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Updated: 10:42 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 | Posted: 10:12 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, 2012
By Hannah Bealer
A local Chick-fil-A drew few participants Friday night for an event aimed at protesting remarks made by the president of the fast-food chain, although business continued to be busy.
Last month, Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, was quoted in The Baptist Press as saying: “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”
In response, gay rights activists and other supporters planned the National Same-Sex Kiss Day Friday evening. Turnout was low for the event at the Chick-fil-A on Miamisburg Centerville Road in Washington Twp., which got slammed with hundreds of additional customers Wednesday.
The restaurant continues to be busier than normal, said owner Marla Davis. Customers, across the nation, inundated the restaurants on Wednesday in a show of support for Cathy.
“Our philosophy here is to treat each customer with honor, dignity and respect. That’s the golden rule for us,” Davis said.
Managers there walked out to offer drinks and food to two people who stood on the sidewalk holding signs - one in support of gay and lesbian rights and the other representing the view that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
“Even though I’m not gay, I wanted to come out and show my support,” said Christina Barr, a 29-year-old stay-at-home mom of Fairborn. “People who are gay have families too. They want to live normal lives just like everybody else.”
The restaurant on North Fairfeild Road in Beavercreek had a busy lunch hour. Cones were set up in the parking lot to direct drive-thru traffic, but employees said this was standard protocol. The restaurant was not taking any measures to prepare for the “Kiss In.”
Bret Wendel, vice president and pride chair of The Greater Dayton LGBT Center, said several organized groups and volunteers planned to participate in the “Kiss In” Friday night.
“The mission of this night is not to discourage free speech,” Wendel said.
The biggest problem the LGBT community has with Chick-fil-A’s stance is their funding of anti-gay hate groups, Wendel said. Some of the groups the restaurant funds go out of their way to keep the LGBT community from receiving equal housing and employment opportunities, according to several news organizations.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, there are 29 cities and counties in Ohio that have anti-discrimination ordinances in place. Eleven protect individuals from employment and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including Dayton and Yellow Springs.
WinShape, a non-profit foundation supported by Chick-fil-A and founded by Cathy, donated over $1 million to the Marriage & Family Foundation as well as $37,000 to the National Institute of Marriage. Both of these organizations promote marriage between one man and one woman and have strong religious and traditional values.
Chick-fil-A also supports Exodus International, a Christian organization that attempts to correct gay and bisexual desires with reparitive therapy.
Wendel said Chick-fil-A encourages people to look down on the gay community by funding these groups.
“It encourages bullying,” he said. “We don’t think the business should get involved.”
Staff Writer Richard Wilson contributed to this report.
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