Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas hasn't officially retired.  He is on a self-imposed sabbatical, but that didn't stop him from toeing the line against the politically correct machine recently.

Thomas said he fully supports Chick-Fil-A owner Dan Cathy in Cathy's stance against gay marriage.

This is something most sports stars avoid like the plague--getting involved in a serious political discussion.  Probably rightly so.  It can hurt their marketabliity, and create a firestorm of disagreement and sometimes, hatred by the masses who have the opposing viewpoint, especially the "politically correct" one.

Thomas has gonads though, and I applaud him for sticking up for his beliefs. 

Gay marriage is certainly a hot button issue.  I certainly know that myself after a facebook post that I made following New York's decision to approve its legality.  I received over 40 comments (more than I have ever received for a single post) basically saying I was Hitler-esque.  That I had no idea what I was talking about.  That I should "stick to sports".  That I had no right to even THINK about disagreeing with the latest progressive viewpoint about how wonderful it is that gay folks should be allowed to marry.

Apparently, the right to free speech only applies to those who feel that way.  Everyone else should be stoned.

Chick-Fil-A owner and CEO Dan Cathy has sent his own money to groups fighting against gay marriage.  He runs a privately owned corporation that has always had very staunch Christian values.  His stores have always been closed for business on Sunday's. 

Cathy recently told the Baptist press that his company is unapologetically in favor of traditional marriage.  Cathy said,

"Guilty as charged,  We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

Cathy went on to say in a separate interview that he feared our society could face God's wrath over redefining the definition of marriage:

"I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,'" Cathy said. "I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about."

See what I mean?  Thomas taking a stance of backing Cathy takes some guts.  What is strange is that as a society, we have done a complete role reversal.  A TOTAL 180.  Not even 20 or 30 years ago, the thought of gay marriage would have been blasphemous.  it would barely even be broached behind closed doors, and even then, you'd have to be careful of the company you were in.

Things have sure changed.  Now, if anyone dares to take a stance against gays being allowed to marry, you are called a heathen and cursed by the "enlightened" majority.  "How DARE YOU not stand in firm support of gay marriage", they would say to anyone who doesn't line up on their line.  And if you don't support it, well then shut the hell up and don't you dare say anything about it in public. 

Are Dan Cathy and Tim Thomas right?  I'm not going to say they are.  I'm not going to say they are wrong either though.  I obviously have strong feelings about the issue, but I am not going to use this forum to back them up.  It will just upset a bunch of people, as I learned.  I will choose to keep most of them to myself.

What I will say though is that I completely support Dan Cathy's right to say whatever he wants, use his own money to donate to whatever groups he chooses, and Tim Thomas right to align himself publicly with Cathy's stance and say whatever he wants about it as well. 

Some of us were brought up with strong Christian values and a belief system about what constitutes marriage and what shouldn't.  We should not be ripped apart and have our characters assassinated just because we feel that way.  I happen to disagree with all the "enlightened" ones and their view on this issue, but I don't have anything personal against any of you for it.  You shouldn't think Cathy, Thomas or I are unenlightened dolts either.  When we are all forced into having the same belief systems is truly when things become dangerous for a society.

If you are so bothered by Chick-Fil-A's stance on this matter, then just don't go to one of their restaurants!  Simple as that.  If he wants to have that stance and be public about it, let it hurt him on his bottom line.  I don't think it will though.  There aren't a lot of Chick-Fil-A restaurants in New York or other liberal areas.

Well, I gotta go.  All this talk has gotten me hungry for a big juicy chicken sandwich........