Monthly Archives: July 2012

Let’s continue to make molehills into mountains, shall we?

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I’m sure many people will disagree with this post, but so be it. I’m so over the media (and extremely bored Americans) making HUGE deals out of little non-issues.

Case study #1: Chick-fil-A controversy

I admit, I probably hear a lot more about this issue than the average person because I live in Atlanta, where their headquarters is located. But now Dan Cathy’s stance on same-sex marriage has reached the national news, and several cities (Boston, Chicago, San Francisco) have vowed to ban the quick-serve chicken chain from opening new locations. That is ridiculous.

Every company in this nation has a founder. Every founder has their own set of personal opinions and beliefs. Are we really going to boycott every single company that doesn’t share our own personal opinions on matters such as same-sex marriage??

I don’t agree with Mr. Cathy, but I also realize that we live in America, and every one of us has the right to our own opinions. I do not agree with his opinions, and I may not donate my money to the same organizations that he does, but that’s okay with me. And how dare city mayors and politicians ban Chick-fil-A because they don’t personally agree with Mr. Cathy… your constituents can make their own decisions about what companies they want or do not want in their cities. That is absolutely RIDICULOUS.  

If you just CANNOT get over the fact that Chick-fil-A’s founder doesn’t support same-sex marriage, then just suck it up and stop eating there. But seriously, what did you expect? Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays because the company is so Christian-oriented. Don’t act as though you had no idea that the founder had strict Christian values.

Additionally, if you are going to make Dan Cathy’s religious opinions such a big deal, then go do your research and find out what other companies don’t share your own personal beliefs. So now you’re hardcore anti-Chick-fil-A because this issue has made the national news… well, if you really cared that much about this controversy, you would also boycott all other companies whose founders don’t share your same opinions. Don’t jump on this Chick-fil-A bandwagon just because the media is making it into a huge national headline. 

And again – I don’t agree with Dan Cathy. But the restaurant doesn’t discriminate against anyone and his beliefs are his own – they are not affecting anyone else. We had this same topic come up last month when Kraft’s Oreo brand went out of their way to support gay marriage. I thought that was awesome – but if you didn’t share this opinion, then you can just stop eating Oreos. Simple as that.

What I find amusing is that the Oreo brand actually made a Facebook image about gay marriage – which implies that the actual brand is advertising their beliefs. Chick-fil-A didn’t share any images or advertisements implying that they were anti-gay marriage… the founder just stated his opinion. But of course the media is making this Chick-fil-A controversy a much bigger deal. Interesting.

Shockingly, the ALL of the ladies of The View agree with me:

‘The View’ Co-Hosts Defend Chick-Fil-A After Chicago Alderman Announces Ban

And also, if you’d like to read another great opinion piece about this controversy, read this article from the Red & Black, The University of Georgia’s student newspaper. 

So, even though I still have a beef with Chick-fil-A over their use of peanut oil for their fried chicken (because I’m allergic… PS: pun intended), I will continue to enjoy my chargrilled chicken sandwich with waffle fries and Chick-fil-A sauce. Free speech, even if it doesn’t align with my own views, is something that I respect.

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Case Study #2: Mitt Romney’s Olympics gaffe

Okay. We all know that Joe Biden Mitt Romney seems to accidentally stick his foot in his mouth quite frequently. I don’t really understand how this seems to happen, as it seems like Romney has been running for President for the past 20 years. But of course, he said something during a Brian Williams interview that was seemingly minor, which then blew up into a international insult somehow.

According to this Fox News article:

“With the Tower of London lit up behind him, Romney questioned the readiness of the U.K. to play host to the world’s greatest athletes.

“You know, it’s hard to know just how well it … will turn out,” he speculated and went on to cite reports of logistical problems surrounding the planning, calling it “disconcerting.”

“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people … the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” Romney stated.”

Could he have phrased that a little better? Yes. Sorry. Oops. Get over it. It’s not that big of a deal. President Obama has made multiple gaffes in the past as well. However, apparently Romney’s quote warranted this response:

“The candidate later walked his remark back, but British PM David Cameron addressed the comment at a press conference this morning in a not-so-subtle swipe at Romney’s stewardship of the 2002 Salt Lake City, Utah, Olympics.

“We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the most active bustling cities in the world and of course it is easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere,” he quipped.

The British press doubled down on the hit with headlines reading, “Who invited you?”

The Twitter hashtag #Romneyshambles then sprouted up, inviting tweeters to take shots at the visiting U.S. politician.”

Geez. Chill out people. Now every news station is bringing on politicians and PR pros to dissect Romney’s comment. Rand Paul, being interviewed by CNN yesterday, continually kept calling this a “non-issue” and tried to focus on more important issues, but of course Romney’s gaffe is a sensational story that just cannot be dropped.

What’s interesting is that there IS, in fact, an issue with the security at the London Olympics. So Romney’s comment was not completely out of left field and unwarranted.

President Obama’s “you didn’t build that” comment to business owners seems to be a bit more insulting than former Gov. Romney’s Olympics security comment, but of course the media didn’t run with that one.

 

My Take: Why is NCAA taking sex abuse more seriously than Catholic Church?

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Reblogged from CNN Belief Blog:

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Editor's note: Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar and author of "The American Bible: How Our Words Unite, Divide, and Define a Nation," is a regular CNN Belief Blog contributor.

By Stephen Prothero, Special to CNN

(CNN) -- As a resident of the most Catholic state in the nation (Massachusetts), I have watched for more than a decade as the Roman Catholic Church responded to charges of priestly pedophilia with a troubling combination of procrastination and obfuscation.

Read more… 530 more words

Good opinion piece...