Chick Fil A and Amazon: Two Radically Different Approaches to LGBT Rights

Imagine writing a proposal to someone in hopes of obtaining their help and, actually receiving a reply with news that are better than your wildest dreams. That’s what happened to lesbian mother of four, Jennifer Cast, when she emailed her former boss -- Amazon.com's president Jeff Bezos. Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie, said yes to donating $2.5 million to Referendum 74, the Washington state referendum that was filed February of this year to approve or reject a law to legalize same-sex marriage in the state. Cast was one of Amazon’s early employees who left the company in 2001. Though she had worked closely with Bezos for years, their conversations were always business related. In her email, Cast wanted Bezos to understand why the issue of marriage equality is so important to her and her longtime partner.

The Bezos’ gift not only doubled the money available to the proponents of Referendum 74, but it also put The Bezos at the top of a growing list of business executives who are heterosexual but who also are donating to (and backing) marriage and equality. 

However, not all businesses are on board. Chick-Fil-A's president, Dan Cathy, said that his company supports “the biblical definition of the family unit” and he prays “God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is about.” As a Christian, I can relate to the “keep Christian values alive” part; but I also believe in equality and free will. We live in a free country, so who are we to make people conform to our views? God said we are supposed to accept everyone no matter what. It’s not your business if someone makes a decision God is not thrilled about it’s your business to accept, even if no one else will.

I believe that lots of people hide their true feelings for the LGBT community behind God’s name and His word. Many who say it’s not right in God’s eyes are also the ones who cheat on their spouses, make dirty business deals, etc. If more people cared about God’s word, to begin with, then the world would be a completely different place. There would be less corruption and evil acts. To me it’s all about what makes you comfortable, and what doesn’t. If we don’t truly want our citizens to be unique, then we should change our name from the land of the free to the land of the majority.