Biblical Plagues ravage on many States of the US. Crops that barely survived the drought are now threatened by Corn smut. The prognosis to save some of the corn harvest looks even worse than expected.

Dr. Edith Breburda

Madison/Wisconsin. The severe drought in the USA is the media topic. For some it seems incredible, even unethical, that the government still plans to use part of the corn harvest for the production of bio-fuels at the risk of global hunger. Many farmers are being forced to slaughter their animals because of a lack of feed. The United Nations has urged the USA to stop the ethanol production in face of the drought, to prevent elevated global food costs.

We already know that global consequences of the drought will be severe but agriculture is taking a second lethal punch. The extreme heat stress has weakened the cellular defense of 85 percent of the Midwest corn crop. This weakened state, coupled with sudden rains, has left the crop vulnerable to infection with corn smut (Ustilago maydis).

This pathogenic plant fungus causes gall formation on all above-ground parts of corn plants. Disfigured tissue develops into galls within days after infection. Most obvious are the tumor-like formation growing on corn cob. 

The entire ear is sometimes replaced by the smut gall, which is filled with spore powder.

Large galls are originated from individual infected kernels and might reach up to six inches in diameter. People in Mexico and some hobby gardeners consider immature galls as a delicacy and not as a disease.

Throughout most of the world, however, corn smut is seen as a troublesome disease of corn. In 1911 when smut was first reported in Barthust, New South Wales, Australia, the infected crop was destroyed and corn was not planted on that farm for a decade. 

Just as in the USA in 2012, losses to smut are increased in situations in which the plant is already injured by an unusual long period of drought. With no genetic resistance to the fungus, the disease is responsible for significant crop loss. In the USA, smut is of greater economic consequence in sweet corn, where the annual loss is up to 20 %. According to the National Corn Growers Association, a study at the Danforth Plant Science Center of St. Louis, MO, reported a loss of $1 billion in crop losses to corn smut in 2011.

The damage increases in plants heavily fertilized with nitrogen. One recommendation to control the disease is crop rotation, but genetically modified crops are always planted in large monocultures and modern seed companies offer no other options.  

Corn smut infested silage can affect animal health. A paper written in 1868 by Dr. H. Burt, Amer. Homeop. Obs, observed that pregnant cows fed with infected corn miscarried their calves eight days later. The toxin is thought to be similar to Ergot, which was used for obstetric purposes to produce perfectly regular intermittent uterine contractions that induced labor. Given its history of inducing labor, Ustilago maydis was also used as abortifacient.

Interestingly, the fungus that contains abortifacient drugs is destroying corn plants at the same time that the government-mandated free abortifacient for women, is destroying human morals.    

See also youtube video on that topic

Tumorartiger Pilzbefall auf US-Gen-Maisfeldern infolge extremer Trockenheit.

Der Dürre folgt Maisbeulenbrand und verursacht weitere dramatische Ernteausfälle

Dr. Edith Breburda

Madison/Wisconsin. Die USA leiden unter der schwersten Trockenheit seit Jahrzenten. Immer mehr Bezirke werden zu Notstandsgebieten erklärt. Betroffen sind insbesondere Maisfelder. 85% der Maisbestände leiden unter Trockenstress. Die Preise für Mais sind bereits deutlich gestiegen. Das belastet vor allem Menschen in den armen Ländern. In den USA leiden insbesondere die Viehhalter unter der extremen Trockenheit. Da Futtermittel knapp und teuer geworden sind, schlachten die Farmer ihre Tiere vorzeitig. Trotz der schweren Dürre wird in den USA mehr Mais für die Treibstoffproduktion verwendet als für die Ernährung. Die Welternährungsorganisation FAO und die UNO fordern deshalb, dass die Ethanol-Produktion gestoppt wird. 

Die extremen Witterungsbedingungen der USA haben in Maisbeständen eine dramatische Ausbreitung eines tumorartigen Pilzbefalls durch den Maisbranderreger verursacht.

Wissenschaftler des Max Planck Institutes für terrestrische Mikrobiologe der Universität Marburg beschrieben 2011 in einer Studie die Taktik des Maisbranderregers (Ustilago maydis), der verschiedene Eiweiße an die Mais-Pflanzenzelle abgibt. Erreger von Pflanzenkrankheiten sind in der Landwirtschaft gefürchtet. Maisbeulenbrand infiziert die Zellen und lenkt den Stoffwechsel für die eigenen Zwecke um. Besonders in großflächigen Monokulturen kann sie sich der Pilz rasant ausbreiten und zu massiven Ernteverlusten führen.

