The Issue: Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s attempt to ban Chick-fil-A in New York over its owner’s views.
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Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy is entitled to his view of gay marriage (“Chris Quinn, Silly Person,” Editorial, July 31).
Council Speaker Chris Quinn is entitled to her view, as well.
But in her capacity as an elected representative, she has an obligation to defend free speech and beliefs unlike her own.
Instead, she acts like a spoiled brat crying that she didn’t get her way.
Reprehensible.
Dennis Semenza
Staten Island
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Quinn, a mayoral wannabe, is attempting to score points with her liberal friends by opposing Chick-fil-A.
But the next mayor will have more important issues to deal with, like budget shortfalls, growing long-term debt and unemployment.
How disappointing to see progressive liberals like Quinn throwing their lot in with political extremists on the right who use the threat of boycotts to impose their moral values on others.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
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It’s very disconcerting that Quinn, a leading contender for mayor, is trying to drive a business out of New York City because she takes offense at comments made by its president about gay marriage.
Quinn evidently is ignorant of the First Amendment, which protects all speech, not just politically correct speech.
If a right-wing mayor tried to ban a leftist group or company anywhere in the US, Attorney General Eric Holder would be investigating already.
That mayors in such one-party cities as Boston, San Francisco and Chicago also are ignorant of the Constitution or willing to jettison its protections is a terrifying sign for the nation.
Robert Sieger
Manhattan
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If Chick-fil-A breaks laws, it should be held accountable.
But there’s a difference between moral indignation and a politician’s attempts to penalize free thoughts and beliefs.
I guess for Quinn, tolerance truly is a one-way street.
Brian Daniel
Manhattan
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Based on the left’s long history of backing losers, Quinn’s attack will likely result in increased financial success for Chick-fil-A.
In 2009, the left boycotted Whole Foods over its CEO’s opposition to ObamaCare.
Since the boycott, Whole Foods stock price has more than tripled.
Other companies targeted by the left “suffered” a similar fate.
Walmart has been vilified by the left for years but continues to grow, with its stock price at an all-time high of $75.
Quinn now wants to ban Chick-fil-A for what she inaccurately charges were anti-gay statements made by its CEO.
If we want the national GDP to grow more than an embarrassing 1.5 percent, all we have to do is ask leaders on the left to start bashing more American companies.
James O’HaraTownship of Washington, NJ
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This kosher New Yorker stands in support of Chick-fil-A and against those like Quinn who would boycott the businesses of people like Dan Cathy, with whom they disagree.
Anyway, why boycott the head of Chick-fil-A? If President Obama is right, he didn’t build that business himself. Why not boycott his partner, the government?
Robert Semel
Brooklyn
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So now would-be mayor Christine Quinn decides who is and is not welcome in New York based on whether or not they support the gay political agenda?
It’s clear that among the many “rights” that Quinn advocates, the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech isn’t one of them.
Diane Knorr
The Bronx