Conservative Christians take a stand for Chick-fil-A after airport bans restaurant, say they’ll support the ‘God-honoring company’
A group of conservative protesters held a "Save Chick-fil-A Day" at the Texas state Capitol after the San Antonio Airport banned the restaurant over its "legacy of anti-LGBTQ" behaviors.
What's a brief history?
In March, the San Antonio City Council rejected a bid for a Chick-fil-A site at the airport. Councilman Robert Treviño said that the council's decision was based on inclusivity.
"With this decision, the City Council reaffirmed the work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion," he said. "San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior."
"Everyone has a place here," he added, "and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport."
The restaurant issued a statement insisting that they would "still welcome the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the city council."
The Texas attorney general opened an investigation into whether the city council and airport "violated Chick-fil-A's religious liberty" in banning them from being included in a food and beverage agreement at the facility.
What are the new details?
The conservative group, Texas Values, stood up for the Christian-founded restaurant and asked lawmakers to support two bills prohibiting the state from penalizing business owners on "grounds of religious faith," according to Fox News.
According to Texas Values' website, the organization's mission is to "preserve and advance a culture of family values in the state of Texas." The organization also aims to "stand for biblical, Judeo-Christian values by ensuring Texas is a state in which religious liberty flourishes, families prosper, and every human life is valued."
The group converged on the Texas Capitol in Austin on Wednesday to encourage lawmakers to support the bills.
Texas H.B. 1035 — or the "Free to Believe Act" — "would create protections for sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions, which a person or entity may then use to discriminate against same-sex couples and transgender individuals," according to Rewire News.
The bill "would prohibit a governmental entity from taking any adverse action against any person based wholly or partly on a person's belief or action in accordance with the person's sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction, including beliefs or convictions regarding marriage," the outlet reported.
A Facebook event page for the meeting said, "This egregious attack follows a growing trend of anti-Christian intolerance and bigotry by the government against Christians for simply living out their faith and holding to the biblical truth about marriage and sexuality."
"No Texas business or individual should ever be punished for practicing their faith," the post added.
The organization also called for residents to frequent their local Chick-fil-A franchise to support the "God-honoring company."
Texas Values President Jonathan Saenz told the the Dallas Morning News, "This Legislature — this House and this Senate — has an opportunity to hold the San Antonio City Council accountable and make it clear that you should not discriminate based on religious beliefs."
"Save Chick-fil-A and help us support religious freedom," Saenz added.
Did Chick-fil-A address the protest?
A spokesperson for the company told Fox News that the company did not have anything to do with the movement or bills.
"Chick-fil-A did not organize the event referenced, and we are not involved with the proposed bills in any way," the spokesperson said. "We are a restaurant company focused on food and hospitality for all, and we have no social or political stance. We are grateful for all our customers and are glad to serve them at any time. We welcome and embrace all people, regardless of religion, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity."