Der hochspezialisierte parasitische Brandpilz befällt nur Maispflanzen und kommt in mäßig trockenen Klimazonen vor. Sein Herkunftsbereich ist Mexiko. In weiten Gebieten der USA herrschte in den Monaten Juni und Juli grosse Trockenheit welche danach durch etwas Regen abgelöst wurde. Derartige extreme Witterungslagen bedingen das Auftreten des Pilzes, der besonders zu Verlusten beim Körnermais führt. Der Maisbeulenbrand kann alle oberirdischen Teile der Pflanze befallen, wird aber hauptsächlich durch die Kolbeninfektion sichtbar. Tumorartige Wucherungen und Gallengebilde können im Extremfall kindskopfgroß werden. Eine Infektion der Pflanze kann zu ihrem totalen Absterben führen. 

Gering befallene Maissilage die man an trächtige Tiere verfüttert kann zu einer Fehlgeburt führen. Eine Gefahr besteht in der Ausbreitung des Pilzes da dieser dem Saatgut anhaftet. Streßfaktoren für die Maispflanze wie anhaltende Trockenheit führen zu einer Schwächung der Pflanze womit eine Infektion gefördert wird. Die Sporen sind im Boden bis zu 10 Jahre resistent. Die Pilze enthalten Ergotamin-ähnliche Alkaloide. Sie sind mit den Alkaloiden verwandt, die im Mutterkornpilz vorhanden sind. Ergotamine lösen Wehen aus und wurden früher als Abtreibungsmittel verwendet. Der Name Mutterkorn weist auf die Beziehung zur Gebärmutter hin.

Als "Antonius Feuer" (Ergotismus/ Mutterkornbrand) bezeichnet man Darmkrämpfe, Halluzinationen und Absterben von Fingern und Zehen aufgrund von Durchblutungsstörungen, die nach Einnahme des Pilzes auftreten.

Alles spricht dafür, dass ein Pilz für die dramatischen Maisernteausfälle 2012 in den USA mitverantwortlich ist. Aber wie soll man ihn bekämpfen? Saatgutfirmen schreiben Mais-Monokulturen vor. Es gibt nur noch Sorten, die besonders ertragreich und resistent gegenüber Maisschädlingen aber nicht gegenüber dem Maisbeulenbrand-Erreger sind und die einen hohen Düngemittel- und Wasserbedarf haben. Düngemittel, und seien es organische, sind stickstoffbelastet. Die Empfehlungen zur Bekämpfung des Mainbeulenbrands die Ackerflächen 3 Jahre brachliegen zu lassen und weniger Stickstoff anzuwenden sind für die USA nicht anwendbar. 

Es scheint fast ironisch, dass ein Pilz, dessen Inhaltstoffe man früher für Abtreibungen verwendet hat, nun die Landwirtschaft und Wirtschaft in den USA massiv beeinträchtigt. Gerade jetzt, wo die Regierung in einem neuen Gesundheitsgesetz vorschreibt Verhütungsmittel und abtreibungsfördernde Mittel kostenfrei auszugeben, die zu einem moralischen Verfall führen. 

War on women-reproductive justice and reproductive freedom

"Freedom" is one of the most common words in our time. We talk about religious freedom, political freedom, economic liberty and even the term “reproductive freedom” is used. Dr. Edith Breburda

The American Civil Liberties Union has defined reproductive freedom as: "Everyone's right to form intimate relationships and to decide whether and when to carry a pregnancy to term.” The ACLU believes that “Government has to respect and support reproductive freedom as an essential to women's equality, autonomy and dignity.” This term seems to amount to little more than the chemical “liberation” of women for a state of infertility.

We all know that we engaged into wars to (re)gain freedom we lost due to some injustice. At what time has any person experienced a period of reproductive freedom? This is not a biological or natural state and not at all a God-given freedom. But why do we mention reproductive injustice in such context? It is as if biological facts of life are unbalanced, and females could not enjoy life because of bearing the burden of childbirth. Remember Sandra Fluke who felt discriminated against by Georgetown University because the Jesuit University refused to pay for her contraceptives.

