My heyday came and went years ago. It was a time when people were in the streets protesting the fat cats, the Vietnam War, and politicians. We were empowered to scare the shit out my father's generation that wanted everything to go back to the "Good Old Days." It didn't, at least temporarily. Now many of those that dodged the draft because of rich families have become the fat cats, the war mongers and politicians. Perhaps, that is merely the way of the world as the dregs always seem to make into the public water supply.

Despite the despicable nature of many of today's politicians, industrialists and so-called business people, they are not the problem as their spineless, deceitful and criminal nature is nothing new. However, I never thought "the people" or Marx's noble "Proletariate" would ever succumb to fear, coercion or laziness when it came holding the crooks and criminals of the ruling class in line, but it happened with no fight.

Chick-fil-A controvery is an excellent example of how the power of the people consists of a few e-mails, the television remote and an attention span shorter than the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted all of 38 minutes. The boycott is a time honored method of making those that take advantage of others pay. A boycott in its simplest form is a refusal to do business with a company that is unfair, a public nuisance or just stupid.

Operated effectively, a boycott can force concessions from a company as their profits falter; or, it can even result in a corporation going out of business if concessions are not granted. It is truly the power of the people using their economic clout to bring a company to its knees if not the bargaining table, but it seems Americans don't have the heart for the fight.

As sociologist Neal Postman said in the nineties, Americans are amusing themselves to death while business and politicians consistently set a flaming bag at the front door of the American conscious and tell us it is filled with mud, stomp it out. The boycott is the easiest form of protest when it comes to making a point to those who profit from our labor, spending or vote. Nothing need be done. It does not require bodily presence nor does it demand that we write letters of protest.

It requires that we do nothing except, make sure in performing that tasking that the offending politician, business, school or entity receives the full effect of our doing nothing. However, Americans suffer an addiction to their conveniences. Chick-fil-A deserves to be boycotted just for being stupid. Announcing ones prejudices to the world is usually a bad move for business and politics. To paraphrase Niccolo Machiavelli, it is better to pretend to do good while doing evil.

Most politicians and business people get the message: telling the truth can cost your job. In the case of Chick-fil-A, they should already be on their knees begging for business, but most Americans are too lazy to give up the convenience of having a chicken sandwich they like to right a wrong. If companies want to support controversial policies, that is their decision and their right. However, they should not be surprised when people decide their other places with great chicken sandwiches. So good, that hell could freeze over before another sandwich passes over the counter at the opinionated server of chicken parts and pieces.

Of course, it won't happen. Americans gave up a long time ago when it comes to fighting the internal fight. We are fat and lazy in our morals, ethics and principles. That said, I'm going to park my fat ass in front of the television, but I will not buy a drop of sweat from Chick-fil-A if I was dying of thirst. It is not that I have a love affair with homosexuals; rather, it is because I have a hunger for human rights and dignity.

Chick-fil-A? They will remain in business knowing what most businesses and politicians already know and that is the people will do nothing if it is inconvenient or requires an effort. Would you like fries with that?