Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Kenney tells Chick-fil-A president to take a hike

Get inside the halls of Philadelphia power with PhillyClout: Inside City Hall, the blog by the Philadelphia Daily News' city hall reporters.

115 comments

Kenney tells Chick-fil-A president to take a hike

POSTED: Wednesday, July 25, 2012, 5:56 PM

Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy’s recent comments about gay marriage has caused quite a stir across the country and has City Councilman Jim Kenney fired-up.

Last week during a radio show Cathy said, "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,'" Cathy said. "I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about."

Cathy later said that he is supportive of the "biblical definition of the family unit."

In a letter to Cathy, Kenney wrote:

"It is with profound disillusionment and a sense of deep sadness that I write this letter in response to your recent comments. Last week you expressed support for denying gay Americans the prized right of marriage that heterosexual couples in this country so freely take for granted."

"As an American you are legally entitled to your opinion, regardless of how insensitive and intolerant it may be, but as a fellow American and an elected member of Philadelphia City Council; I am entitled to express my opinion as well. So please – take a hike and take your intolerance with you. There is no place for this type of hate in our great City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection."

And when City Council returns in September, Kenney said he will introduce a resolution condemning Cathy and the company. Check out the rest of Kenney’s letter here.

115 comments
Comments  (116)
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:38 PM, 07/25/2012
    Are these people for real? Surprisingly, a business wants to come to Philly and a city councilman who represents us all says no just to cater to the gay vote? He should be impeached. It's remarkable that gays want tolerance but in the end, they are the most intolerant people around. It may be news to them but opposition to gay marriage does not make one homophobic, especially if it is based on religious beliefs. Oh, I forgot, religious beliefs have no place in society today unless you're Muslim.
    JohnnyB.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:48 PM, 07/25/2012
    I've never eaten there but I will definitely give it a try now. By the way, I think all Americans should stand up for his right to express his opinions without being harassed and financially punished. Kenney sounds like the gestapo.
    UncleJoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:51 PM, 07/25/2012
    What would Jesus do if he had a restaurant? A. Feed the homeless. B. Give money to a lobbyist to support an obscure law in Leviticus in a time when most all of the other laws of Levitcus are ignored?
    brentrn
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:12 PM, 07/25/2012
    Chick-A Fil A? what? the congressman from Philly?
    thermal321
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:13 PM, 07/25/2012
    Maybe Dan is a chicken bone smuggler
    Richardgozinya
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:24 PM, 07/25/2012
    what does gay marriage have to do with chik fil a? Last time i checked, you can't get married at a fast food restaurant. They also don't discriminate in the restaurant.
    palmyra21
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:30 PM, 07/25/2012
    What a buffoon Jim kenney is.
    KYS24
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:31 PM, 07/25/2012
    Pot calling the kettle. Mr. Kenney you are intolerant of any opposing view point to yours and you are the one who should take a hike.
    artpa
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:31 PM, 07/25/2012
    There's your famous liberal tolerance on full display. Demand it for their point of view but refuse to extend it to those with opposing points of view. How decidedly hypocritical.
    freesia
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:36 PM, 07/25/2012
    Another of Philly's incompetent politicians shooting off their mouth. Rather try to run the likes of Chick Fil-A out of town then deal with the all the crime, corruption and crud. Philly you deserve what you elect. Furthermore, "City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection" - that's a joke. Hasn't been that for at least 50 years and then some.
    irishman70
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:37 PM, 07/25/2012
    Kenney is a genius for distacting the public from the murder rate in Philly. Bread and Circus. Go forbid he should takle some real issues here.
    Phishface
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:38 PM, 07/25/2012
    I'm glad to see that Kenney has solved all of the other problems of this city and has time to focus on a resolution in the next month or so. Meanwhile, I'll take a small chocolate shake!
    Taxpaying Voter
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:38 PM, 07/25/2012
    I have a couple of gay friends who eat a Chick Fil-A and actually onnvinced me to go there to eat because I hate chicken! and I'm positive that the company has gay employees working side by side with their religious conservative employees. In fact, their religious right employees might be the gay ones. Too bad, it's a really tasty product served in a clean environment. Oh well, back to beef and fish. Golly, they had great cole slaw and iced tea too and if you mix iced tea with the lemonade fresh squeezed you get a delicious drink. Go back to the "big chicken" Cathy!
    BigDipper
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:39 PM, 07/25/2012
    Jimmy, you've been, and continue to be, one of the biggest zeroes in Council. You get elected because of your name recognition but you've contributed virtually nothing to the City. You scream out once In awhile so people know you are still alive. It's truly a crime that you take up valuable space in Council which can be used by someone who can actually contribute something. Look at what you've done for the City since you've been elected and then hang your head in shame.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:42 PM, 07/25/2012
    How tolerant of democrat Kenney is of opposing views. These liberals only are tolerant when you agree with them. They are the thought police!!!

    The president of Chick-fil-A has as much to his opinions and beliefs as anyone else.

    I wonder when these liberal democrats will start placing an SS on their collars...
    DrBID


View comments: 1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  | 
About this blog
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
 Follow Chris on Twitter

David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics ­– which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
 Follow Dave on Twitter.

Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
 Follow Jan on Twitter

Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
 Follow Sean on Twitter

Blog archives:
Past Archives: