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people-of-faith · 8 years

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Chick-fil-A’s Sordid Connections to LGBTQ, Muslim Animus

9 February 2017 by Frank O’Gorman Chick-fil-A markets it’s restaurants as places to enjoy good food, where customers are greeted by employees, lemonade is freshly squeezed, and fans line up the night before a new store opening to obtain free weekly meals for a year.

But behind the slick branding one finds the company has a sordid connection to LGBTQ and Muslim animus, not to mention being involved in an industry infamous for animal cruelty.

Chick-fil-a is a privately held company founded by S. Truett Cathy and now controlled by his sons, Dan and Donald. There is a distinct Christian fundamentalist flavor to their worldview -- wealth as evidence of divine approbation, and the channeling of wealth to promote an ultra-conservative theocratic agenda. Truett Cathy has stated, “the Lord has never spoken to me, but I feel Chick-fil-A has been His gift.”(1)

Muslim & LGBTQ Animus

That sentiment may not have been shared by a Muslim franchise manager named Aziz Latif who attended a company training program in 2000. At one point, there was a group prayer to Jesus Christ which Latif naturally and rightfully refused to participate in. He was fired the following day! Latif sued Chick-fil-A and eventually settled out of court. (2)

This incident with blatant Christian supremacist motif may have prompted in part the current company policy that reads “The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity, and respect -- regardless of their beliefs, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.” (3)

Regarding sexual orientation, Chick-fil-A came under fire in 2011 when it was revealed that it had donated to groups opposed to marriage equality via its WinShape Foundation. One such grantee, the Family Research Council, is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its animus towards Muslims and LGBTQ people. (4)

Anti-Muslim & Anti-LGBTQ Propaganda & Public Policy

The Family Research Council’s executive vice-president, retired Lt. William “Jerry” Boykin, has claimed that the United States is in a “spiritual battle” against Satan which it appears is what Islam represents to him. He also helped pen “Shariah: The Threat to America,”which is nothing other than a collection of anti-Islamic conspiracy theories. (5)

Spreading false claims is also the strategy that the Family Research Council uses against LGBTQ people. FRC President Tony Perkins commenting on anti-bullying videos stated:

“They are aimed at persuading kids that although they'll face struggles and perhaps bullying for 'coming out' as homosexual (or transgendered or some other perversion), life will get better. …It's disgusting. And it's part of a concerted effort to persuade kids that homosexuality is okay and actually to recruit them into that lifestyle." (6)

“Religious Freedom” Christian Theocracy

As part of its mission “to advance faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview,” the Family Research Council is also a major proponent of so-called “religious freedom” laws. This legislation would essentially permit individuals, organizations or companies to discriminate against anyone they have animus towards -- especially but not limited to gay and lesbian married couples -- under the guise of religious liberty. Proponents plan to re-introduce the so-called “First Amendment Defense Act” in Congress in 2017 and President Trump has indicated on his website that he would sign it into law. (7)

Funding Christian Theocracy

This Christian supremacist and heterosexual/cis-gendered supremacist ideology of FRC is funded by its donors. Chick-fil-A’s WinShape foundation donated $1,000 in 2010 but that relatively small amount is misleading because it does not account for donations to FRC through intermediary foundations. Consider that the National Christian Foundation and its subsidiaries donated $2,387,000 to FRC in 2008. Guess who donates to the National Christian Foundation? Chick-fil-A’s WinShape foundation donated $247,500 in 2010. (8)

Herein lies the real issue. Chick-fil-A has a policy statement cited above that commits it to treating every person with dignity regardless of “creed [or] sexual orientation.” But these words are preceded by the words “in our restaurants.” Chick-fil-A, still reserves it’s prerogative to fund organizations like the Family Research Council whose leaders have defamed Islam and denigrated LGBTQ people. Note that Chick-fil-A chairman,president and CEO Dan Cathy has never repudiated WinShape foundation’s donations to FRC or the National Christian Foundation. He has never apologized to the LGBTQ community for disrespecting our human dignity. Based on these factors it is reasonable to assume the he will continue to support organizations like FRC either through direct company donations, donations through intermediary foundations like NCF or directly out of his vast personal wealth.

