OKLAHOMA CITY -
Controversy is
brewing over Chick-Fil-A's stance on marriage. The company's president, Dan
Cathy, says he does not support same-sex marriage and the issue is ruffling
feathers across the country and in Oklahoma.
Not long after
Chick-Fil-A announced its disapproval of gay marriage, calls for boycotts of
the restaurant began. Political leaders from across the United States are
criticizing the fast food company's comments. In Oklahoma, a politician who is
no stranger to controversy is weighing in as well.
Republican State
Rep. Sally Kern spent time Friday issuing a statement asking all Oklahomans to
eat at Chick-Fil-A.
"We need to
support a business [that] is willing to take a stand for those values that
Oklahomans believe and support," Kern said.
According to Kern,
Oklahoma values do not support same-sex marriage. At the same time, political
leaders from Chicago to Boston are saying the exact opposite. They say
Chick-Fil-A is being discriminatory.
"Instead of calling
for an appreciation day of a fast food company that supports intolerance and
serves up deep fried fatty foods, [Kern] may want to consider a celebration of
the gay people in Oklahoma and the contributions that they make every single
day," Scott Hamilton, executive director of the Cimarron Alliance Foundation
said.
The Cimarron
Alliance is an Oklahoma City-based organization that advocates for the LGBT
community. Hamilton says Chik-Fil-A has every right to say what it wants. At
the same time, Hamilton says, people who support equality have every right to
not eat at Chick-Fil-A.
"Over half of all
Americans today believe in marriage equality for all people," Hamilton said.
"It's time for us to move past the Sally Kerns of the world because the world
is moving past Sally Kern."
Kern says those
who do not follow her values are helping the country move away from its
morality. Kern warns that straying from such values will produce "drastic
consequences."
"We are in a
culture war, and people need to start getting involved," Kern said.
Kern says the
reason she is taking on the issue is because Oklahoma is a conservative state.
Chick-Fil-A has 16 locations in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. News 9's
calls to Chick-Fil-A on Friday were not returned.
Not long after Chick-Fil-A announced its disapproval of gay marriage, calls for boycotts of the restaurant began
