CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day in Chicago generated a huge line that went around the block and police had to be called in Orland Park to cope with a traffic jam as thousands descended on the fast-food restaurant in that south west suburb, while Schaumburg saw similar scenes on Wednesday.
Their mission? Show support for Chick-fil-A's founder's right to free speech. The founder, Dan Cathy, has said in the past that he is opposed to gay marriage for religious reasons, comments that prompted Chicago Ald. Joe Moreno to say he'll work to deny a permit to build a new franchise in the First Ward.
Francis Cardinal George entered the controversy Thursday. The Cardinal criticized Mayor Rahm Emanuel's statement that the fast-food chain's values "are not Chicago values" on his blog.
Cardinal George said he's a Chicagoan, and that shouldn't mean he has to submit his value system to the government for approval.
An archdiocese spokeswoman said Cardinal George wrote about "religious freedom" and stands by his position against gay marriage. The Cardinal did not reference the chicken restaurant in his blog post.
Customer told FOX Chicago News Thursday that they hope everyone can be more tolerant in the future.
Chick-fil-A has been negotiating for months to construct that second restaurant in Chicago. But Moreno -- with encouragement from Mayor Emanuel -- has threatened to block the project until the chain promises in writing to hire and welcome gays. He claims Chick-fil-A's been sued 19 times for alleged discrimination.
On Wednesday, Chicago Republicans (calling themselves Chicago's most "unrepresented minority) also seized the moment to parade to the State of Illinois Thompson Center to file a formal civil rights complaint against Moreno.
"We're seeing a frightening pattern emerge here in this country and now in this city," said
Suzanne Devane, 49th Ward GOP Committeeman. "That's a pattern of government using its unique and overwhelming power to curtail the free expression of religion and the free exercise of one's beliefs and opinions in the public square."
"You don't have to agree with Chick-fil-A's position on gay marriage to agree this is wrong," said Christopher Cleveland of the Chicago GOP.
Moreno said the Republicans and other opponents are missing the point.
"This has never been about someone's beliefs or someone's statements," Moreno said. "This is about someone's policies, if they discriminate against those of any sexual orientation. And we're not backing off of anything. I'm looking forward to working with them to accept those of all kinds of sexual orientation."
There are more than 1,600 Chick-fil-A's in the United States.