Putting Our Money Where Our Morals Are

Just how wealthy is Dan Cathy? According to Forbes, he has a net worth of $3.7 billion as of February 2017. Chick-fil-A takes a 15 percent cut of each of the over 1,600 restaurant franchise’s sales plus 50 percent of the remaining profits. With average store sales of $3.9 million in 2015, that means that the 15 percent cut of sales amounted to $936 million. Thus his company was raking in nearly a billion dollars in fees from franchises even before splitting half their profits! (9)

As unimaginable, and quite frankly obscene, as this concentration of wealth is, all of it comes from ordinary working people patronizing Chick-fil-A restaurants. Choosing what (meat/vegetarian/vegan) and where to eat is a moral decision. Why would we consciously choose to support businesses like Chick-fil-A that ultimately funnel our money into advocacy organizations -- and likely political candidates -- whose policies violate our deepest moral values of respecting human dignity, religious diversity and animal welfare?

So as not to fund our own oppression: We need to put our money where our morals are.

1. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0723/080.html

2. Ibid

3. http://www.courant.com/community/west-hartford/hc-west-hartford-chick-fil-a-protest-20170207-story.html

4. https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/family-research-council

5. Ibid

6. Ibid

7. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/issues-of-importance-to-catholics

8. https://mic.com/articles/12219/all-the-anti-gay-companies-you-fund-when-you-spend-5-25-on-a-chick-fil-a-sandwich

http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/2012/03/11/invisible-children-funded-by-antigay-creationist-christian-right

9. http://www.forbes.com/profile/dan-cathy/ http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2007/0723/080.html

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-chick-fil-a-is-so-successful-2016-10

#chickfila #boycott #boycottchickfila #islamophobia #lgbtq #religiousfreedom

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people-of-faith · 8 years

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Immigrant Rights March, Hartford, Nov. 21

Monday, Nov. 21, 3:30 - 6:00 PM United Against Hate -- March of Resilience Abraham A. Rubicoff United States Court House, 450 Main Street, Hartford

Join leaders from across the state as we continue to take a stand for our community. We are defined by our resilience, strength and love for our community and we will not let anything or anyone turn us around!

3:30- gathering outside of the court house and discussing "Know your Rights materials for our community 4:00-Marching to the Old State house, where we wiill host a rally

https://www.facebook.com/events/196151107503735/

Download flyers:

B&W Flyer

Color Flyer

#HereToStay

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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The National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 granted the president the power to detain anyone indefinitely -- without charge or trial -- for the alleged crime of associating with a broad and vague category of people, which could include people who have nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks or with terrorism in general.

Chris Hedges, Daniel Ellsberg, Noam Chomsky and others challenged the indefinite detention provisions of NDAA in a court case.

On May 16, 2012 federal Judge Katherine Forrest issued an injunction barring enforcement of Section 1021 dealing with indefinite detention.

Her ruling was a great victory for the US Constitution and civil liberties!

However, in her ruling she references a concern by Chris Hedges about his association with the Bob Avakiam Revolutionary Party:

"Hedges also testified that he has previously associated with a group called Bob Avakiam Revolutionary Party, a Maoist group, which he stated he understands endorses the use of violence towards revolutionary ends--a philosophy to which Hedges stated he did not ascribe. Despite that fact, Hedges understands Section 1021 as potentially encompassing his association with the Avakiam Revolutionary Party and thus, the statute already has had a chilling effect on his associational activities."

Read the full text of the injuction here:

http://sdnyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/12-Civ.-00331-2012.05.16-Opinion-Granting-PI.pdf

Activists around the country are concerned that this paragraph of the judge's ruling could be used as a pretext to criminalize what is constitutionally protected freedom of speech and association and potentially sweep the Revolutionary Communist Party and its Chairman, Bob Avakian, into a category of organizations identified by the government as terrorist.

Currently the RCP is conducting a bus tour of towns and colleges highlighting the racist, classist reality of US law and economics and the corporate, imperialist nature of US foreign policy.

These are prophetic words that you will not find spoken during the Republican or Democratic convention charades.

Recall the chilling effect on dissent of the Joe McCarthy Red Scare era during the 1950's.

Sign a Call to Oppose The Obama Administration’s Dangerous Assault On Fundamental Rights:

http://opposerepressionndaa.net/OpposeRepressionNDAA/Oppose_Repressive_NDAA.html

Those of us signing this statement cannot speak for the RCP and indeed have various levels of familiarity with and a variety of views on its philosophical and political principles and objectives.

