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Amerigo Vespucci

(30,885 posts)
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:01 PM Jul 2012

Chick-fil-A chief spokesman Don Perry dies unexpectedly

Source: Los Angeles Times

Don Perry, head spokesman for Chick-fil-A, has died.

The Atlanta-based company said Perry died "suddenly" Friday morning. Perry, who most recently was vice president of public relations, had worked with the chain for nearly 29 years, according to Chick-fil-A.

“He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him,” the company said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Local news outlets reported that Perry suffered a heart attack.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-chickfila-perry-20120727,0,7787369.story

96 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Chick-fil-A chief spokesman Don Perry dies unexpectedly (Original Post) Amerigo Vespucci Jul 2012 OP
God works in mysterious ways, as they would say. I just can't gather RKP5637 Jul 2012 #1
WOW. No further comment. bullwinkle428 Jul 2012 #2
A sudden death like this is always tough on the family. virgogal Jul 2012 #3
how old was he? Deep13 Jul 2012 #4
I have a feeling he knows now. louis-t Jul 2012 #52
Death must always come as a shock to conservatives. Speck Tater Jul 2012 #78
When you don't toe the line... gregoire Jul 2012 #5
The guy died of a heart attack. RagAss Jul 2012 #6
too much fried food? zbdent Jul 2012 #30
There isn't a conspiracy in every shadow. Akoto Jul 2012 #8
She must have pissed off Chick Fil A... awoke_in_2003 Jul 2012 #18
This statement he made seemed well against company policy ... RKP5637 Jul 2012 #9
Violence? Bertha Venation Jul 2012 #15
It's a fowl crime! MyTwoSense Jul 2012 #25
A GAY chicken! randome Jul 2012 #34
Disgusting reply. Shame on you; oh that's right, you have no shame. n/t BeHereNow Jul 2012 #36
. randome Jul 2012 #48
WTF? Can you please delete and apologise for this comment. idwiyo Jul 2012 #41
+100000000000000 Alerted on this already, but the jury thought it was fine. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #44
Sad to see that this is considered an OK post idwiyo Jul 2012 #80
Not funny, Not at all. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #35
Everybody dies. Everybody qwertyMike Jul 2012 #67
It is a tragedy to his family, children if he had any, parents, sisters, brothers sabrina 1 Jul 2012 #72
a violent company? backwoodsbob Jul 2012 #73
How soon before they start blaming gays for his death? n/t MountainLaurel Jul 2012 #7
I was just wondering the same, when they will blame it on the "Gay Agenda," and RKP5637 Jul 2012 #11
Oh, well. OnyxCollie Jul 2012 #10
I wonder how frequently he ate the crap they serve up? Not Me Jul 2012 #12
Good point. I have no idea of the content analysis for Chick-fil-A, but given RKP5637 Jul 2012 #16
The bacon in their sandwiches and breakfast IggleDoer Jul 2012 #23
Police suspect fowl play mindwalker_i Jul 2012 #13
Ouch! benld74 Jul 2012 #14
That was a... awoke_in_2003 Jul 2012 #19
Don't egg him on...nt msanthrope Jul 2012 #20
It might ruffle his feathers. nt awoke_in_2003 Jul 2012 #32
no fowl... no gain n/t oldhippydude Jul 2012 #26
This message was self-deleted by its author tanyev Jul 2012 #22
Idiotic post- SO inappropriate. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #37
He was a flack for a bigot. Tough crap. HERVEPA Aug 2012 #84
Lighten up, Francis. Odin2005 Aug 2012 #96
ROFLMAO!!! Odin2005 Aug 2012 #95
Heart attack... It's stressful trying to defend the indefensible. (nt) RedStateLiberal Jul 2012 #17
