talked to a few people who said
they had relatives in other states and that they were experiencing the
same thing. The one comment I kept hearing from the crowd was ‘I hope
those people in Washington get the message.’”
Long lines at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in State College, Pa., on Aug. 1, 2012 (WND photo / Brian Hetzman)
Another report from Arizona indicates police were called to direct traffic because of the traffic into one franchise.
“Let’s pray it’s a preview of turnout for the November election,” said Warren Duffy.
Roger Cates told CNN’s iReport
he had lunch at Chick-fil-A in Owensboro, Ky., and planned to return
with his family for dinner. He said political leaders who have
criticized the chain, such as the mayors of Boston and Chicago, are
hypocritical.
“I
think it is ironic that the so-called forces of tolerance and
inclusion are calling for the exclusion of Chick-fil-A from cities
simply because of the beliefs of their chairman. … People that disagree
with me have a right to their opinion, and I have a right to mine,”
Cates said.
In Oklahoma, Tim Tibbles told iReport:
“It’s 109 degrees here, and people have been standing outside for well
over an hour. Nobody is complaining or talking about the controversy.
They’re showing quiet support.”
Other chains reportedly got in on the action, with some Wendy’s franchises in North and South Carolina posting signs outside their restaurants saying, “We Stand With Chick-fil-A.” They were removed later in the day.
Extra
Chick-fil-A attendants took orders from customers waiting in long
lines of cars in Stuart, Fla. on Aug. 1, 2012 (WND photo / Joe Kovacs)
The Washington-area office of WND ordered Chick-fil-A for the entire staff – for breakfast and lunch!
What they found were long lines of cheerful people not concerned about the long waits of up to 30 minutes to get served.
“People
were there for more than food today,” said WND founder Joseph Farah.
“They were there to make a statement. They were there to show their
support for the Cathy family for standing up for righteous values in
the face of tremendous bigotry, hatred and opposition. And they were
there to stand up for marriage as an institution between one man and one
woman.”
A
representative from the WND team, after placing a large order for the
staff, commented on the size of the bill. The clerk behind the counter
said the average purchase in that store today was for $50 – far more
than it costs for a couple of chicken sandwiches.
“I suspect WND wasn’t alone as a company wanting to show its support to Chick-fil-A today.”
For
its part, the company has been distancing itself from any connection
with what has become known as Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, as Donald
Perry, vice president of corporate public relations said: “We do not
have any affiliation with Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. It is a
fan-based promotion. However, we appreciate all of our customers, no
matter their reason for visiting our restaurant and are glad to serve
them at any time.”
Another corporate spokesman, Bryan Harris, was tightlipped about business volume seen today.
“Chick-fil-A isn’t going to comment on traffic numbers either locally or nationwide,” Harris said.
Chick-fil-A
distributed an official statement, which reads: “Chick-fil-A is a
family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it
operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began
applying biblically based principles to managing his business. For
example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and
devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what
make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.
“The
Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to
treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of
their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will
continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent
owner/operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy
debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.
“Our
mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality
and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with
Chick-fil-A.”
In
advance of today’s event, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin posted a
photo of her and her husband holding bulging bags of Chick-fil-A on her
Facebook page.
She
also appeared on Fox News, telling host Greta Van Susteren: “Well,
that calling for the boycott is a real – has a chilling effect on our
1st Amendment rights.”
“And
the owner of the Chick-fil-A business had merely voiced his personal
opinion about supporting traditional definition of marriage, one boy,
one girl, falling in love, getting married. And having voiced support
for kind of that cornerstone of all civilization and all religions
since the beginning of time, he then basically [is] getting crucified.”
Palin
went on, suggesting President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden had
expressed similar beliefs against same-sex marriage until they pulled a
U-turn recently.
“I’m
speaking up for him and his 1st Amendment rights and anybody else who
would wish to express their not anti-gay people sentiment, but their
support of traditional marriage, which President Obama and Joe Biden,
they both supported the exact same thing until just a few months ago,
when Obama had to flip-flop to shore up the homosexual voter base,”
Palin said.
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