But we do not countenance -- and recognize as very dangerous -- the designation by the powers-that-be of groups as politically "acceptable" and "unacceptable."

In this there are very important lessons to be drawn from the self-critical summation by Pastor Martin Niemoeller of his experience when confronted with the heightening repression carried out by the Nazi regime in Germany during the 1930s:

"First they came for the communists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews,

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Catholics,

and I didn't speak out because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,

and by that time no one was left to speak out for me."

Together we call on people to step forward and stand together to oppose the assault on dissent and the moves to restrict and criminalize oppositional speech, association, and political activity, which are being carried out by the Obama Administration and which continue and expand dangerous precedents and mechanisms which can also be utilized by any future Administration.

Just imagine what an Obama/Drone/AIPAC administration or a Romney/Ryan/Rove administration could do with the NDAA in 2013.

If that scares you, please join the almost 500 people from around the country who are opposing repression:

http://opposerepressionndaa.net/OpposeRepressionNDAA/Oppose_Repressive_NDAA.html

#NDAA #civil liberties

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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Police Shoot Two in Hartford, one fatally!

SPECIAL EDITION!! Police Shoot Two in Hartford, one fatally!

Can a Bullet Stop a Car??

By Joanna Iovino The Hart Monitor

What made three men in a parked car in an apartment complex on Wadsworth Street “suspicious”? Were there any drugs or weapons found in this car to justify the “suspicions” of the police officers? The police observed the “activities” of a man on foot, then, when they went to investigate, saw a parked car… was the man they observed one of the people in the car? Did the police approach the car with their guns drawn, or did they draw their guns after the car started “driving towards” them?

These are some of the questions I am pondering in the aftermath of the police initiated shooting which killed Ernesto Morales and injured Martin Casseras. I posed a list of questions to the mayor, the city council members and Lt. Paul Vance, spokesman for the state police. The response I received from both the mayor and the police spokesman, was, basically “wait and see”. To me, these are simple questions to which the answers should already be known. But, of course, they will not be revealed to the public until an investigation, which Lt. Vance said would take several months, is completed.

I was able to clarify SOME information with Lt. Vance. I do know that the car was not pulled over by the police as some have said. The car was in the parking lot/driveway of the Casa Verde apartments on Wadsworth Street. Lt. Vance also informed me that the police officers did not know the car was stolen until AFTER the driver and his passenger had been shot. So, why did the police initially approach the vehicle? That information Lt. Vance could not, or would not, tell me.

I lived on Wadsworth Street until two months ago. I kept a close watch on police blotters during the time I lived there, and noticed that all too often, the police would arrest a person, or several people, at this specific address (60 Wadsworth Street). The arrests were almost always for “trespassing”. Basically, they would stop people who they deemed “suspicious”, then arrest them for trespassing if they were unable to find drugs or weapons on the individual. To me, this constitutes harassment. This is why I would like to know what made this car “suspicious” enough for the police to approach the vehicle. Did the police observe illegal activities, or did they simply see a car with three men in it, in an area that is designated a “trouble spot” due to this ridiculous “War on Drugs” and decide that they would try to find evidence of wrongdoing?

The police say that the vehicle “drove towards” them. Once they were able to get out of the way, why resort to shooting the driver, rather than pursuing the vehicle? Can a bullet stop a car? Obviously, the shooting did not stop the vehicle, since the car then ended up inside an apartment. In fact, the shooting not only killed the driver, but it endangered the people living in that apartment building, because it caused the car to swerve into the apartment. So, what is the efficacy of using a gun to attempt to stop a motor vehicle?

Even for those who believe that the shooting was justified, because the car was a “deadly weapon” that was aimed at the police officers, there is the question of whether the initial contact was justified. The state police will not reveal exactly what made the police “suspicious”. If the police did not observe any illegal activities, why approach the car in the first place? And, I am of the view that if the police did not reveal that there were drugs or weapons in the car, they probably found nothing. They were very quick to mention that the car was stolen, to back up their implication of the “criminality” of the men in the car, so I am sure they would have been very happy to reveal the presence of drugs and or weapons to provide evidence that their suspicion was justified.

There are so many unanswered questions in the aftermath of this shooting. I can almost guarantee that the police officers involved will be cleared of any official wrongdoing. But the “rules” for police are different than for the rest of us, and what they might consider “justifiable” is not necessarily moral or righteous to the members of the public in Hartford, a city that is besieged by an often unwelcome and decidedly unfriendly police presence. Hartford Courant article on the police shooting

#criminal injustice reform

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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5 Ways You Can Support Healthbridge Workers On Strike!

