Remember when the name "Chick-fil-A" was all the rage
in national politics? Why it was only about a month ago, not that you would know
it now, with the national party conventions underway and all. But given what
has come out of the Republican National Convention, both in its platform and
certain choice words that emanated from one speaker after another, the
Chick-fil-A thing is worth a re-visit. For it truly symbolizes what GOP
politics has become.
Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurants specialize, it would
appear, in providing high-calorie food featuring fried chicken. They are found
only in certain parts of the country; those parts generally presenting with, it
would seem, higher than even the normal US obesity rates. Just to remind you of
what the fuss was all about, the CEO of Chick-fil-A, one Dan Cathy, has been
active for some years in several of the leading national homophobic organizations.
These are ones that are especially interested in preventing the attainment of
14th Amendment rights (equal protection under the law) for gay and
lesbian couples who wish to marry, and in promoting the homophobes' myth that
homosexuality is not only a "disease" but is "curable." Chick-fil-A and Cathy,
again just to remind you, became national political news when several national
gay rights organizations decided to try to organize a consumer boycott of the
chain.
It did not take the Republican Religious Right (which
term now covers the bulk of the GOP and their elected representatives) long to
counter-organize a national "Support Chick-fil-A" day. The movement was
prominently led by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a formerly fat man,
who at one time had become rather trim (and even wrote a book about weight
loss), but now seems to be bent upon catching up with the present Governor of
New Jersey in weight (although he would seem to have a long ways to go in that
regard). As is well known, Huckabee (according to sources a closet Dominionist)
is no political lightweight either. He was given a prime-time speaking slot at
the RNC, where he not only represented active homophobia, but also came off his
recent defense of Missouri Rep. Todd Akin, the "legitimate rape" guy. But why
not? Akin's "no abortions under any conditions" demand is part of the GOP
national platform plank that calls for a Constitutional amendment to
criminalize any personal/religious belief that holds that life begins at any
time other than conception. And by the way, this platform plank is nothing new
for the GOP. A ban-abortion-under-any-circumstances Constitutional amendment
has been there at least as far back as 1992.
At the same time, the 2012 GOP platform calls for a
Constitutional amendment that would repeal the equal protection clause of the
14th amendment for same-sex couples. Imagine that! Here is one of
the two national political parties, in a so-called "advanced" capitalist
country, organizing nationally around homophobia and religious authoritarianism
in the matter of abortion rights. When Chick-fil-A and Cathy were all the rage
(a good word for it, don't you think?), the GOP, well-practiced in diverting
attention from the real issues and practicing the central Lee Atwater political
dictum, "always attack; never defend," attempted to make the struggle one over
Cathy's "free speech." Of course, that's not it. First of all, there is no
Constitutional right to "free speech." The First Amendment, with which in
practice few GOP thought-and-speech suppressors are familiar, actually applies
only to the Congress, to wit: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the
freedom of speech." Second, be that as it may, if Cathy has the right to fund
organized homophobia and talk about, the LGBT rights organizations have the
right to organize an anti-Chick-fil-A boycott.
But beyond all of this, what is (and it is "is," even
if it no longer on the front pages) the Chick-fil-A controversy really all
about? Because Mike Huckabee was only the most prominent GOP leader to be out
in front on it and no leader, including Romney (who tried his damnedest to
avoid it), dared condemn the Chick-fil-A supporters, it is really about the GOP
and their use of organized hate for political purposes. "Hate," you say? Isn't
it just about gay marriage and "curing homosexuality?" Well no, it isn't. As
one person lining up on "Support Chick-fil-A Day" put it --I'm so glad you
don't support the queers; I can eat in peace." (1) And another said: "I support
your company, because your company hates the gays." And here is the GOP, riding
that wave right into the election, for which at various time it joins
homophobia with the above-mentioned religious authoritarianism, as well as
misogyny, Islamophobia, and racism. Other than sloganeering on "small
government" and "cut your taxes" without providing a scintilla of detail on
exactly how they would do that and what government services would go under
their plans, they've got nothing else.
And so, on full display were all of the potential
candidates for the 2016 GOP nomination, should Romney, with all the money and
all the voter suppression and all the cheating on vote-counting which will
surely take place in any GOP-controlled "swing state," somehow manage to lose.
Indeed, they were all trying to out-do each other, either publicly like
Huckabee and Santorum or with code-words, like Ryan and Christie. Just in case Romney loses (and word has it
that there are plenty of GOPers who think that he will, despite voter
suppression and vote-count cheating) they are already lining up to board the
Hate Train for the 2016 GOP nomination. For that's all the GOP really has,
these days, and their leadership knows it.
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Reference :
1. Shapiro, L., "Chick-Fil-A Anti-Gay Controversy: Gay
Employees Speak Out," Huff Post Gay Voices, August 2, 2012.
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