Was Georgetown University or even nature itself responsible for the injustice Sandra Fluke experienced? If an institution does not cover the costs for chemical sterilization are they discriminating against women? And can we thus speak of a "war against women"? (Somarriba "Is nature sexist? April 30, 2012 (thePublicDiscourse.com).)

Wisconsin State Journal columnist Chris Rickert wrote May 3, 2012, about a so-called "War on Women". He wondered if the wars on terror, crime, drugs, poverty, etc. weren't enough. For Rickert women are discriminated against in Wisconsin and the main weapons of attack are the state laws tightening access to abortion, stressing abstinence in sex education classes and cutting funds for Planned Parenthood. The Democratic counterattack against all these measures is significant, according to Rickert because women have the right to be defended.

Is Chris Rickert’s opinion widespread? Janet Morana and Georgette Forney wrote in an April 25, 2012, LifeSiteNews.com article, "Ready to fight the real war against women?” that the “Entertainment media devalue talented, beautiful women by expecting them to be provocatively dressed. It seems that the value of females depend on unlined faces and her silicon implants. Does it matter that those implants will leak or break and might cause cancer? Do we consider that hormonal contraceptives are linked to cardiovascular diseases, cervical, liver and breast cancers, high blood pressure, infertility or stroke?” The writers quote Angela Lanfranchi, a New Jersey oncologist, who asked: "Why would you want to put a Class 1 carcinogen in your body three out of four weeks, when you are fertile 100 hours a month?" This oncologist’s concerns and similar ones are belittled in the media. Contraceptives, sterilization and abortion are rather seen as the means of choice to gain reproductive freedom.

Mary Rose Somarriba, in an April 30, 2012, article raises the question of whether reproductive freedom and reproductive justice will deliver females from the cards that nature dealt them? What are we dealing with? A kind of rebellion against our own biology? Or do we want sexual license without consequences–or maybe only with health consequences?

The Obama administration is requiring that all health insurance must cover the costs for contraceptives, sterilization, and abortion. The US Supreme Court upheld President Obamas health care law. Yet we have excellent medical means to prevent serious medical conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Why aren’t those preventive services free of charge? Proponents of this HHS mandate argue that giving these contraceptives and abortifacients free to employees and students, serves reproductive freedom and justice. Does it mean females have a right to sexual liberty? A liberty that would overthrow patriarchal traditions of marriage and sexual ethics? And must religious institutions, which par excellence uphold moral and ethical norms, now betray the natural law, or be found guilty of discriminating against women?

Merle Hoffman, an activist for reproductive rights reveals in her recent memoir, "The Life and Times of the Woman Who Brought Abortion from the Back Alley to the Boardroom", that she was running an abortion clinic herself purely to make money. She discloses the reasoning of those who champion reproductive freedom. She writes: "Even if abortion ends a life, it is defensible in the pursuit of true reproductive freedom for women. The anti-choice movement claimed that if women knew what abortion really is, if only the providers had told them the truth, they would never have killed their babies... But women did know the truth, just as I knew it, deep down, when I allowed myself to recognize it. Mothers saw the sonogram pictures, knew that .. as antis say-- abortion stops a beating heart... I wasn't immune to the physicality of abortion... but I quickly came to realize that those who deliver abortion services have not only the power to give woman control over their bodies and lives but also the power-- and the responsibility-- of taking life in order to do that. Acknowledgement of that truth is the foundation for all political and personal work necessary to maintain women's reproductive freedom." Hofman further writes, "the comparative history of abortion is actually the history of power relations between states and their female population... The battlefields are different, but the war is always the same.. True reproductive freedom for women is never under consideration."

The World Health Organization defines reproductive rights and freedoms to include that individuals should decide freely and responsibly the timing of their children. Today women often decide to defer pregnancy. The service of fertility clinics to freeze egg cells for an annual storage fee of $440 is increasing. It is seen as a way to free women from some of the biological constraints of fertility. In this way motherhood can be pursued when the personal circumstances are optimal for a child. From this perspective in-vitro fertilization should belong to the category of reproductive rights and freedoms and one might wonder why health insurances does not cover this very expensive infertility treatment. Women over the age of 39 are even required to accept egg donations. Is it only a treatment for wealthy couples? (E. Breburda, Promises of New Biotechnologies, ISBN-10: 0615548288, ISBN-13: 978-0615548289). Will the new HHS mandate grant reproductive justice for the poor people?