STRIKE AGAINST HEALTHBRIDGE How You Can Help (ver. 7/3/2012) Here are the top 5 most valuable ways you can support the strike: 1. “WALK THE LINE” WITH US! Your show of solidarity brings renewed strength and energy to strikers every time. Join us before work (between 6 AM – 9 AM) or for an afternoon break (between 2-6 PM) – and feel free to bring your kids or co-workers. (Call the local strike organizer on back to ensure the picket line is up and running at the time you plan to come.) This could be a very long strike, so consider setting a regular weekly or monthly date for you or your organization to “walk the line!” 2. CONTRIBUTE Strike assistance, food, picket signs, transportation to take action...in all, the basic necessities of a strike this size will cost thousands of dollars each week. Your contribution of $30 will support a striker for a day, $1,000 will feed a picket line for two weeks, or $10,000 will sponsor an entire picket line of striking workers for a week. Checks can be made out to “1199 Strike & Defense Fund” at 77 Husyhope Ave, Hartford, CT 06106. 3. INVITE US TO YOUR ORGANIZATION, CHURCH, OR COMMUNITY GROUP We can’t win this strike without the community’s support. Strikers can come speak about the details of this struggle with you or to your entire organization. Not only does this help educate members of your group, it also provides strikers – ignored by Healthbridge for over a year - - with a chance to share their personal stories. 4. DROP OFF WATER OR SNACKS Bottled water or healthy snacks, popsicles or pizza! Be sure to give us a call to ensure we are on-site to receive (=eat) your donation. 5. DONATE FOOD STUFFS TO THE STRIKERS’ FOOD PANTRY Non-perishable staples like rice, pasta, cereals and canned goods will be distributed to strikers so they can feed their families during this difficult fight. Donations can be dropped off at the 1199 office in Hartford or call the strike line organizer (see back) to arrange a local drop-off. Other ideas of unique ways you can be of help or support? Call the 1199 strike organizer at your local picket line (listed on back) or contact the 1199 Union office at 860‐549‐1199 1199 Picket Lines at these HealthBridge Facilities Call the local strike organizer ahead of time to confirm we’ll be there to greet you! Danbury Health Care 107 Osborne St Danbury, CT 06810 Local Strike Organizer: Liz Goggin Cell: 617‐733‐6973 Long Ridge of Stamford 710 Long Ridge Rd Stamford, CT 06902 Local Strike Organizer: Joel Brooks Cell: 860‐882‐2202 Newington Health Care 240 Church St Newington, CT 06111 Local Strike Organizer: Chris Wishart Cell: 860‐819‐6810 Westport Health Care 1 Burr Rd Westport, CT 06880 Local Strike Organizer: Ancy Destin Cell: 845‐270‐9397 West River Health Care 245 Orange Ave Milford, CT 06460 Local Strike Organizer: Jesse Martin Cell: 413‐320‐8104 Or contact the 1199 Union Office 77 Huyshope Ave Hartford, CT 06106 860‐549‐1199

#workers' rights

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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June 30--Say No More Wars, New Haven

Saturday, June 30

The Green

New Haven CT

11:00-8:00 p.m

A Day of Educational Flyering to Say No More Wars!

Join CT United for Peace and others for a day of flyering and literature distribution in opposition to the growing threat of US intervention in Syria and Iran, as well as the increasing death toll from the Orwellian drone wars in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia.

The site is the final day of the lively New Haven Arts and Ideas Festival.

This is part of a national week of actions in response to the growing threat of war on Syria and Iran.

See http://www.unacpeace.org

#Anti-War

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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Juneteenth & Fight for Black Liberation, Hartford, 6/29, 7:30PM‏

The Juneteenth Celebration and the Fight for Black Liberation Today

Hosted by Socialist Action www.SocialistAction.org

Friday, June 29th, 7:30pm

La Paloma Sabenera Café

405 Capitol Ave

Hartford, CT

Juneteenth is the oldest known commemoration of the abolition of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union troops landed in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of the Civil War and that slaves were free.

This year celebrate Juneteenth with Socialist Action as we commemorate the revolutionary struggle that ended slavery. This revolutionary struggle was waged over hundreds of years through slave uprisings, the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement. Out of these movements emerged inspiring leaders such as Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas and John Brown.

