Proposed legislation by state Assembly member Tony Simone of Manhattan and state Senate member Michelle Hinchey of the Hudson Valley supported by other pro-LGBTQ colleagues would require any restaurant on the New York State Thruway to be opened seven days a week.
These “politically correct” liberals want to use this as a backdoor way to close Chick-Fil-A stores on the New York State Thruway. There are currently 11 Chick-Fil-A stores open at the 27 New York State Thruway rest stops.
More are anticipated to open as the state Thruway Authority renovates additional rest stops in coming years.
Sponsors of this legislation know that the owners of Chick-Fil-A always close on Sundays. There are always other dining options available at other restaurants open at Thruway rest stops when Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sundays.
No motorists go away hungry. This action is to benefit hard-working employees, both a day to be with family or attend services at their house of worship.
Chick-Fil-A provides gainful employment to construction contractors and their employees to build each store as well as cooks, cashiers and food supply deliverers.
This benefits many who reside in high-unemployment communities. Some who have benefited are part of the same LGBTQ community. Many more open-minded members of the LGBTQ community work or dine there.
Chick-Fil-A provides a quality product at reasonable prices. Revenues generated by Chick-Fil-A at Thruway stops help the State Thruway Authority pay off the $3.9 billion long-term debt that paid for construction of the Mario Cuomo Tappan Zee Bridge.
It is disappointing that after Chick-Fil-A opens a new store, we sometimes see “politically correct” progressive liberal members of the LGBTQ community throwing their lot in with political extremists on the right who use the threat of boycotts to impose their moral values on others.
If you don’t like the politics of Chick-Fil-A, don’t eat there. Don’t deny the civil liberties of others who might prefer Chick-Fil-A. In America, under the free enterprise system, this is called freedom of choice.
Chick-fil-A owners and employees are our neighbors. They work long hours and pay taxes. True tolerance means accepting those with different values than your own.
There are plenty of other dining options at Thruway rest stops open and available if you don’t want to patronize Chick-Fil-A or if it is closed on Sundays.
Will Gov. Hochul be a profile in courage and not sign this bill into law or will she side with those liberal “politically” correct?
Let us hope she sides with those who practice freedom of choice when it comes to dining options. My stomach, my choice!
Larry Penner
Great Neck