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Bruins’ Tim Thomas stands with Chick-fil-A amidst anti-gay controversy

Among the many things we learned during the NHL's 2011-12 season: Tim Thomas is a man with some very strong opinions. The Boston Bruins' netminder pushed his political views to the forefront in January, when he skipped the Stanley Cup champion's ceremonial visit to the White House. He later explained his stance on his Facebook page, as he often does.

On Thursday, Thomas waded into the political arena yet again, throwing his support behind Chick-fil-A, the American sandwich chain whose owner, Dan Cathy, has given millions of dollars to organizations fighting same-sex marriage and recently told the Baptist Press that his company supported "the biblical definition of the family unit."

Thomas' opinion: I'm with you.

On the bright side, if the Bruins feel the need to release a statement reminding people that Thomas' views are his own, they already have one on file.

The goaltender isn't the only prominent Thomas in Boston to have an opinion on Chick-fil-A. Boston's mayor, Thomas Menino, recently condemned the chain and its efforts to open a location in Boston in a letter posted, as it happens, to Facebook. From Reuters:

"In recent days you said Chick-fil-A opposes same-sex marriage, and said the generation that supports it has an 'arrogant attitude,'" Menino wrote in the letter, dated July 20 and addressed to Cathy at Chick-fil-A's Atlanta headquarters.

"Now - incredibly - your company says you are backing out of the same-sex marriage debate. I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston."

In response to rumors that Chick-fil-A was hoping to put up a location along historic Freedom Trail, Menino said, "It would be an insult to them and to our city's long history of expanding freedom, to have a Chick-fil-A across the street from that spot."

Tim Thomas thinks differently.

Or maybe he's just really into chicken sandwiches. It's totally his prerogative, especially since he's taking a year off from hockey anyway. Go ahead, eat what you want. I mean, I can't say I support chicken sandwiches, but what people eat is none of my business, really.

Thomas' statement comes four months after Bruins' captain Zdeno Chara, recorded a PSA for the You Can Play project, and five months after Shawn Thornton also said he would support a gay teammate.

Another teammate has this to say, according to WEEI.com:

"He isn't playing next year, which means he's not my teammate, which means I don't have to react to his Facebook posts."

Roberto Luongo also waded into the discussion Thursday, if you're wondering how he feels about all of this.

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