Whenever I see handy coincidences like this, I ask, "What would the Mafia do?" nt valerief Jul 2012 #21
Stress is a killer. begin_within Jul 2012 #24
So is fried chicken tawadi Jul 2012 #28
bad combination. begin_within Jul 2012 #31
A heart attack. eom tawadi Jul 2012 #27
I guess God hates the haters, too. Atypical Liberal Jul 2012 #29
She must hate you too, then, because we're all going to die. patrice Jul 2012 #55
I think you missed my joke. Atypical Liberal Jul 2012 #60
Sympathy to his family and friends. Lisa D Jul 2012 #33
+100 Appropriate response, not like the GARBAGE on so much of this thread. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #39
Have you thought about therapy? I mean seriously. RW insult liberals and every stripe of the Katashi_itto Jul 2012 #79
+1000 RetroLounge Aug 2012 #82
+ 1001 HERVEPA Aug 2012 #86
Agreed. The others knocking him - shame. mwooldri Jul 2012 #43
+10000 So glad you checked in. The obscenities towards a death and Gay people is disgusting. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #47
there isn't a single obscenity toward GLBTs on this thread so.far Occulus Jul 2012 #49
You don't find the crack that a Gay chicken got him offensive? BeHereNow Jul 2012 #50
Nope. Occulus Jul 2012 #81
My father is gay. randome Jul 2012 #51
If married, no sympathy to the wife from me. HERVEPA Aug 2012 #85
Some of the replies on this thread are SO despicable, so insensitive and down right disgusting. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #38
+100 emilyg Jul 2012 #69
A bit judgemental are we? HERVEPA Aug 2012 #87
Apparently I clicked the wrong link and ended up at conservanazi underground Trunk Monkey Jul 2012 #40
In defense of AV, the OP- BeHereNow Jul 2012 #42
Thank you Trunk Monkey Jul 2012 #46
Thanks BeHereNow... Amerigo Vespucci Jul 2012 #53
I know you are a good and decent person AV. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #56
Too much crisis management plus too much fast food, I guess... rocktivity Jul 2012 #45
Rest in peace, Don Perry. My sympathies to his sorrowing family. patrice Jul 2012 #54
+1000 Thank you for voicing decency on this thread Patrice. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #57
I've lost a few so I know what it feels like & My hopes for the LGBT community have to do with Love. patrice Jul 2012 #59
Come on, people! Have some class. Quantess Jul 2012 #58
Thank you Quantess- BeHereNow Jul 2012 #61
Most people have someone who cares about them, Quantess Jul 2012 #62
He has a wife and three sons noamnety Jul 2012 #66
Barf. Harmony in the congregation from a bigot. I guess they nust all be bigots in the church then HERVEPA Aug 2012 #88
+1 sakabatou Jul 2012 #63
Condolences to Mr. Perry's family and friends. n/t cordelia Jul 2012 #64
anyone who's done PR probably had the same reaction i did when I read this nashville_brook Jul 2012 #65
Condolences to his family. RIP. emilyg Jul 2012 #68
Anyone heard of any Vince Foster-type conspiracy theories yet? alp227 Jul 2012 #70
Caught trying to reveal..."Chick-fil-A is PEOPLE!" n/t NoodleyAppendage Jul 2012 #71
No doubt. HERVEPA Aug 2012 #89
Traditional death Tom Ripley Jul 2012 #74
+10000 Thank you for expressing the higher mind of DU. BeHereNow Jul 2012 #75
A fatal case of Harvey Milk's Revenge. Aristus Jul 2012 #76
Sorry he's dead. And yeah, this next comment may be a touch crass. moriah Jul 2012 #77
Post removed Post removed Aug 2012 #83
Rest in peace nadinbrzezinski Aug 2012 #90
I don't know Chick-fil-A Herlong Aug 2012 #91
I know I'm a newbie here twizzler Aug 2012 #92
Gaaaawd...... as Pat Robertson says..... lib2DaBone Aug 2012 #93
God works in "mysterious ways". *snicker* Odin2005 Aug 2012 #94

