If you’ve driven past a Chick-Fil-A restaurant lately you’ve probably noticed they’re doing some pretty solid business. In Baton Rouge, both the location on College Drive and the one on Siegen Lane are stacked up with cars in the drive thru lanes.

That’s going to be even more true tomorrow, as August 1 has been designated Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day across the country. A pair of former Republican presidential candidates, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, have participated in launching the event. And in Baton Rouge, the new Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish has endorsed the idea…

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the new Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish, I would like to invite you to participate in Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day in Baton Rouge.

As you may have read, Chick-Fil-A is being subjected to a nationwide boycott because the CEO, Dan Cathy, has taken a public stand in favor of traditional marriage.

In response to the boycott, former Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Sen. Rick Santorum have asked Americans to make Wednesday, August 1, 2012, Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day across America and to use that occasion to patronize Chick-Fil-A.

One of the members of the new Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge is Brad Arton, owner of the Chick-Fil-A restaurant at 3023 College Drive, Baton Rouge.

We want to counter the boycott of Brad Arton’s restaurant by helping him to have a banner day this Wednesday!

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP. Would you help by placing an order to go?

We ask that you purchase a Chicken Box to go for your employees/staff, friends, neighbors, relatives, and family.

The Box will include a great Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich, chips, and a brownie. The cost will be a flat $6, which includes the tax.

HOW TO PLACE YOUR ORDER. In order to place your order, just reply to this email with the following information:

Your name ______________________________
Name of your business ____________________________________
Your phone number _________________________
Pick-Up Time on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 (must be between 10 a.m. and 12 noon) _______________________
# of Chick-Fil-A Chicken Boxes ________ X $6 = Amount due ________________

HOW TO GET YOUR CHICKEN BOXES AND HOW TO PAY. Members of the new Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge will have folding tables set up in the parking lot of the Chick-Fil-A at 3023 College Drive. Just park and step up to our table. Give us your name and a check made out to “Chick-Fil-A” or cash in the exact amount. We will not be set up for credit cards. You and yours will have a great Chick-Fil-A meal.

That’s really all there is to it! We just want to make it clear that locally-owned businesses whose owners believe in traditional values will not be bullied or intimidated. Rather, we will stick together and turn a boycott into a great business success!

Please respond to this email before 12 midnight on Tuesday. The sooner the better, so Brad can make preparations.

Thanks for everything, and see you at Chick-Fil-A on Wednesday!

Yours,
Woody Jenkins, Chairman
Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish

It doesn’t look like this boycott is particularly successful. In fact, it’s a rather complete failure. Of the two mayors who foolishly voiced support for economic sanctions of a sort against Chick-Fil-A, one recanted and the other looks like an ass of the first magnitude. Even Mike Bloomberg, who sets the standard for mayoral idiocy in modern America, said that attacking someone’s business because of their politics is beyond the pale.

And when you’ve lost Antoine Dodson, well…you’ve lost.

Antoine’s got it right. You can agree or disagree with the idea of gay marriage – but when you attempt to trash someone’s business because you disagree with them politically that’s when you become disagreeable. The Chick-Fil-A issue isn’t about gay marriage, it’s about the freedom of speech. Truett Cathy built his business on traditional Christian values, and the fact of the matter is that Chick-Fil-A is one of the best-run companies in the world. Chick-Fil-A restaurants set the standard on quality control, customer service, prompt delivery, cleanliness and attractiveness in how their stores present themselves. It’s not an accident that Chick-Fil-A operates on high standards; that business was built on them. And Dan Cathy, Truett’s son, now runs that business with the same values held high. They’re very good at what they do and they believe their Christian upbringing made them that way.

And they believe the culture which made them successful has a place in the nation as a whole. The Cathys have the right to express that belief.

Of course, if you don’t agree you can boycott Chick-Fil-A. But if you do, know that people who disagree with you will happily replace your business with them. And you will have deprived yourself of some damn good chicken without hurting that company one bit.

And since there are a lot more conservatives than lefties, if our side decides to take a page out of your book you’re going to quickly find your side’s ranks depleted of available profits. Chick-Fil-A is a heck of a lot more indispensable than Ben & Jerry’s – after all, Ed and Howard Kruse of Blue Bell Ice Cream are Republican donors, and Blue Bell puts Ben & Jerry’s to shame.