Jim Manning of Rocky Hill, Conn. was one of several protestors at Monday's visit from President Barack Obama who tacked Chick-Fil-A bags to their signs.
About an hour before President Barack Obama was scheduled to speak at the Stamford Marriot, a group of several dozen protestors camped out across the street from the hotel shuffled through several chants and rally speeches through megaphones (including a new rendition of the Christmas carol, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” in which chanters sang out “You better wake up, before it’s too late. They’re shutting coal mines and raising tax rates – When Obama comes to your town”).
But after Obama made his way into the hotel to deliver a speech of his own to hundreds of supporters at a $500-a-head fund raiser, the cheers changed their tune: To chicken sandwiches.
Shortly after 6 p.m., as the protestors crowd thinned out a bit, the repeated chant of “Chick-Fil-A, Chick-Fil-A,” rang across Tresser Boulevard from protestors camped out on the North side of the street, a few dozen yards from the hotel.
One of the Tea Party supporters took a detour to Paramus, N.J., on the way to Stamford to pick up Chick-Fil-A sandwiches for the protest, as what Tea Party supporter Linda Dwyer called a “symbol of free speech,” in the wake of last week’s controversy over the restaurant’s CEO stating that the fast food chain supports Christian values, and is against gay marriage. The comments prompted a boycott of the sandwich shop by many Americans, followed by an organized eat-in by supporters of the chain, sparking a nationwide debate between gay rights and freedom of speech.
The President has made no official stance on the chicken sandwich fiasco. Though he is the first American president to openly support gay marriage, he doesn’t appear to have any beef with the restaurant chain.
But to protestors outside the Marriot Monday evening, the sandwiches were just another symbol for their displeasure with the flavor of the country over the last four years.
“I have this on my sign in support of business,” said Jim Manning of Rocky Hill, Conn. “For the freedom for businesses to do what they want and allow. If you don’t support a business, don’t support it. But don’t demonize them.”