The discrimination disputes continue as local politicians use their power to try to block commercial enterprise and religious freedom.
Who’s rights are being violated here?
Read on and you decide…..
7/25 Alderman to Chick-fil-A: No deal
Moreno tries to block restaurant that opposes gay marriage from opening in his Northwest side ward
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-07-25/news/ct-met-chicago-chick-fil-a-20120725_1_1st-ward-gay-marriage-ward-alderman
“If you are discriminating against a segment of the community, I don’t want you in the 1st Ward,” Moreno told the Tribune on Tuesday.
Moreno stated his position in strong terms, referring to Cathy’s “bigoted, homophobic comments” in a proposed opinion page piece that an aide also sent to Tribune reporters. “Because of this man’s ignorance, I will now be denying Chick-fil-A’s permit to open a restaurant in the 1st Ward.”
The alderman has the ideological support of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values,” the mayor said in a statement when asked about Moreno’s decision. “They disrespect our fellow neighbors and residents. This would be a bad investment, since it would be empty.”
Moreno is relying on a rarely violated Chicago tradition known as aldermanic privilege, which dictates that City Council members defer to the opinion of the ward alderman on local issues. Last year Moreno wielded that weapon to block plans for a Wal-Mart in his ward, saying he had issues with the property owner and that Wal-Mart was not “a perfect fit for the area.”
“I think it’s important that the city sends a message that we want business here … but what we can’t have and don’t want are businesses that have discriminatory roles,” Garcia said, adding that he’s a defender of free speech.
Moreno, meanwhile, said it will take “more than words” to get him to reverse course.
“They’d have to do a complete 180,” the alderman said. “They’d have to work with LGBT groups in terms of hiring, and there would have to be a public apology from (Cathy).”
8/01 Chick-fil-A Supporters Turn Out for Appreciation Day
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/08/01/chick-fil-a-supporters-to-turn-out-for-appreciation-day/
“You could easily imagine another jurisdiction someplace in which a business owner could express a view in favor of gay marriage and have his zoning permit pulled. Would that be OK? I mean, is that fair? I mean, of course not,” said Chicago GOP vice chairman Chris Cleveland. “We are all in danger if permits someone’s permits can be pulled, and if the government can engage in economic bullying.”
The Chicago Republican Party believes it has an airtight case, based on a statute that forbids unlawful discrimination in real estate transactions – even in an oral statement.
“(Moreno) has used government power to engage in overt religious discrimination against a person who has merely expressed a sincerely-held religious belief,” Cleveland said. “Under the Illinois human rights law, that’s illegal.”
Moreno also said last week that he is unconvinced that Chick-Fil-A will not discriminate against the LGBT community.
“If they are violating Chicago and Illinois law by discriminating against a section of our population, I think that has grounds for an irresponsible business, and that the community would not want that in there,” Moreno said.
But in a statement, Mayor’s office spokeswoman Tarrah Cooper said this does not mean the mayor will be involved in trying to block the restaurant.
8/02 Chick-fil-A plucks one-day record from gay marriage blowup
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-gaymarriage-chickfilabre871197-20120802,0,5563468.story
The chain restaurant had a “record-setting day” on Wednesday, according to a spokesman, as customers descended on its roughly 1,600 locations across the United States in support of its president’s contentious stance against gay marriage.
8/04 Same-sex kiss day at Chick-fil-A draws kissing activists
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/chick-fil-kiss-164759658.html