I’ve been trying to avoid the internet lately to try and avoid
both the Olympics and the whole Chick-fil-A bullshit. But, alas, the
Chick-fil-A bullshit is even more all-encompassing than the Olympics with an inordinate
number of clueless straight people rallying round the poor poor oppressed Dan
Cathy and his hate chicken. And you’ve got to love how many of them are so
desperate to say how much they’re not homophobes, no, really, honest.
Yeah, I don’t believe them either.
In the face of the sheer mass of the bullshit straight
folks are flinging here, I feel obliged to say something, to vent if nothing
else.
First of all, the most common crap people are slinging
is: “He only spoke out against same-sex marriage”.
It’s not actually true – but even if it were, and?
Marriage is a human right – one that has been upheld repeatedly on both sides
of the Atlantic. Denying human rights to marginalised people, deciding we don’t
deserve human rights, is not a defensible position and is more than grounds to
avoid this vile bigot and his nasty hate chicken. Of all the pro bono legal
services I have provided GBLT people, the most common is my “partner pack” a
big sheaf of legal documents that try try try to give same-sex couples the same
protections as straight couples –
knowing that a) no amount of documents would give them the protection straight
couples take for granted (including unmarried ones for that matter) and b)
there’s no way the vast majority of them could have afforded this without pro-bono
and you know there’s no legal aid for this. They faced no small amount of legal
fees for something straight folks can get at registry office – OR not have to
do a thing because the straight world gives them status automatically. (Oh and
lookie here, Civil
Partnerships can cost 12 times more than weddings. I’m shocked, shocked I
say)
And don’t tell me denying the human right of marriage
doesn’t have cost. Tell
this poor sod whose much loved partner died and his would-be-in-laws put
him through hell that it doesn’t cost. Tell
these women who are going to be separated against their will after being
together for 10 years that denying the human right of marriage doesn’t have a
cost. Tell their 2 children who will lose a mother. Or this man who had to leave the US
to be with his husband. Or the gay man who was kicked out of the hospital
and barred
from visiting his partner for kissing him goodbye. It matters.
Also, let’s be clear here – if he WAS only “speaking
against gay marriage” then GBLT people and people who value our humanity would
in no way be censoring him or denying his freedom of speech by criticising him
or not going to Chik-fil-A. I boggle at the very idea that this has anything to
do with freedom of speech.
Your freedom of speech is not being violated when people
tell others what you said.
Your freedom of speech is not being violated when people
use THEIR freedom of speech to call you a bigoted arsehole because of what you
said.
Your freedom of speech is not being violated because
people decide not to buy chicken sandwiches off you. Honestly – do you think
people are oppressing this man by not buying his nasty hate chicken?
Your freedom of speech does not demand others be silent.
Your freedom of speech does not demand others not react to what you said. Your
freedom of speech does not grant immunity from criticism or consequences. Your
freedom of speech does not mean people have to eat your damn hate chicken.
But y’know what? Freedom of speech, freedom of religion
and even marriage equality are all red herrings here. Because this is the real
truth:
Chik-Fil-A gives money, a part of those profits from all
the hate chicken, to hate groups. Yes,
hate groups named by the Southern Poverty Law Centre as such, including the
Family Research Council, led by Tony Perkins, one of the worse
bigots you could ever meet, who calls gay people paedophiles and terrorists.
The Family Research Council has not only
fought against marriage equality, but has sunk money into fighting against any
anti-discrimination laws, any anti-bullying laws, has fought the day of silence
and even spent a ton of money lobbying Congress to NOT condemn the
kill-the-gays law in Uganda. These people literally want GBLT people dead.
Literally. And if you bought some of that hate chicken, you’re paying for that.
You’re also paying for torturous ex-gay therapy since Exodus is another of
their beneficiaries.
Freedom of speech? Let me repeat, Chik-fil-A is spending
a whole lot of money supporting organisations that want to remove all the human
rights of GBLT people around the world.
And you expect GBLT people to put their money into this?
You object to GBLT people telling other people where their money is going? You
think GBLT people shouldn’t be hostile towards people buying and eating hate
chicken? You think GBLT people shouldn’t use THEIR freedom of speech to protest
the funding of hate groups that are trying to strip us of our rights? Really?
This isn’t violating someone’s freedom of speech. This is
basic self-defence.
And I don’t even know what to say about “Chick-fil-A appreciation
day” or all of the people who have flocked out to defend the hate chicken.
GBLT people and their allies decided “no,
we’re not going to pay for hate groups” and “yes we’re going to protest hate
groups.” And these straight folks showing their arses with their hate chicken
sandwiches and their rallying round Chick-Fil-A? What are they doing?
Announcing that, actually, yes they do want their money to go to hate groups! They
do hate the human rights of GBLT people! Or are they rallying to say no,
actually, they don’t think GBLT people have a right to protest people who
attack us. That we have no right to boycott?
Because I can’t think of any other message all these
fools are trying to send. And that applies double to the two-faced liars who
are swamping facebook and twitter and every damn where else to say how much
they love GBLT people BUT… BUT BUT BUT they’re supporting Chick-Fil-A. They
love us, no, really – but because we’re *gasp* being so meaaaan to the hate
groups, they’re going to give them money so they can campaign against our basic
humanity some more.
At least
these vile bigots are open and honest about their bigotry. The rest of you?
By your actions we will know you. Because when you’re not just buying the hate
chicken, but deciding you need to take part in this Chick-fil-A appreciation
crap and rally round to support them? You’re no better than those bigots or the
hate groups they support.
And I wonder, I really do, what the world would be like
if these damn fools spent even half the effort and money to support minorities
that they do to hurt us.