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
1. God works in mysterious ways, as they would say. I just can't gather
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:03 PM
Jul 2012

up sympathy for anyone that works for an outfit like Chick-fil-A, especially as head spokesman.

Deep13

(39,154 posts)
4. how old was he?
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:11 PM
Jul 2012

The article says he worked for the company for 29 years, so he was no spring chicken, but that does not mean he was old either. Sorry he did not live long enough to learn that prejudice is wrong and to become a voice for the side of social justice.

 

Speck Tater

(10,618 posts)
78. Death must always come as a shock to conservatives.
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 02:35 AM
Jul 2012

When they come face to face with God and find out She's a Liberal.

 

gregoire

(192 posts)
5. When you don't toe the line...
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:16 PM
Jul 2012

at a violent company, expect violence. It would be my guess that the police are going to refuse to investigate this too closely for fear of what they'll find.

Akoto

(4,261 posts)
8. There isn't a conspiracy in every shadow.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:21 PM
Jul 2012

My mom had a heart attack a few years back. Fortunately, she survived with a stent placement, but even so. This just happens, and it's usually not expected.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
9. This statement he made seemed well against company policy ...
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:22 PM
Jul 2012
The quick-service chicken chain said Thursday in a statement that "going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena."

For the company, leaving the policy debate means "not proactively being engaged in the dialogue" on gay marriage, spokesman Don Perry wrote in an email. Perry did not respond to questions on whether the company would stop donating to causes that oppose gay marriage.

The College Park, Ga., chain has won both censure and praise for recent statements made by its president Dan Cathy in opposition to gay marriage. In an interview with Baptist Press, Cathy said the company was "guilty as charged" in supporting the "biblical definition of the family unit."


http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-chick-fil-a-gay-marriage-20120719,0,5713061.story

Bertha Venation

(21,484 posts)
15. Violence?
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:42 PM
Jul 2012

Certainly the effect of a heart attack on the body can be described as violent, but not the kind of violence you seem to mean.

And -- violent company? How so?

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
44. +100000000000000 Alerted on this already, but the jury thought it was fine.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:58 PM
Jul 2012

Perhaps we should send this thread over the LBGT forum.
I'm sure they would not appreciate it either.

Don't hold your breath for an apology.

A cactus would be a more likely acknowledge hurting some one than the poster
you requested an apology from.

Sensitivity of a brick, some of the posters on this thread-
and I mean no offense to bricks, which are actually useful.

The hilarity and "Gay" jokes are condoned by 2 juries.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1240127896#post9
And continue in Meta...

I see you are fairly new, and I offer you my sincere apologies on behalf of the rest of DU.
This is NOT representative of our membership in general.

BHN

idwiyo

(5,113 posts)
80. Sad to see that this is considered an OK post
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 07:26 PM
Jul 2012

I alerted and checked TOS violation box too

Even though majority of the jurors do not agree, I still beleive that post is extremely inappropriate anD insensitive towards LGBTQ community.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
35. Not funny, Not at all.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:03 PM
Jul 2012

Someone's death is nothing to joke about.
It is a tragedy for those he loved and was loved by.

BHN

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts)
72. It is a tragedy to his family, children if he had any, parents, sisters, brothers
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 12:50 AM
Jul 2012

spouse, friends.

I can't believe it is necessary on DU to have to explain this.

RIP Mr. Perry and condolences to his family and friends.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
11. I was just wondering the same, when they will blame it on the "Gay Agenda," and
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:25 PM
Jul 2012

the stress it caused him. It's the Gay's fault, they did it to him.

RKP5637

(67,032 posts)
16. Good point. I have no idea of the content analysis for Chick-fil-A, but given
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 04:57 PM
Jul 2012

the content of many fast food outfits, I would think that could be a factor if he ate a bunch of it ... I've never eaten at Chick-fil-A, but many seem to like their food.

I would never go near one, I try as best to avoid fast food and I would never eat there because of their political games and religion.

Response to mindwalker_i (Reply #13)

 

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)
84. He was a flack for a bigot. Tough crap.
Thu Aug 2, 2012, 11:29 AM
Aug 2012

His family lived on his work as a bigot.
If any young kids, they're the only ones to feel sorry for.

 

Atypical Liberal

(5,412 posts)
60. I think you missed my joke.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 09:09 PM
Jul 2012

One of the common statements by Westboro Baptist Church and other idiots is "God hates homosexuals", though usually it's not put so politely.

Thus the joke that I guess god hates the haters, too, to kill off a chief spokesperson so soon after the PR brouhaha.

I don't actually believe in magic so obviously I don't actually believe that any deity actually killed anyone.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
39. +100 Appropriate response, not like the GARBAGE on so much of this thread.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:12 PM
Jul 2012

Thank you for keeping DU classy.

BHN

 

Katashi_itto

(10,175 posts)
79. Have you thought about therapy? I mean seriously. RW insult liberals and every stripe of the
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 09:31 AM
Jul 2012

political spectrum fan the flames of real violence and you whine about off color jokes at the expense of some dead shmuck whose company funds RW hate groups.

I often wonder if the Romans thought they could make friends with the barbarians that overwhelmed them. In the past 30 years we have allowed the RW to create a new Barbarian class. And all a portion of progressives can do is wring their hands and say we need to be "proper" with them.

mwooldri

(10,291 posts)
43. Agreed. The others knocking him - shame.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:56 PM
Jul 2012

I don't know the guy. I don't know what he stands for. We knew he worked as an executive with Chick-Fil-A.

