“Sir, Cathy owns Chick-Fil_A and I am damn proud of him for standing up against the fascist left. he can say any damn thing he wants.”
I didn’t know he owned it; I believe his family owns it, since his father started it.
My point was that just like Smith’s company was free to fire him for his conduct of expressing his free speech, so would the officers/directors be free to do the same with Cathey IF the case had been they disagreed with his expression of his free speech. (which obviously they did NOT disagree, nor do you, nor do I)
His father did not start the company; he did.
I have found I was mistaken. I saw reports using their Middle Name which is in common with both and the Father uses as his preferred name.
It was Dan Truett Cathy, S. Truett Cathy’s son, who made the original comments on traditional marriage.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/17/dan-cathy-chick-fil-a-president-anti-gay_n_1680984.html
The conduct of the two men is not comparable. Cathy merely expressed his belief in a polite response to a question. Smith not only verbally harassed and abused another person with whom he disagreed, but he also broke the law by recording the confrontation despite the young lady's objections AND then posting it on the internet. Had he merely expressed polite disagreement when asked a question, then he should not have been fired. But that's not what he did.