However, abortion, contraceptives and in-vitro-fertilization are techniques that destroy human life at its very beginning. The question remains, should we be allowed to employ modern biotechnologies just because we have the means and financial resources? Modern societies seem to disregard ethics and morality but have no problem upsetting nature itself.

Dr. William E. May wrote in the Foreword of the book Promises of New Biotechnologies: "We have a responsibility for the well-being of our human descendants and the environment in which we live. In the preface to the book Bishop Klaus Küng- St Pölten- Austria wrote: “We are recognizing hybrids, stem cell research, clones and other technologies. Many admire the new techniques. Only few question them. Moreover, the world is proud about the outcome of the modern biotechnologies. They are appreciated as a sign of progress…” He then continued: “Nevertheless, the relevant question is what humans are allowed to do. The answer depends on the question what is a human being. The only answer is pointing to our relationship with God (emphasis added), our dependency on Him as His creation.”

"These words in some ways express the main message of this remarkable book," writes Dr. May. He concluded: "In the chapters of her book Breburda takes us on a guided tour of the “achievements” and “promises” of these biotechnologies. In doing so she discloses that an unintentional effect of overzealous British efforts to produce genetically enriched food for cattle was the Mad Cow disease. She shows how the artificial insemination of horses in the 18^th century led to the development of the new reproductive technologies of in vitro fertilization, its permutations and combinations, the cloning of animals and efforts to clone humans, and how all this has resulted in the dehumanizing of women—valued now only because they produce oocytes—to various maladies suffered by the children thus manufactured, and other tragic consequences. She shows how genetically manipulated antibiotics have led to resistance to such antibodies with the consequence that new kinds of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and hematological diseases have sprung up, along with miscarriages and the increase of genetic abnormalities in mammals and men. I could draw this list out much further, but from what has already been said we can see what Brebruda does in the different chapters of her work. Breburda’s fascinating study is intended to help ordinary people understand the complexity and perils of the new biotechnologies."

Published in Kathent: (Un-)Fruchtbarkeitsmedizin: Ein Krieg gegen Frauen? 05.05.2012

Genetically altered children? Why did we not learn from disadvantageous when tinker with the basic building blocks of the earthly environment

Human beings are the most complicated organisms on earth. We do not even fully understand the consequences of genetically modified organisms. Are we risking the survival of humankind when we try to control human reproduction through modern engineering? Dr. Edith Breburda

Last week the drought in Wisconsin and several other States was re-classified as severe. These unprecedented drought conditions place a tremendous stress on Farmers, who fear a total loss of their crops.

Since June 01, 2012 only 0.31 inches of rain has fallen. If adequate soil moister is not present, pollination and fertilization can be poor. It can become a total loss of the yield. Harvey Kopp grows 130, 000 acres corn on his land in southern Wisconsin. He has no insurance and his loss could climb above $750,000. About 31 percent of Wisconsin State's corn acreage is not insured, estimates UW-Madison agriculture economist Paul Mitchell. "Farmers without crop insurance are not likely to receive any financial help, because federal provisions for drought relieve expired last year," explains Landmark Service cooperative agronomist Joe Speich. "Consumers will be affected too," told Professor Bruce Jones of the University of Wisconsin/Madison the Wisconsin State Journal on 13 July 2012. "After livestock producers run out of feed, because of the drought, they will send their hogs and cows to market they can't afford to feed them. That will drive the meat prices down initially but they'll rise later, along with milk prices.. but as we start to see reduced supplies of food products, we will see higher food prices and that will take a pinch out of our disposable income."  

Genetically modified plants have been grown in the US for the past 21 years. Plant diversity and seed saving was the foundations of agricultural sustainability and in a certain context the key to civilization. The fear is justified that genetically modified corn threatens the variety of crops. If one type of plant is lost to disease, a population could depend on the healthy remaining crops. In former times during traditional farming the seed was saved for next year’s crops. Agricultural corporations will not allow crop rotation and the planting of legumes to fix nitrogen in the soil off-season. A small group of powerful corporations demand crop uniformity and monoculture with genetically modified crops. Crops suitable to the weather patterns of the local environment such as drought resistant plants are disappearing due to greed and hubris by large-scale companies. Despite understanding the history, science, politics and technology, small farmers are threatened and depend on purchasing patented seed. The philosophy that larger is better forbids small farmers to save their year’s crop seed for future use. Might even a hunger problem be predictable when we depend on GMO’s? It is thought that famine brought about the collapse the Mayan civilization. They relied solely on a restricted variety of corn until an extended period of draught destroyed the one sort of crop. 

