Chick - Fil-A BoycottFollow

You and I know different people. I can confidently and sincerely state that I've known more militant and in-your-face atheists than I have people of any organized faith.

Protein is pretty awesome.

I physically replace it.

CHILD ABUSE TURNOUT WEAK VS. CHICKEN DAY

Many Maury County residents are passionate about defending marriage against the threat posed to the tradition by homosexuals seeking equal rights.

They made that statement loud and clear last Wednesday by eating at a Columbia chicken restaurant. Hordes of them. Of all ages.

Lines of cars stretched around the building and into the thoroughfare. Police were needed to provide traffic control.

Local politicians were inside the restaurant, glad-handing diners and tapping into the spirit of political activism with some last-minute campaigning. A Nashville TV station even came down to report on the spectacle.

On social media, local residents bragged that they waited hours to eat at the restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner, to show their support for the president of the national chicken chain, who spoke out against gay marriage.

Similar rallies were held at the chain’s other locations around the country. Local rally participants swelled with pride to have participated in such a high-profile, national political movement. They boasted about having “voted with their wallets.”

Compared to the chicken fireworks, the next day’s events (it was state primary and general Election Day across Tennessee, in case you missed it) were a ho-hum fizzle. Voting was up slightly, compared to recent August elections, but still only about 17 percent of eligible voters bothered to cast a ballot.

Judging from the numbers of diners and the excitement generated by last week’s restaurant referendum on gay marriage, one could easily conclude that many Maury County residents are now willing to go only to polling sites that exchange fried food for votes.

If that is true, then I have some more “election results” for you to consider.

On Tuesday, a different restaurant within walking distance of the chicken chain gave people the opportunity to vote with their wallets. But unlike the chicken rally, Tuesday’s event promised to have a direct financial impact on the cause restaurant patrons showed up to support.

Ruby Tuesday gave a portion of income from meals sold to The Family Center, a non-profit whose mission is preventing child abuse in our community and providing emergency financial assistance to our most needy neighbors.

I bought food at Ruby Tuesday at high noon. There was no traffic jam. No police. There was no line of eager patrons stretching around the building. There were no politicians shaking hands and making the rounds inside.

It looked like a regular lunch crowd.

I’m sure the event resulted in a nice donation for The Family Center. But how many at-risk children and down-on-their-luck people might have been helped if the turnout had been one-tenth that generated by the chicken rally?

Could it be that folks in this community really care more about preventing gay people around the country from getting married than they do for the welfare of children and the poor here at home?

I hope it’s a question of publicity rather than a question of priorities.

There’s still time to vote. You could send a contribution to The Family Center at 921 S. Beckett St., Columbia, TN 38401.

And the next time a local fundraiser is held for a worthy cause, you could show up to eat, dance or just make a donation.

Your vote counts. Spend it wisely.

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Chris Fletcher is editor of The Daily Herald.

Is there anything you don't mentally replace with *****?

You and I know different people. I can confidently and sincerely state that I've known more militant and in-your-face atheists than I have people of any organized faith. I'm happy to accept that it may be different in your neck of the woods.

******. I replace that with "Character Flaw," or "Toothy Maw."