Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy recently incited the outrage of The Washington Post, actor Ed Helms, and at least five other celebrities by supporting marriage on the Ken Coleman radio program.

In a discussion about ongoing attempts to redefine marriage in this country, Cathy said:

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." I pray God's mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.

For these words, Cathy is accused of potentially offending his customers (Washington Post) and of not liking "gay people" (Ed Helms).  Moreover, Helms has been joined by Jane Lynch, Deepak Chopra, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, and the Kardashians in announcing a boycott of Chick-fil-A.

It appears Cathy's crime isn't so much that he holds the convictions he holds, but that he has the courage to voice them.

As Jena McGregor asserted in her Washington Post column:

On the one hand, you could argue leaders of businesses, particularly private, family-owned ones, should be able to speak their minds. But when a business leader elects to take a public and vocal position on a hot-button political issue in an election year, he or she also risks losing the support of many of its customers.

Note that McGregor's line of thinking doesn't cross over for businesses like Office Depot, which shares its convictions with every customer via signs in their stores that read, "Be Brave," along with the tagline, "We Support Bravery."

For the record, the signs are not referencing Office Depot's support of the military, but of Lady GaGa's "Born This Way Foundation" -- a foundation supporting same-sex "marriage" and which Office Depot has guaranteed a $1-million donation.

Don't hold your breath for a Washington Post column criticizing Office Depot for this anytime soon.  And don't expect to hear anything negative from the celebrities who were so quick to criticize Cathy for possessing the courage of his convictions.

It's all part of the duplicity we've watched the left demonstrate for decades, but it's also part of a larger, more recent phenomenon that should trouble every American.  Those on the left are insisting that those in business have no right to have convictions of their own if they don't mirror what the left believes.

What Cathy is experiencing is the tip of the iceberg.  Right now, people are in court and being severely fined simply because they wish to exercise their faith convictions in how they run their businesses.  Elane Photography is in court because the co-owner of the small New Mexico photo company couldn't in good conscience user her artistic skills to beautify a same-sex "commitment" ceremony.  Hercules Industries is in court in Colorado because the Obama administration wants to force its owners to abandon their faith convictions when it comes to providing health insurance that covers abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception.  Hands On Originals, a T-shirt company in Kentucky, has been dragged before a human rights commission because it wouldn't print T-shirts to promote a "gay pride" festival.  The list goes on and on.

Never mind that none of these events has caused anyone a problem in getting the goods or services he or she wanted.  The goal is strictly to punish those who won't go along and approve of leftist orthodoxy.

Just ask the Susan G. Komen Foundation, after it incurred the wrath of Planned Parenthood for simply saying that it wouldn't fund the abortion giant anymore with a small amount of grant money to which Planned Parenthood has absolutely no right.  Of course, that didn't stop the liberal politicians whose campaigns Planned Parenthood supports from demanding that Komen bow to the abortion agenda.

Sadly, Planned Parenthood at least partially succeeded in bringing about a concession from the Komen Foundation.  Let's hope Dan Cathy continues to stand strong and resist whatever pressures are wrongfully applied to him for staying true to his convictions.  He has a great record of charity and community service to millions that people should not ignore just because a few on the left put their social agenda above all else. 

(Plus, Chick-fil-A makes great chicken sandwiches and sweet tea.)

Casey Mattox serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (www.alliancedefendingfreedom.org) at its Washington, D.C. Regional Service Center.