Author: Kimberly Boenig

On March 21, Vox confirmed what most LGBT individuals already knew to be true: Yep, Chick-Fil-A is still super homophobic. What a surprise! According to Vox, “The Chick-fil-A Foundation donated more than $1.8 million to three groups with a history of anti-LGBTQ discrimination in 2017,” despite claiming in 2012 that they would stop making such donations. Clearly, this is just another case of a company making a claim and then waiting for the public to forget all about it. Lucky for Chick-Fil-A, they just happen to make a chicken sandwich that makes lesser LGBT “allies” more willing to forget their contributions to hate groups. Chick-Fil-A has never actually tried to hide their fundamentalist agenda. While at first their peanut-oiled chicken patties and fresh lemonade may seem innocent enough, look closer. Specifically, the kid’s meals and origin story.

While the kid’s meals usually include edutainment toys sponsored by Brain Games and Between the Lions, they have also included the Berenstain Bears and Veggie Tales. Veggie Tales is more clear about its Christian messaging, and usually keeps to Bible stories, rather than veering to a fundamentalist agenda, but that is still an odd angle to add in toys included with meals at a chicken restaurant. Personally, I think Veggie Tales is harmless, but I also do not think it has any crossover appeal for secular children.

Berenstain Bears is more damning. Classic titles usually refrain from any explicit religious messaging, with books like “The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners” and “The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor.” But, recent works, following the passing of the torch from the original authors (Stan and Jan Berenstain) to their more religious child (Mike Berenstain) include titles like “The Berenstain Bears Say Their Prayers.” I have nothing against books aimed at children who are raised Christian, but a title like that hardly has a place in a chicken restaurant where the target customer is average chicken eaters, a group that doesn’t tend to have a religious affiliation.

Finally, there’s the obvious clue that Chick-Fil-A is never going to become less oddly fundamentalist. The founder, S. Truett Cathy, was a devout Southern Baptist, and the reason why the company has Christian clues tucked in every aspect of the business. For one, Chick-Fil-A is always closed on Sunday, showing a commitment to the commandment “Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy,” and proving that the company is serious about the Bible. This also implies that Chick-Fil-A wants to encourage church attendance among its employees, which is overstepping the employer-employee relationship for a simple chicken restaurant. The Cathy family is still involved with the company, despite S. Truett’s passing in 2014, and it was COO Dan Cathy that made the original statements against same-sex marriage back in 2012. As the family is still running the company, and old people are not well known for changing their bigoted opinions just because some youngsters tell them that they are bigoted, it comes as no surprise that, yes, Chick-Fil-A is still homophobic.

I do honestly think that this company could work to change that troubling reputation, and as a queer Christian woman, I feel particularly qualified to make some suggestions. First and foremost, Chick-Fil-A needs to severely reduce the role of the Cathy family in their business. Old dogs cannot learn new tricks. With that, they need to focus any charitable donations on something completely apolitical, as they are a chicken restaurant, and should not have political opinions in the first place. I suggest the ASPCA or local women’s shelters. Finally, stop being so overtly religious. I get it, religion is important to many, but it is also deeply personal. I do not want to know if the CEO of Target is a Wiccan or not, so it stands to reason that I really do not care if the CEO of Chick-Fil-A wears a crucifix. Piety was something Jesus Christ, whose name ought to be familiar to the Cathy family, was pretty against, and it got Him killed, so take note. Finally, have a vegan-vegetarian food option that is not a sad salad. Gestures like that can only help, and I do not eat chicken.

Until then, do not eat at Chick-Fil-A, at least if you actually support the LGBT community. Go to a local fried chicken joint, or learn to make your own. If you do not care for the LGBT community, continue on with your fast food choices. If the LGBT revolution does not move you, at least the heart disease eventually will.

On Feb. 7 a new Starbucks was unveiled in the developing St. Mary’s Market Place, replacing the former location just a few blocks south. This new location, in addition to being more easily accessible from both directions of travel, features a drive-thru, a first for the only free-standing St. Mary’s County Starbucks.

This Starbucks sits at the end of its lot, providing considerable natural light from wall-to-wall windows on the western and southern ends. With the expanded floor space comes a variety of seating options for guests. There are several armchairs and tall stools available for customers settling in for a few hours of study, long-table style seating for groups and, notably, a bar-style seating area where the drinks and food sit when ready, for the customer that would rather not be bothered.