With grand genetic experiments unknown consequences may occur. Consumer surveys show that more than fifty percent would not eat GMO’s. Instead they ponder if genetically modified food is harmful or helpful! A number of people including Greenpeace argue that the agricultural industry is more interested in profit than in food safety and its environmental preservation. The concern exists that in the future only GMO food might be available. The British World renowned scientist on food safety Dr. Arpad Pusztai, lost his job when he warned about GMO food. “Make no mistake, this is an irreversible technology. It is no good fifty years later to say: We should have known” Pusztai who worked at the UK’s leading food safety research lab, the Rowett Institute, was suspended a few days after warning about GMO food. The Rowett Institute pointed out that Pusztai was old (68), senile and confused. Not only was he suspended he also did not get permission to speak with the media to defend himself. 

Biogenetic engineering appears to have endless possibilities in manipulating plants, animals and humans. Despite the enormous possibilities, its technology can also be applied unethically and recklessly and thus might have the capacity of even destroying us (E. Breburda, Promises of New Biotechnologies). 

We do not even fully understand the consequences of genetically modified organisms. Have we learned from the multiple failures and would we risk the survival of humankind when we try to control human reproduction through modern engineering? Human beings are the most complicated organisms on earth.

On April 12, 2012 the Popular Science Magazine posted a title with the headline: "Human Eggs Grown in the Lab Could Produce Unlimited Supply of Humans." The author, Rebecca Boyle described that the first human eggs were grown in the Lab. They were contained from Japanese women who donated their reproductive system after undergoing gender reassignment surgery. Researchers at Edinburgh University and a team from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, were able to coax the cells to become human egg cells. They hope to be able to fertilize them with human sperm cells later this year. Reporters speak about a process that will potentially revolutionizing fertility treatment for women and will bring us a step further toward reproduction sans human interaction. "Until now it is only possible to isolate a relative small number of mature human egg cells directly from the ovaries of women who have been stimulated with hormones. This technical limitation has led to an acute shortage of human eggs for In-vitro-Fertilization treatment as well as scientific research" announced The Independent Newspaper from London/GB in the article called: "Scientists rewrite rules of human reproduction" (April 7, 2012).

Most currently, scientists discuss the research results of the two scholars Jonathan Tilly of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the biologist Ji Wu of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. They indicated that adult women are still able to produce eggs from a small population of rare ovarian egg stem cells. The rule that women and other female mammals produce a finite number of egg cells was questioned. However, the study has incited controversy among reproductive biologists who tried to reproduce the data. They concluded that no egg producing stem cells exist after birth (E. Underwood, Stem Cell Study Scrambles Egg Debate, Again, ScienceNOW, July 10, 2012).

Scientists from the Scripps research Institute, La Jolla California started with normal skin cells to produce induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). "Such cells could eventually make it possible to improve reproduction in highly endangered species, a primate, the drill and the nearly extinct northern white rhinoceros. The process to produce iPS cells is inefficient, meaning only a few stem cells are produced at a time, but that's enough, said Inbar Friedrich Ben-Nun, postdoctoral fellow and author of the study: "Induced pluripotent stem cells from highly endangered species," Nature Methods 8, 04 September 2011. The researchers task is now to differentiate the cells into egg or sperm cells, to implant the resulting embryo in live animals. 

"Scientists are already exploring the possibility of producing sperm and eggs from stem cells as a potential solution to human infertility issues", says Professor Loring coauthor of the Paper. 

Infertile women drew hope as the first test tube baby was successfully conceived through In-Vitro-Fertilization. "No one want to talk about the morality of In-vitro Fertilization" stated Francis Phillips in the CatholicHerald.co.uk on Friday, 13 July 2012. 

