Re: The Chik-fil-A Controversy

Photo Credit: LA Times

I have a long history of enjoying Chik-fil-A's sandwiches. We didn't have any stores where I grew up in Tifton, Georgia. (Tifton didn't have a fancy mall--which was the only place you used to be able to find Chik-fil-A . . . back before they began expanding into stand-alone stores.) The closest Chik-fil-A to my hometown was 45 minutes away in Albany. As a boy, I usually went to Albany only to make my semi-annual visit to the orthopedic surgeon that oversaw my leg surgeries and therapies. I asked Mom if we could eat lunch at the Albany Mall so that I could have my favorite chicken sandwich after the doctor's visit. The chance to eat their chicken sandwiches as a special treat.

Now I can get a Chik-fil-A sandwich whenever I choose. (Note that I've tried the McDonald's "Southern" chicken sandwich and it is a pale pretender to the delicious flavor of the original Chik-fil-A offering.) But I am NOT going to go to Chik-Fil-A for lots of reasons.

1. I don't agree with Mr. Cathy's religious views on homosexuality.
2. I would rather he didn't use his resources to actively slow the efforts to improve the civil rights of homosexuals in the United States.
3. I don't want to support the corporation Mr. Cathy heads, in an effort to make my own small statement about what I believe is a discriminatory point of view.

I also know that most of the franchise owners of Chik-fil-A restaurants are individual owner/operators and are only tangentially connected to Cathy's corporate structure. Still, I think a statement can be made.

I am saddened and dismayed by the outpouring of "support" that this past Wednesday's Chik-fil-A Appreciation Day and what I think that continues to demonstrate about the state of equality in our country. Many people say that they stood in line to support free speech, but I believe that the free speech being supported discriminated against a "different" group of American citizens.

I stand for the notion that everyone deserves equality. The push of history will eventually bear me out, I think. The kid in my memories misses the taste of those sandwiches, but I, like our culture, have changed since then.

I would like it to change a little bit faster.

Happy 12th Birthday!

(Party Month is now officially over for another year.)

Is there something special about number twelve? I seem to remember it being so for me all those years ago, but I don't remember why.

Sarah said that her eleventh was a special year, as 11 is her lucky number (old enough for Hogwarts but TOO young for the Reaping).

But she was looking forward to this year as well. She is growing more mature, responsible, and confident by the day. Still, she retains an ability to laugh at herself and find the humor in the world. It is that quality I especially cherish in her.

Keep smiling and laughing Sarah. I promise to be doing it beside you.

Seventeen Years

Happy anniversary to my friend and best companion.

Birthday Wishes

In the midst of all the storm frenzy and Grace's birthday partying of the past few days, here's hoping that you don't feel that your birthday is getting overlooked.

You and I did get to have a few hours to ourselves earlier this week to enjoy a meal, some dessert, some strolling, and time to talk without children interruptions. And that was such a valuable and special thing to me and I hope you liked it as well.

You've been the best thing in my life since the day we met over twenty years ago. And I look forward to so many more things to enjoy with you as our lives continue to change in the next twenty years. Thank you for the gift of yourself in my life and may I turn every day you have into a gift for you--birthday or not.

Love today, tomorrow, and always.

Party Month Update

It's been a whirlwind of a few days here in Party Month 2012, as we kicked it off a bit early this year by visiting all of my immediate family in Hiawassee, Georgia to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. We enjoy a few days of relaxation, hiking, waterfalling, campfire singing, good food eating, and general merriment. The best congratulations go to mom and dad for their wonderful marriage, their commitment to family, and for being a wonderful example of a loving life lived. It is absolutely obvious that none of us would be here without you, so thanks for everything.

Once we got home from that extended weekend, it was time to celebrate Grace's ninth birthday, as I wrote on here a few days ago. Her actual birthday was mid-week, so we acknowledged the day with morning doughnuts and gifts. Then we all had to go to camp and work and everything else. But we had party plans for this weekend--a few hours at the local pool with some friends, pizza, cake, and water. And wouldn't the water be great since it has been so hot and dry here in the Midwest? When was the last time we've gotten any rain, we thought to ourselves?

And then . . . Friday night came.

I left work about 4:30 to pick up Grace's cake and the sky was already darkening. I got into Meijer and then the bottom fell out. Torrential rain and hellacious winds kept coming and coming and coming for about twenty or thirty minutes. I knew Lynda and the girls were home and in the basement, so I wasn't too worried. I got my stuff, waited for the rains to slacken, got in the car and drove home.

By now power was out everywhere, traffic lights were inoperable, and I was seeing trees large and small down along the roads. Once I got into my neighborhood, I saw a few more trees down, but nothing too catastrophic. Lynda opened the garage and let me in. I was surprised that our two dead trees in the back yard were still standing--but I guess their complete lack of leaves made them less of a wind trap. Still, we were really lucky. No trees down, just limbs.

We waited out the power outage in the basement for a while, then got antsy and decided to go see if we could get any back up food supplies at a grocery store or some other food. Most restaurants were closed, except Arbys--which was pretty overwhelmed. We slipped into Giant Eagle, got some stuff, and went back home.

We opened the windows to let in some of the (slightly) cool air and went to bed. Some of us (not me) slept somewhat fitfully during the night, but woke up yesterday to renewed power. We managed to have the party yesterday afternoon and Grace and her friends had a good time.The pool certainly was a good place to be, considering how hot it continues to be. I've cleaned up the minor debris in our yard and continue to feel really lucky that we aren't negatively affected.

Since then, we've been trying to find ways to help. We're hosting one friend, who's apartment is powerless and he's avoiding the heat there. We have space for sleeping, a functioning AC, some extra refrigerator space for food storage, showers, and whatever else. Please, let our good fortune be to your advantage!