Creative Commons photo courtesy Flickr user Adam Kuban.

Chick-fil-A President Don Cathy’s July 16 comments on gay marriage to a Christian news service, the Baptist Press, have turned up the heat on the Georgia-based fast-food chain.

Chick-fil-A has since been at the center of an ideological tug-of-war, with various company heads and civic leaders weighing in. This week the two sides are staging opposing events at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country.

On Wednesday, conservative talk show host and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee helped to organize a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” calling on his followers to come enjoy the restaurant’s famous chicken sandwiches and waffle fries. On Friday, gay rights groups have called for a “National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A” as well as a so-called “Kiss Mor Chiks” event.

For more on how the chicken sandwich came to be seen as a political symbol, Hari Sreenivasan spoke with Rene Lynch of the Los Angeles Times. Listen:

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Chick-Fil-A Day Conversation

Storified by NewsHour · Wed, Aug 01 2012 13:34:53