A new feature of this Starbucks is the nitro cold brew available on draft, giving the chain cafe a stylish, upscale aesthetic. Other than that, the drinks and snacks available are largely the same as one would find at any other Starbucks location, including the ever-popular seasonal frappuccinos and cake pops, though the supply has been increased with the larger space. The line to order is long and slow-moving, giving the customer plenty of time to consider every option. To offset this, once an order is made it moves along fast, and the baristas are courteous. They seem frazzled as they learn the new drive-thru system, which places baristas with headsets alongside other baristas, forcing them into double-duty. Hopefully, issues will be ironed out in time.

The California Starbucks location is currently the only open building in its strip, with some still under construction or up for lease. In the next strip over, a Panda Express has recently opened, also featuring a drive-thru system. The new Starbucks location, it is at 45000 St Andrews Church Suite F, California, MD 20619. On Weekdays it is open from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with slightly expanded hours for the weekend.

Last year the rate of measles cases increased 50%, according to the Guardian. Now in New York, a measles outbreak has occurred after individuals returned from Israel after the holidays, with more than just fond memories packed in their carry-on. This is not normal. The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine has been available and safely implemented for at least 50 years, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While the vaccine requires a series of dosages given to children between birth and school age, the pain and annoyance of holding a toddler down for a shot is well worth it in the long run. Children who successfully finish their MMR series, something which is required in most school districts for enrollment, are far less likely than unvaccinated peers to contract the deadly illness, saving families thousands of dollars in medical expenses, as well as the pain of losing a child. With all the great reasons to keep children up to date on their vaccinations, one might think that a parent would have to be pretty ignorant not to get the shots over and done with. Enter the anti-vaccine movement.

My first exposure to the anti-vaccine movement came during the 2009 swine flu pandemic. I distinctly remember the fear garnered around what some thought could become another Spanish Flu, so bad at points that pork sales dropped, despite no actual link between pork consumption and swine flu contraction (ABC). I also remember being told by classmates at my small Christian private school that they were not getting the vaccine that had just come out because it had the swine flu in it, and thus, would give them the flu. Even as I got my vaccine in my county’s health department, this thought echoed in my head. Still, I got my shot, in addition to most of the other vaccines that my doctor deemed necessary. I hate needles, but I hate being sick even more, and time and again vaccines proved effective in my own life, and in the lives of others.

Still, despite so much evidence in favor of getting shots, the anti-vaccine movement remains strong, especially in young mother communities and mommy blogs. One top culprit that comes to mind is Jenny McCarthy, film and television star, model and unlikely lifestyle guide. McCarthy, despite her lack of medical expertise, found herself supporting the misconception that there is a link between vaccines and autism when her own child was diagnosed with autism following inoculation. She claims that the proof is in the gut, where she claims inflammation from imbalances caused by vaccines can brew, leading to problems in the brain. McCarthy said in a 2010 interview, “A lot of people didn’t understand there was a gut and brain connection, and I would tell them: ‘Let’s go try that theory out in a bar. Go have a drink, and see how it affects your brain’” (PBS), going on to say that “If you talk to parents who have children with autism, they have little Buddha bellies. Their guts are inflamed.”

McCarthy has gone on to publish several books on the topic of autism and its alleged vaccine connection, such as “Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism,” “Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide” and “Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds.”It should be noted  for clarity’s sake that there is no known link between autism and vaccination. This supposed link first came about in a 1998 paper published by Dr. Andrew Wakefield in “The Lancet.” Wakefield’s medical license has since been revoked. According to HealthLine, “Later investigations have shown that Wakefield was set to benefit from lawsuits based on his research. The study was retracted after numerous other scientists could not replicate his findings” (HealthLine). Despite the fact that no credible papers have been published since in support of an autism and vaccine link, the damage was already done, and a seed was planted. McCarthy is partially to blame for spreading the misinformation, though it probably would have gotten around even without her help. The actress, who clearly has some toxic feelings about her own son’s autism, now judges on the show “The Masked Singer,” where she is referred to as a cultural influencer. For the record, autism is not a disease to be cured, it is a developmental disorder, like epilepsy.