For Same-sex partners IVF is the only way to get children. Without In-vitro-Fertilization, we would not have surrogate-mothers, single mothers by choice, Sperm-donor children with countless half-siblings, no designer babies, frozen embryos would not exist and even stem cell research and prenatal diagnosis (PGD) to detect unwanted or undesirable genetic conditions would not be possible. 

The bioethicist Michael Hanby found that violence is associated with artificial reproductive technologies, which can be harmful to parents and the resulting child.

However, not only In-vitro-Fertilization but also the use of contraceptives deprives the sexual act of its procreative meaning. The famous human psychologist Sigmund Freud said in his lecture entitled, The Sexual Life of human Beings: "The separation of procreation and sexual activity is the most basic perversion" (J. Strachey, The Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Vol 16). Even Margaret Sanger and Mahatma Gandhi referred to the inevitable deleterious impact that artificial contraception will have.  "They make man and women reckless... nothing but moral degradation can be the result... Man has sufficiently degraded women for his lust, and artificial birth control methods, no matter how well-meaning the advocates may be, will still further degrade her (DG Tendulkar, Wisdom for All Times, in 1978, India).

The aim of artificially created new life is to unite egg and sperm cells, outside the human body. Opposed to this act is contraception. Here it is thought to prevent the fusion of sperm and egg. Pills have a low dose of hormones that doesn't suppress ovulation all of the time anymore. The pill also alters the structure of the endometrium. The embryo cannot implant at his 7.5 to 9th day of life. Even pro-abortion lawyers admitted in the Supreme Court 1989 Webster v. Reproductive Health Services case that low-dose birth control pills are designed to cause abortions. After taking contraceptives for 10 year a women will commit ten to twenty  "silent" abortions, the American Life League says in his 97th Chapter of the Pro-Life Activist's Encyclopedia. The article concludes that contraception; abortion and euthanasia are intimately connected. Interestingly, the fall of the Roman Empire was due to the decline in morals! 

Published in Kathnet: Genmanipulierte Kinder - haben wir noch nichts gelernt? 7.17.2012 

Stich in Herz und Seele

Ein Vater berichtet, wie zwei seiner Kinder durch "selektiven Fetozid" getötet wurden.
von Dr. Edith Breburda

Lebensforum Ausgabe 102-2/2012

USA: Eine Fast-Food-Kette im Politkampf

Wegen des Themas Homosexualität geriet eine US-Fast Food Company ins Kreuzfeuer der Kritik, Konservative rufen zur Unterstützung auf. Von Edith Breburda

Atlanta (kath.net) Die Restaurantkette "Chick-fil-A" eröffnete 1967 ihr erstes Restaurant in Atlanta. Ihre lustigen Werbeplakate, die Kühe zeigen mit dem Slogan "EAT MOR CHIKIN" sind inzwischen in vielen Städten zu finden. Seit 1995 gibt es jedes Jahr ein neues Motiv für die "Cow Campaign". 



Dem Vize-Präsidenten des Familienunternehmens, Donald Perry, und seinen erfolgreichen Werbeideen war es zu verdanken, dass ein kleines Familienunternehmen expandierte und mittlerweile USA-weit vier Milliarden US-Dollar Jahresumsatz macht. Chick-fil-A ist die zweitgrößte Hühnchen Fast Food Restaurant Kette des Staates und eines der größten Privat-Unternehmen der USA.

Die Firma besitzt 1.600 Restaurants in 39 US-Bundesstaaten und 2012 sollen 92 neue Lokale eröffnet werden. Sie servieren Hühnchenbrüste, eine Kost, die in jede Diät passt. Auch stehen auf der Speisenkarte 10 Menüs, die weniger als 10g Fett enthalten. Es wird nur 100 Prozent reines Erdnussöl benutzt, das keine Transfette oder Cholesterin beinhaltet. 



Das Geheimnis des Unternehmens, so Präsident S. Turett Cathy, lautet: "Wir hören auf unsere Gäste und versuchen besser zu werden, bevor wir expandieren. Und wir schauen auf die Qualität." Herr Cathy vergibt Stipendien an junge Mitarbeiter, damit sie die Uni ihrer Wahl besuchen können, das "Leadership Scholarship Programm". Seit 1973 sind mehr als 30 Millionen US-Dollar in das Leadership Programm geflossen. 



Chick-fil-A hatte sich das Ziel gesetzt, die besten Schnellservice Restaurants Amerikas zu etablieren. Seine Restaurants erhielten bereits viele der renommiertesten Preise. 



