Chick-fil-A restaurants face day of "Kiss In" after conservatives deliver record sales

An anti-Chick-fil-A protestor holds a sign outside a Chick-fil-A fast food restaurant, August 1, 2012 in Hollywood, California. / Getty

(CBS/AP) ATLANTA - Gay rights activists and other supporters of marriage equality plan a national "Kiss In" at Chick-fil-A restaurants Friday to protest the fast-food chain owners' opposition to same-sex unions, two days after gay marriage foes delivered the chain a one-day sales record.

Hundreds of thousands of customers, many of them conservative Christians, attended "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" at more than 1,600 locations on Wednesday, following a call from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister and Fox News talk-show host.

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Chick-fil-A vice president Steve Robinson said the company won't release sales figures for Wednesday. Customers lined up outside restaurants and the Rev. Billy Graham, the 93-year-old evangelist, dined on a Chick-fil-A lunch on the record-setting day.

"We are very grateful and humbled by the incredible turnout of loyal Chick-fil-A customers on August 1 at Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country," Robinson in the statement.

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Politicians flock to Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy stirred the controversy by confirming his opposition to same-sex marriage.

The Southern Baptist Cathy family has long been known for publicly expressing its faith, telling the Baptist Press last month that the company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family," and never opening their businesses on Sundays.

Participants in the "Kiss In" are encouraged to come to the fast-food chains and kiss a fellow demonstrator of the same sex. One organizer, Carly McGehee of Dallas, said she hopes the event "helps LGBT youth who feel isolated and are victims of bullying."

[walkthetalk]

Well! If I were a little baby or young chid, living in a run down Bed Bug, Rat infested Flea Trap Orphange, with precious little food to eat and two Dudes or Ladies came to adopt me. I would have to say. No Thanks!

[HM8432]

I wonder what the LGBT's would have to say if the anti-homosexual crowd boycotted gay-friendly businesses like Target, Ben & Jerry, American Eagle, etc...but we don't, we're more mature than them. If they want their self-proclaimed rights, then they'll need to earn our respect first; and having silly protests in front of a fast-food joint that they're butt-hurt about.

[D-Waarheid]

MY response to the "hate is not a family value" sign would be a sign that says "homosexuality goes against and breaks up families" !

[haynturtle1971]

And this kiss in protest suppose to do what to chikfila. it is free advertising for them. the more the are on the air good or bad the more exposure they have. NOW THIS IS A FAIL IF I EVER SEEN ONE. You guys wanna make a statement take your business somewhere else. IMO. So what they don't support same sex marriage big deal. You wanna hurt them go some where else to eat. Don't ruin everyone elses lives just because they don't support your cause. Go ask different religions if they believe in same sex marriage.

[thetruthwillout]

Has CFA ever discriminated against anyone? Has the restaurant ever refused to employ or serve a gay person? This is not discrimination; it is one man's opinion, which is protected by the First Amendment. People are making way too much out of this and for what?

[vdlcSTL]

It is apparent that the word "hate" is being thrown around extremely loosely by certian sectors of the GLBT community. It is an unfortunate disservice to the cause of stopping true hate directed against the community (Hate in the form of violent and henious attacks upon GLBT individuals). The violent mutlilation of lesbian woman in Lincoln Nebraska is 'hate'. The cold blooded murder of Mollie Judith Olgin in Portland Texas is 'hate'. The tortuous ridicule and assults upon a gay students accross ths country is 'hate'. The 'cause' is not served by labeling 'hate' upon the words of a man that come out of religous convictions. That will not win the hearts of the masses. Eventually the word is just a shallow shell due to its repeated missuse.

[cvdfvzvzvzcxvz]

No, but hate is donating millions of your companies money to groups that advocate that very same type of violence. Hate i using your charity organization to fund groups that seek to discriminate against, malign, and actively harm the LGBT community. People are so hung up on the opinion that they have completely forgotten the actual issue at stake and why he said what he said. Those comments were a direct reaction to being asked about those same millions in donations. I could care less about his opinions, or anyones opinions. We all have them, and none of them mean that much. The problem here is the actions that he has done in the name of and in defense of those opinions.

[expatriate2]

Polygamy certainly encourages fraud. Take, for example, the town of Hildale, Utah where 50% of the women receive welfare and many of them are part of multiple wife families who claim to be abandoned even though they know where their shared husband is. In the case of Tom Green who was convicted of polygamy, 30 of his children were receiving welfare checks.
It should be considered that Medicade has paid for one out of every three babies born in Utah and women who are plural wives represent a very large portion of them. More than 40,000 people living in polygamist relationships in Utah and Arizona alone.



Dancing-in-the-Streets August 3, 2012 4:13 PM EDT
kkltr76 August 3, 2012 4:08 PM EDT

Everyone is entitled to determine for themselves what is right and what is wrong
____________________________________________________________

This is one of the most flagrant fallacies I've seen yet. We actually have little or no influence in determining right and wrong. From the time of Hammurabi laws were established to force upon us prohibitions permitting a government to have greater and easier control. What we personally perceive as right may be against the law. Having sex with a girl who is 17 years and 364 days old is an example. Countless people support the idea that a person has the right to die even though the law declares it illegal.

To a greater extent, we are influenced from birth by standards established by religion that may or may not be valid. We do not voluntarily search for these doctrines that define human conduct, but we are indoctrinated to it from the time Mama takes us by the hand and leads us into the church. There is no greater force to instruct us or enlighten us to what is really right, wrong, good, bad. We simply do not know but conform to social rules established in times nearly forgotten.

Typically, these ancient regulations are accepted without thought. 'Thou Shalt Not Have Any Gods Before Me' does not fit well into teachings telling of one god. Theologians are forced to invent the posture that the commandment was speaking of idols even though there is nothing, in reality, suggesting that. No one really takes the commandment seriously prohibiting admiration of your neighbor's wife. Everyone lies and almost everyone has stolen something in their lifetime, even if it was gum at the age of five.

We do not, my friend, determine for ourselves what is right and wrong. We simply adapt to established rules and live by them for the fear of the consequences.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

Right and wrong are more determined by what we choose to accept.

If there were no religions, and there were no governments....and someone came to hurt you or your family you would defend yourself. Not because it was wrong for them to hurt you, but because You won't tolerate them hurting you!

Society obviously changes its mind on what it will and won't tolerate.
We are in the process of changing it now! : )

[dawg8u]

I find it amazing that CBS totally ignored Wednesday's story of people showing support for Chik-fil-a but today's protest is front page news. News media should be balanced and neutral. The hypocrisy of ignoring the counter argument to this subject should encourage readers to seek their news elsewhere.

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

CBS did NOT ignore wednesdays protests - I commented on those too!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

If our government was REALLY in the business of solving problems, they would do two things.

1. Get out of the marriage business! Stop issuing marriage certificates at all - its a private matter! And with that stop all financial favors one gets for being married!

2. Even this tax code out to something with absolutely NO loopholes, no tax write offs, no favors because you got married, or owned a silly horse, or anything else!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

by kkltr76 August 3, 2012 4:20 PM EDT
The only solitary issue I have with gay marriage is the fact that two dudes will end up paying less in income tax than two single dudes. That is not right. Other than that I could care less as long as I don't have to be exposed to it.
------------------------
So the truth comes out - its all about the MONEY!

So why on earth do a man and woman deserve to pay less income tax.
And a man and man don't deserve to pay less income tax? I truly don't understand!

[Dancing-in-the-Streets]

What if a couple chooses not to have kids?
Or perhaps they just turn out to be barren no matter how hard they try. They need to give up their tax breaks too?