Boston mayor Thomas Menino has vowed to block Southern fried food franchise Chick-fil-A from expanding into Boston, given the companies anti-gay attitude.
“Chick-fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston. You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion….That’s the Freedom Trail. That’s where it all started right here. And we’re not going to have a company, Chick-fil-A or whatever the hell the name is, on our Freedom Trail.”
Menino’s decision to block the fried chicken chain from opening in Boston stems from an incident wherein the family owned Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy admitted he was “guilty as charged” in having an anti-homosexual stance. ”If they need licenses in the city,” Menino told The Boston Herald, “it will be very difficult — unless they open up their policies.”
Chick-fil-A has been eyeing Boston as an area of expansion, looking at buildings near many landmarks. Menino says anti-homosexual businesses don’t belong on the Freedom Trail: ”You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion”
Cathy’s anti-homosexual stance had long been rumored - but was recently confirmed this week. The restaurant made some attempts to distance itself from the controversy, writing on its Facebook wall that “our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.” It seems as though that there are many who aren’t ready to leave it at that.