New York leftist politicians are targeting one of the bedrock Christian institutions in the United States: Chick-fil-A.
State lawmakers are proposing legislation that would force restaurants, namely Chick-fil-A, to stay open seven days a week to accommodate travelers on the state highways.
But is that really the reason?
Democratic assemblyman Tony Simone let the cat out of the bag in a statement saying “not only does Chick-fil-A have a long shameful history of opposing LGBTQ rights, it simply makes no sense for them to be a provider of food services in busy travel plazas.”
“If one of the main food options closes for just one day, it not only inconveniences travelers but also puts a significant strain on the food spots that are open, leading to longer wait times,” fellow Democratic state Sen. Michelle Hinchey said.
The assault on Christian institutions has gone too far.
As a New Yorker who would love an 8-piece nugget on a Sunday, this proposal is a direct attack on not only independence but religion.
The nation was founded on religious freedom, but does that freedom not extend to religious-based businesses? Do we leave our constitutional rights at the door as soon as we open a business?
Chick-fil-A’s late founder Truett Cathy “saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose.”
NOVATO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 01: In this photo illustration, a Chick-fil-A meal is displayed at a Chick-fil-A restaurant on June 01, 2023 in Novato, California. (Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
It wasn’t until the 1970’s that the push for stores and restaurants to open on Sundays hit the mainstream, with New York’s smaller retailers actually reluctant to open on the sabbath but were “swept up by competitive pressures,” The New York Times reported.
Prior to that, the nation actually had a set of shared values that rested on faith and family. Chick-fil-A’s Christian faith has been their guiding principle, one that has clearly worked for decades. Consumers know their beloved Chick-fil-A sandwich may not be available on a Sunday but they’re willing to sacrifice a day of flavor for six more.
Now onto independence. (RELATED: Chick-Fil-A’s Service Is So Top-Notch One Big City Superintendent Wants His Schools To Run Just Like It)
Thomas Jefferson once said “a wise and frugal government…shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry.”
Imagine telling Jefferson that a Christian institution was going to be told by the government how it can conduct its business in a nation that supposedly prides itself on freedom.
Chick-fil-A and the Thruway Authority signed an agreement knowing full well the restaurant would be closed on Sundays. If New York passes a law to retroactively change the agreed-upon contract, Chick-fil-A’s lease is invalidated and they likely can pick up and leave.
The Supreme Court has already ruled that business owners cannot be compelled to violate their own religious beliefs and I reckon, should Chick-fil-A take a stand against New York, they’d receive a similar ruling.
A bunch of commies are going to drive Christians and their chicken out of New York no matter what it takes, but hey, that’s just what comes with living in a blue state.