This isn't the time for this. Comforts from very very afar from me to his family and friends.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
47. +10000 So glad you checked in. The obscenities towards a death and Gay people is disgusting.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:16 PM
Jul 2012

What is more disgusting is that 2 juries voted to let jokes incorporating
"GAY" in reference to this persons death voted to let the posts stand.

Thank you for voicing your decency.
You give me hope.

BHN

Occulus

(20,599 posts)
49. there isn't a single obscenity toward GLBTs on this thread so.far
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:27 PM
Jul 2012

I see 2 people wondering when bigots are going to start blaming gay people for his death.

I see no jokes about gays at all. I also see the 1 or 2 off-color pieces of graveyard humor, but nothing particularly egregious.

As a gay man, I think you're wrong on both points. Dead wrong, if i may make a bad pun.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
50. You don't find the crack that a Gay chicken got him offensive?
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:32 PM
Jul 2012

Sorry, but I do.
I find nothing humorous about the grave dancers on DU at all.
A person died.
Joking about it is NOT appropriate.
Say you were a member of this person's family, and you came across
this thread on DU?

I am embarrassed for DU right now.
Period.
This thread is hideous.

BHN

 

randome

(34,845 posts)
51. My father is gay.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:36 PM
Jul 2012

Thanks for your remark.

And if I ever do say anything offensive, please let me know. I'm more than willing to say 'My bad'.

 

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)
85. If married, no sympathy to the wife from me.
Thu Aug 2, 2012, 11:30 AM
Aug 2012

She likely lived well off his support of bigotry. She had a choice.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
38. Some of the replies on this thread are SO despicable, so insensitive and down right disgusting.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:11 PM
Jul 2012

A death is nothing to seize upon as an opportunity to crack jokes.
Some are you are simply reprehensible to me.

BHN

 

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)
87. A bit judgemental are we?
Thu Aug 2, 2012, 11:35 AM
Aug 2012

The man was a hater. No one forces you to be a PR flack for a bigot. No one forces you to maryry or stay married to a PR flack for a bigot.

 

Trunk Monkey

(950 posts)
40. Apparently I clicked the wrong link and ended up at conservanazi underground
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:27 PM
Jul 2012

Continue on w/ your grave dancing

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
42. In defense of AV, the OP-
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 07:52 PM
Jul 2012

I know this person to be a decent person-
Not the OP's fault when the lowest common denominator jacks a thread
to show the ugliest side of DU.

Please don't think everyone on DU is like that- we are not.
The filth on this thread represents a very TINY percentage of our community,
the worst, unfortunately.

Welcome to DU, none the less.

BHN

 

Trunk Monkey

(950 posts)
46. Thank you
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:15 PM
Jul 2012

I tend to be hyper sensitive on this issue because I watched it happen to a friend who lost her son in a motorcycle accident then had to read the hateful comments posted on the news article about his death.

I will very likely never eat at a Chick-fil-a again but I offer my sincere condolences to the family

Amerigo Vespucci

(30,885 posts)
53. Thanks BeHereNow...
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:43 PM
Jul 2012

...the OP is simply a significant development in a major news story that's been playing out over recent days. You're right, I didn't post it with any intention beyond informing DU that this had happened. I can't control what happens once it's posted, but I followed strict LBN rules and didn't add my own comments because I didn't think I could add anything worthwhile or significant to the story itself...and I certainly didn't coach anyone on how to respond.

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
56. I know you are a good and decent person AV.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 08:56 PM
Jul 2012

I know you can not control the filth that crawled out from the DU woodwork
to comment on something sacred. A death.

Those who would mock such a thing have no respect for life- including their own.

That is how I see it.

I'm so sorry that what you posted as news turned into a cesspool of disrespect for
another human being.

Perhaps we DO have the government we deserve.

A Congress that has no respect for life and a message board full of people who are just like those they
condemn.