Das Unternehmen ist ausdrücklich auf christliche Werte aufgebaut. An Sonntagen sind die Lokale geschlossen. Diese Praxis ist einzigartig in den USA, wo sonntags alle Geschäfte geöffnet sind. 


Cathy erklärt auf seiner Firmen-Webpage www.chick-fil-a.com, dass dies eine seiner besten Entscheidungen war, die er je getroffen hat. Er will damit Zeugnis geben für seinen Glauben: "Wenn wir am Sonntag geschlossen haben, geben wir unseren Angestellten die Möglichkeit, mit der Familie zusammen sein zu können und die Kirche zu besuchen. Damit respektieren wir das religiöse Leben unserer Angestellten und unsere Kunden sehen, dass wir in unseren Mitarbeitern etwas Besonders sehen. 



Unsere Bediensteten sind das Wichtigste in unserem Restaurant. Wir achten auf die Ausgewogenheit zwischen Arbeit und Familie. Damit sind wir attraktiv für die Menschen, die ein werteorientiertes Unternehmen schätzen. Das fehlende Sonntagsgeschäft scheint ein Verlust zu sein, aber wie Statistiken zeigen, macht Chick-fil-A an 6 Tagen mehr Geld als andere Fast-Food-Ketten an 7 Tagen.“ Cathy bezeichnet seinen finanziellen Erfolg als einen besonderen "Segen Gottes". 

"Die spezielle Unterstützung, die Chick-fil-A der Familie als Institution zukommen lässt, basiert auf der Definition der Bibel", erklärte Dan Cathy, der Sohn des Gründers, gegenüber der Los Angeles Times. "Wir sind ein Familienunternehmen und jeder von uns ist immer noch mit seiner ‚ersten’ Frau verheiratet. Wir sind ein Unternehmen, das auf biblischen Prinzipien aufbaut." 

Zwischen 2003 und 2009 ist die Kette jedoch angeklagt worden, drei Millionen US-Dollar an christliche Gruppen gespendet zu haben, die Homosexualität ablehnen und Therapien für Gleichgeschlechtliche anbieten. Unter den Empfängern sei auch die Gruppe Exodus International, die den Slogan "pray the gay away" (betet die Homosexuellen weg) aufbrachte. Dan Cathy sagt in einem Radiointerview, dass die Anklagen zutreffen und er sich für schuldig erklärt, gegen die gleichgeschlechtliche „Ehe“ zu sein. 

Seitdem tobt ein Kampf. Teenager boykottieren Chick-fil-A Restaurants und fordern Kunden auf, anderswohin zu gehen. Der Bürgermeister von Boston, Thomas Menino, sagte dem Boston Herald, dass er diese Restaurantkette nicht länger in seiner Stadt haben wolle. Der Bürgermeister von Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, verkündete, dass die Fast-Food-Kette in keiner Weise die Werte seiner Stadt vertritt. 



Mehrere Universitäten, darunter die University of Illinois, die University of Kansas, die Indiana University-Purdue, die University Indianapolis, die Ball State University, das College of Charleston, die Wichita State University und die Minnesota State University haben die Restaurants der Kette von ihrem Campus entfernt. Vor einem neu eröffneten Restaurant in Laguna Hills blockierten Protestierende die Eingänge.

Konservative Prominente hingegen wie Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Rev. Billy Graham oder Rick Santorum rufen dazu auf, am 1. August 2012 demonstrativ Chick-fil-A-Restaurants aufzusuchen. Die konservative Kommentatorin Michelle Malkin schreibt in ihrem Blog: "Es ist erschreckend, wenn hohe Regierungsbeamte gegen eine christliche Einrichtung im Namen der Toleranz Furore machen". 



Vergangene Woche veröffentlichte Chick-fil-A ein Statement, wonach die politische Debatte über die gleichgeschlechtliche Ehe der Regierung und der politischen Arena überlassen bleibe. Chick-fil-A habe immer versucht, jede Person zu ehren und mit Würde und Respekt zu behandeln, unabhängig von ihrem Glauben oder ihrer sexuellen Orientierung. Am 27. Juli 2012 ist der Vize-Präsident von Chick-fil-A, Don Perry, unerwartet verstorben.