FREE SPEECH: LOOK. IT. UP.

I disagree, in part, with Chick-file-A's statement. SO WHAT. I DISAGREE WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE'S statements. That doesn't give me, or you, or the state, THE RIGHT TO BAN THEM FROM ANYTHING. Why!?!?! BECAUSE FREE SPEECH IS A PROTECTED RIGHT!!!!

From Karl Denninger at The Market Ticker.

Rahm Emanuel, The Dictator

 

You want to know what unconstitutional is defined by?  You just found it.

The anti-gay views openly espoused by the president of a fast food chain specializing in chicken sandwiches have run afoul of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a local alderman, who are determined to block Chick-fil-A from expanding in Chicago.
“Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values,”  Emanuel said Wednesday.

That's illegal Rahm.  It's flatly unconstitutional for government to impose a "litmus test" on the "permitting process" for a business or other entity due to the religious beliefs of the owners.

Now if you can document that Chick-Fil-A actually discriminates against gay people, then you can bring lawsuits and similar to redress that wrong.  But the fact that the CEO is a Christian, holds beliefs and dares to speak them in public is protected speech under the First Amendment and any attempt by government to interfere with that speech is flatly unlawful.

There is nothing wrong with private citizens deciding that they don't like the CEO and thus won't patronize the stores.  That's free choice and perfectly legitimate.  But government is not empowered to restrain trade as a consequence of someone's religious beliefs.

Just remember folks, as soon as you allow the government to violate the Constitution in this fashion when it happens to align with what you believe, it will be used against you later, and you will have no leg upon which to object when it is.

Time to boycott Chicago and all businesses in the city until and unless this flatly unconstitutional game is both ended and apologized for.

I'm going to go eat at Chick-Fil-A this afternoon, even though I typically don't eat fast food at all, simply to support The Constitution, and I suggest that you do so as well.