As part of the so-called intolerant Evangelical right (Considered “card-carrying” by many for the fact that I happen to be a registered Republican as well), I get so tired being called a fascist intent on setting up a theocracy with my prayer-breakfast brothers (if you’re one of those looking to combat such religio-political power grabs, I suggest you prioritize things and go after the Islamic regimes and/or Sharia compliant communities that already condone honor-killings and are actually executing homosexuals where they’ve consolidated themselves – whereas we Christians have allegedly contemplated just exiling them to a tropical island to let nature take it’s course). But such is our lot as Christians for the Lord Himself said “In this world you will have persecution” and “they will accuse you of all sorts of evil.” So this whole Chick-fil-A tempest, while indicative of the zeitgeist, would ultimately be just another salvo in this “cold culture war” we find ourselves in; merely more vitriol from the godless with their media megaphones casting the usual aspersions on the righteous who (usually), in accordance with the Good Book, make it their “ambition to lead peaceable lives” and rhetorically “turn the other cheek.” But when in fact mayors of major cities have gone out of their way to not only advocate wholesale viewpoint discrimination but also to politically enforce such, the liberty of all Americans is threatened because where there is delegitimization of Freedom of Association and possible peril to those continue to make undesired associations (economic or otherwise), true fascism becomes a real possibility.

There’s already been an unrelenting cultural fascism at play when self-anointed “opinion-makers” – be they ignorant Hollywood boobs or crafty grievance-mongering activists – of The Left and their media toadies continue to conflate manifest hatred of individuals or people-groups having contrary values with honest First Amendment expression of earnestly held belief in preserving a culturally vital institution (whether in keeping with a “holy” standard that religiously informs their conscience, or a conviction in the natural order and it’s socio-economic implications, or some combination thereof). That continued animus was in no small way what many were reacting to in supporting the Cathy family for their beliefs that have actually been under attack for many years by a “militantly” activist homosexual cadre since the time they were sued merely for catering a Christian marriage seminar (and to my knowledge before any concerted support for state marriage amendments and such). By their numbers and by their basic decency in showing up without incident, perhaps the “great silent and moral majority” (whether coming from a mono-, poly- or even atheistic framework as a philosophical foundation for any civilization that seeks to perpetuate itself) spoke out against the rankest of libel that is the equivocation of anyone who stands for the cultural and historical definition of heterosexual marriage with anyone who seeks to deprive homosexuals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – and that to continue such slander is both morally suspect (“bearing false witness”) and rather “un-American.”

Another motivation for many including myself for purposely going out and enduring long lines all for peanut oil-fried chicken sandwiches – or “hate-chicken” as the mayor of D.C. so absurdly labeled it – is the overarching principle and foundation of our rights as Americans: freedom of speech for all. And yes, for those taking umbrage over someone who “should just concern himself with selling his product in his store,” that includes CEOs. Like it or not, companies are legal persons inasmuch as they have a defined set of values reflecting their management’s views as well as the collective corporate culture they operate under and they have a legal right to promote principles conducive to that culture both inside and outside the thresholds of their establishments. For those who feel such a freedom should be compartmentalized by those representing an entity larger than themselves – and in particular if such speech is religious in nature – here’s a newsflash: The Constitution and the Bill of Rights belongs to ALL Americans of whatever persuasion and to deny that for certain others you disagree with and to desire that their lawful influence be in any way abridged is also essentially un-American.

And finally I and many others plunked down real money at one particular business institution yesterday (as opposed to boycotting the many that give their money to abortion providers, anti-religionist causes and yes, pro-homosexual legislation) in response to particular American and Christian spokespersons (Mike Huckabee, et al.) who mobilized the nation to make an economic statement in response to the way-out-of-line “verdict” put forth by elected officials – namely the mayors of Chicago (Rahm Emanuel, the pontiff of “Chicago Values”), San Francisco (“Closest Chick-fil-A to San Francisco is 40 miles away and I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer.”) and Boston (“We’re not going to have a company, Chick-fil-A or whatever the hell the name is, on our Freedom Trail.”). For it’s true economic fascism when politicians openly suggest – and even threaten to use their power to regulate commerce (zoning, etc.) – that certain businesses that don’t ascribe to the cultural philosophy of The State (which may ironically call it “inclusiveness” today but who knows what tomorrow) should be sanctioned out of the marketplace. And anybody – Christian or otherwise – ought to see how “un-American” that is.

C. Scot Roberts is a husband and step-father from Dallas. He posts infrequently at www.facebook.com/C.ScotR