Respectfully and in friendship-
BHN

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
57. +1000 Thank you for voicing decency on this thread Patrice.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 09:03 PM
Jul 2012

I'm sure if any of his family members come across it on the Internet,
they will appreciate your sincere humanity towards their loss of a loved one.
BHN

patrice

(47,992 posts)
59. I've lost a few so I know what it feels like & My hopes for the LGBT community have to do with Love.
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 09:08 PM
Jul 2012

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
61. Thank you Quantess-
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 09:20 PM
Jul 2012

So the deceased lived a life many of us would not.
Does that make the life less sacred?
Does that make the pain of the family less?

I am appalled by DU right now, so thank you for encouraging
"class" and humanity towards our fellow creatures, all of them.

What I find so mind numbing is the hatred-
It is no different than the hatred spread by the bigoted right wing, so called X-tians.

We are no better than they, if we sink to their level of disregard for life- all life.

BHN

Quantess

(27,630 posts)
62. Most people have someone who cares about them,
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 09:45 PM
Jul 2012

who knows, maybe the creep had 2 adoring cats? If so then those kitties would miss him.

I'm sure he has family and friends who remember him with love and with gusto. If any of them want to pick up the fight, then we can take it up with them, instead! But for now, let's just have a moment of peace.

 

noamnety

(20,234 posts)
66. He has a wife and three sons
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 12:11 AM
Jul 2012
http://hillcrestcoc.net/donperry.pdf

"He is also a flower gardener, seldom happier than when kneeling in the soil tending his beauties.

In the spiritual realm, Don enjoys leading his church fellowship cell group, as well as working to help maintain harmony in the congregation.

"One of the challenges sometimes is helping to reconcile differing views among members," he said, "but we work to keep unity of the faith."
 

HERVEPA

(6,107 posts)
88. Barf. Harmony in the congregation from a bigot. I guess they nust all be bigots in the church then
Thu Aug 2, 2012, 11:38 AM
Aug 2012

How you live your life says a lot abiut you. Enjoying gardening, big deal. He helped facilitate a climate of hate.

nashville_brook

(20,958 posts)
65. anyone who's done PR probably had the same reaction i did when I read this
Fri Jul 27, 2012, 10:01 PM
Jul 2012

most "normal" days are stressful beyond reason. but when there's a crisis it's all on your shoulders. your phone rings around the clock.

in this case, there was no reason for the COO to go mixing his personal beliefs with business. he's caused much harm to all the families who depend on that business to survive.

and now there's this.

i have nothing but sympathy for Perry and his family.

alp227

(31,962 posts)
70. Anyone heard of any Vince Foster-type conspiracy theories yet?
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 12:35 AM
Jul 2012

I wonder if Alex Jones will say something like Obama and Tom Menino (the mayor of Boston who wrote Chick-fil-a expressing disapproval of the chain being in Boston) and Rahm Emanuel (the mayor of Obama's hometown Chicago...yep you know how corrupt Chicago politics can be) conspiring to cause Perry's death?

BeHereNow

(17,162 posts)
75. +10000 Thank you for expressing the higher mind of DU.
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 01:46 AM
Jul 2012

I appreciate you.

Interesting, today, this thread has revealed so much to me about so many DU members
I have loved and respected, and now can no longer regard as anything but an indicator of
how we resemble the very thing we supposedly despise.
It's sort of like reading "Animal Farm," the page you turn and suddenly the the painting on the barn
is the same as the message that stirred the revolution among the four legged.
Am I wrong?
BHN

Aristus

(66,096 posts)
76. A fatal case of Harvey Milk's Revenge.
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 01:59 AM
Jul 2012

Damn. The poor guy's legacy is that he was spokesman for Chik-Fil-A.

What was he in a previous life? A flatworm?

moriah

(8,311 posts)
77. Sorry he's dead. And yeah, this next comment may be a touch crass.
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 02:12 AM
Jul 2012

Too bad CFA will be closed on Sunday if such a God-fearing man was granted resurrection, having died on a Friday and all.... no one would notice!

Response to Amerigo Vespucci (Original post)

 

Herlong

(649 posts)
91. I don't know Chick-fil-A
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 03:46 PM
Aug 2012

And all do respect. But fast food kills many slowly. Why is the slow death from fast food not the story?

 

twizzler

(206 posts)
92. I know I'm a newbie here
Sat Aug 4, 2012, 06:20 PM
Aug 2012

but some of the responses here are disgusting and hateful. I can't fathom the pure hate shown by certain posters here, and you know who you are.
RIP Mr. Don Perry and my deepest condolences to his wife and children.
I hope this makes up for some of the hateful comments here.

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