Measles is an awful disease, which can kill if not treated quickly. According to the World Health Organization, measles can result in complications like “blindness, encephalitis (an infection that causes brain swelling), severe diarrhea and related dehydration, ear infections, or severe respiratory infections such as pneumonia” (WHO). One of the first symptoms is a high fever, which can last up to a week, with a signature rash following. Even in mild cases, measles can last weeks on end. What parent would want to deal with that, even if (strong if) it could give their child a strong natural immunity? Worse yet, the people at highest risk are the immunocompromised, young children and pregnant women. These people, who cannot be vaccinated even if they would like to be, are vulnerable without the herd immunity that comes when others get their vaccines. At that point, not being vaccinated when it is totally safe to do so is not only irresponsible for personal health, but irresponsible towards the most vulnerable among us. If cost is a worry, most insurance plans cover vaccines, and resources are available for the uninsured. Don’t just do it for yourself, do it for society.

On Feb. 4 during an interview with The Independent, actor Liam Neeson admitted that he went looking to kill a black man after learning that someone of the same race had raped his friend. Neeson’s comments have sparked a debate about racism and forgiveness that is sweeping Hollywood and social media.

Neeson gave the interview to promote his most recent film, “Cold Pursuit.” His controversial claims came on the heels of a conversation about the futility of revenge. Neeson told the interviewer that, after hearing the news of the rape of one of his female friends, he asked about the race of the perpetrator. Upon hearing that the man was black, he went out and began walking the streets with a “cosh,” waiting for a “black bastard” to start an altercation with him so that he could, in Neeson’s own words, “kill him.” A cosh is another word for a club.

The quote seems to have come unprompted, as Neeson’s co-star Tom Bateman expressed horrified surprise in response to the admittance in the form of a succinct, “Holy shit.”

The following day, in response to a wave of backlash, Neeson went on Good Morning America and claimed that he is “not racist” and that he would have reacted the same had the attacker been “an Irish or a Scot or a Brit or a Lithuanian.”

This leads to the question that so many have been asking: Is Liam Neeson racist? His confession is shocking, but he claims that he became disgusted with himself afterward, even going to see a priest to talk out his violent feelings. Despite the controversy the aforementioned question is generating, I have trouble seeing what has people confused. Is Liam Neeson racist? Well, yes, clearly.

The fact of the matter is: Liam Neeson went out looking to murder a random black man for a crime committed by someone specific. Neeson claims that he would have reacted the same had the person been of another race, but that doesn’t change the fact that he would have been using the actions of one person to generalize an entire demographic.

TPN spoke with the coordinator of the African and African Diaspora studies department, Jeffrey Coleman, Ph.D., about his thoughts concerning the comments. “He wasn’t interested in that particular black man [who had committed the crime],” Coleman said. “He was interested in attacking any black man he felt he had a justifiable reason to assault…and that’s patently racist.”

Neeson’s comments show that he has fallen prey to the stereotype of, as Coleman puts it, “helpless white female who’s attacked by a stereotypical black beast.” This is still an ugly reality for many black men in the modern world, who get unfairly judged by society for no other reason than the color of their skin. One has to consider how long Neeson held these racist thoughts before he was finally given an excuse to act on them.

Defenders of Neeson point out that the actor said he felt remorseful for his dark thoughts, and went to a priest to repent. But he still spent a week walking the streets with a weapon before coming to his senses. Others claim that, since the incident occurred so long ago, we should consider the fact that Neeson may have changed since then. Still, others have called him brave for admitting such a horrifying story. While his honesty is admirable, I would hesitate to call Neeson brave. The only thing he proved with that interview is a past capability for racial violence, and it is impossible to really know if he has changed. The stereotype of a dangerous black man has been ingrained in the brains of white people for hundreds of years and is difficult to overcome. “[Those thoughts] don’t just go away if you’ve bought into the stereotype,” Coleman said.

Despite an outpouring of support, however, there’s still been a significant amount of backlash. Why, then, did Neeson choose to share this? He must have known how it would have been received. Coleman theorized that it could have been a publicity stunt to generate attention for his new movie, and underestimated the amount of negative attention there would be in response. Given that Neeson is a successful white man who works in the entertainment industry, it’s unlikely he’ll face any lasting consequences for these comments unless people decide to stop supporting him.

This leaves the responsibility up to the viewer, then. How long will it take people to forget or forgive? The box office numbers for “Cold Pursuit” may be telling enough, making only $10.8 million against a budget of $60 million. It seems that perhaps Neeson may face his comeuppance after all. “One thing is certain,” Coleman told me, “if his films do not bring in revenue, then he will become a less desirable leading man.” Apparently, it doesn’t pay to be racist.