Today the revolutionary struggle for black liberation continues in the fight against racism, mass incarceration, the New Jim Crow and the wars of the 1%. Join us for a talk and discussion by Trinity College professor Johnny E. Williams on the Juneteenth Celebration and the Fight for Black Liberation Today.

Speaker Bio:

Johnny E. Williams is the author of African-American Religion and the Civil Rights Movement in Arkansas (University Press of Mississippi 2003) He is also the author of numerous articles examining culture’s role in politics, social movement mobilization and scientific knowledge production.

His forthcoming book Decoding Racial Ideology in Genomics (Lexington Press 2013) examines the complex role racialized culture plays in delimiting how genome researchers think about human genetic variation. His commentary has been featured in media outlets such as Racism Review, CounterPunch, Ctnewsjunkie.com and The Mark News (Toronto, Canada).

#racial justice

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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Vigil Against Torture, New Haven, Tuesday, 6/26, 4:30PM

From Reclaiming the Prophetic Voice:

We Are Responsible: Vigil Against Torture, In Support of the Tortured to mark United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

United Church on the Green, Corner of Temple and Elm Streets New Haven, CT

Tuesday, June 26; 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

To be followed by film screening/discussion of Doctors of the Dark Side in the Bradley Room of United Church on the Green at 6:30.

#torture

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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Interfaith event at the Berlin Mosque Wed. 6/20 at 6:15pm‏

From Ali and Fatma Antar

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Assalamu Alykum/ Peace be with you

We would like to invite you for an interfaith event with our Christian friends:

HOW CAN WE HAVE COURAGEOUS CONVERSATION?

at the Berlin Mosque.

Please join us for POT -LUCK DINNER, DIALOGUE and PRAYER to know each other and to share our faith with our friends.

All are welcome; we hope you can be with us for this very special interfaith experience.

Date: Wednesday, June 20 at 6:15pm- 8:45pm

Location: Berlin Mosque, 1781 Wilbur Cross Highway, Berlin

Sponsored by: Islamic Association of Greater Hartford in Berlin and

Muslim and Christian Women of Hope and Faith & Men Fellowship of Saint Patrick Saint Anthony Church.

#interfaith

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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"Teachers Are Talking, Is The Nation Listening?" Film, Hartford, June 10, 5-8PM

TEACH: Teachers Are Talking, Is the Nation Listening?

June 10 5-8PM

Unitarian Meetinghouse 50 Bloomfield Avenue, Hartford.

Pizza and refreshments will be provided.

Robert and Yvonne Lamothe, teachers/screenwriters will be on site to field a discussion and Q&A session after the screening.

Don't miss this 'fearless' documentary.

A Must See Film as the future of our public educational system impacts each one of us on some vital level.

A Free Event but donations will be gratefully accepted and DVDs will be on sale for distribution and independent showings.

#public schools

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people-of-faith · 12 years

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S-Comm and the Assault on Immigrant Rights, Hartford, 5/31, 7:30PM

A Forum in Defense of Immigrant Rights,

Against Profiling and Against the Security State:

Say No to S-Comm!

Thursday, May 31

7:30 pm

La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse

405 Capitol Avenue

Hartford, CT 06106

On April 26, 50 activists from the CT Immigrant Rights Coalition held a press conference to demand that Governor Malloy dramatically restrict or end Connecticut’s participation in the notorious federal program known as “SECURE COMMUNITIES.”

This program provides incentives to local police forces to pick and book those they profile as immigrant. There need be no conviction of any crime for the fingerprints of this police victim to be entered into a highly flawed national immigration database, an action which then can result in detention and deportation.

Because the government databases, by their own admission, are full of errors, a number of US citizens and many Latino workers innocent of any crime have already been deported.

This federal dragnet has already gone into effect in Connecticut and Rhode Island and in the third week of May launched in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Come to a panel discussion on the truth about Secure Communities (S-Comm) and why the fight against it is critical for all the movements for social change.

Panelists include:

John Jairo Lugo, Unidad Latina en Accion, New Haven

Emma Roderick, Bill of Rights Defense Committee, Western Massachusetts

Dan Piper, Socialist Action CT

$5 donation at the door but no one turned away for lack of funds

For more information, call Dan at 617-823-4068