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Minnesota Vikings Punter Challenges Anti-Gay Minnesota Lawmaker To Same-sex Marriage Debate

Chris Kluwe (L) MN State Rep. Mary Franson (R)

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Chris Kluwe, the Minnesota Vikings player whose profanity-laced letter defence of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo over his support of same-sex marriage, written to Maryland Delegate Emmett C. Burns, that won him legions of new fans and went viral has now set his eyes on debating a Minnesota State Representative who has also expressed similar anti-gay view points.
Burns, who is the pastor of Rising Sun First Baptist Church in Woodlawn near Baltimore,later walked back his criticism of the Ravens player, saying that,

[...] “Upon reflection, he has his First Amendment rights, and I have my First Amendment rights … each of us has the right to speak our opinions. The football player and I have a right to speak our minds.”

The Twin Cities largest circulated alternative paper, City Pages reported Wednesday:

Representative Mary Franson,(R-Alexandria), recently posted a cry for help on a her Facebook page, claiming she was "under attack by those who oppose traditional marriage." "Because I am standing on my principles the leftists who oppose marriage between 1 man and 1 woman are now funneling money to my opponent," the post continued. "I need YOUR HELP NOW to counter their attacks." Franson included embeds of four tweets alongside the message, one of them Kluwe's. 

The Vikings punter told the paper;

"Basically, I was pointing out the fact that it is very hypocritical of her to ask for a return to traditional values, when traditional values say she should have been in the kitchen, and not in office," Kluwe said. "Traditional values doesn't just mean what you want it to mean. It can also mean some pretty bad stuff." 

Kluwe also said that he's been in talks with Minnesotans for Equality, a Minnesota-based LGBT rights advocacy group about organizing a debate between him and Franson.

"We're thinking of actually extending her an official invitation to see if she wants to do a debate," Kluwe told the publication. 

Still, he remained skeptical over whether or not Franson, who has claimed to be "under attack by those who oppose traditional marriage," would accept. "I don't think she will," he added. Franson generated headlines around the state after she reportedly declared,

"My concerns are that our children in our schools could be taught some liberal agendas because of the marriage amendment. Because in the schools they may be taught...that [same-sex marriage] is normal behavior. I personally do not believe it is."

Former Chick-Fil-A Employee: 'It's Become A Safe Place For People To Hate'

Steve Cammett courtesy of CBS Atlanta

DUNWOODY, GA -- In an interview with CBSAtlanta.com, Steve Cammett, 60, of Dunwoody, Ga. told the station that fast food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A "is a safe place for people to go in and hate, and they expect to get patted on the back for it."

Cammett, who said he worked at a Chick-fil-A restaurant and at its corporate headquarters over the past nine years, said, "I was a Chick-fil-A enthusiast. We don't have enough time to go over all the things I liked about Chick-fil-A." 

According to Cammett his attitude about his former employer changed in August when he resigned in protest over the company's anti-gay messaging. "I felt hurt by those statements," said Cammett. His late sister, Carol, was a lesbian.

Chick-fil-A donated nearly $2 million to anti-gay organizations in both 2009 and 2010 through its charitable arm, the WinShape foundation, founded by the fast-food chain's founder Truett Cathy and his family. 

The company came under fire in July, when Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company was "guilty as charged" of supporting anti-gay groups. "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," he said at the time.

In his interview, Cammett told CBS Atlanta, 

"Chick-fil-A allowed a mindset to continue, especially amongst their customers that seemed to think that Chick-fil-A didn't like homosexuals."

He added he couldn't continue to work at Chick-fil-A because he would be disrespecting his late sister's memory. Before he resigned, Cammett said he watched a private video sent to franchise owners, that featured Cathy apologizing for the controversy his comments caused. Cammett said, "I want Dan Cathy to make a public statement that said that Chick-fil-A, their leadership team and the Cathy family love all of God's children including gay and divorced children."

Chick-fil-A has not responded to various Media requests for a comment. On its website, the company states; "the Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender."