Chick-fil-A Controversy
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Chick-fil-A Controversy
Trending topics today include the recent Chick-fil-A controversy that seems to be the latest battle waging in social media. As a Midwestern transplant to the sunny Florida Gulf Coast, I have only recently become a Chick-fil-A customer. Until this week, however, I wasn’t even aware of the fact that the chain was closed on Sundays!
Apparently, however, Chick-fil-A has been under fire by Gay Rights groups for awhile now and a recent stand taken by Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A’s president, against gay marriage has only further fanned the flames.
In case you’ve been living under the same rock that I have, the Chick-fil-A controversy started back in 2011 when when a franchisee made a food donation to an event sponsored by a group intent on defeating same-sex marriage initiatives. It was also widely reported that a charitable organization founded by Chick-fil-A’s founder, Truett Cathy did not allow gay couples in their marriage counseling program.
Although some of the furor from last year had appeared to have died down, a recent comment at the very end of an article originally posted in the Biblical Recorder and reprinted in the Baptist Press has again rekindled the flame. When asked about the company’s support of the traditional family, Dan Cathy responded;
“Well, guilty as charged, we are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. We intend to stay the course,” he said. “We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”
In a subsequent radio broadcast on the Ken Coleman show, Cathy reiterated his position.
“As it relates to society in general, 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,’” Cathy said. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) quickly launched several protests around the country and dropped the banner below on their Facebook page.
Several related articles popped up in all the major news and media outlets including the Huffington Post, The Washington Post, USAToday, the LA Times and of course… Fox News. The majority of the headlines carried the word “anti-gay.”
Chick-fil-A Controversy: Corporate Response
Chick-fil-A quickly issued a public response on their Facebook page apparently trying to remove themselves from the fray.
Tom Menino, the mayor of Boston, however, wasn’t about to let them off the hook so quickly and sent a strongly worded letter to Cathy regarding Chick-fil-A’s lack of welcome in his city.
“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.…I was angry to learn on the heels of your prejudiced statements about your search for a site to locate in Boston. There is no place for discrimination on Boston’s Freedom Trail and no place for your company alongside it. When Massachusetts became the first state in the country to recognize equal marriage rights, I personally stood on City Hall Plaza to greet same sex couples coming here to be married. It would be an insult to our city’s long history of expanding freedom to have a Chick-fil-A across the street from that spot.” (Read Menino’s entire letter here.)
Henson’s Muppets join Chick-fil-A Controversy
And to make it all even more of a circus… now the Jim Henson’s Muppets climb onboard the Chick-fil-A trainwreck. On July 20th, Jim Henson’s Company posted a comment on Facebook that stated “The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors. Lisa Henson, our CEO is personally a strong supporter of gay marriage and has directed us to donate the payment we received from Chick-fil-A to GLAAD.”
According to Chick-fil-A, however, the Henson toys were recalled due to “safety concerns” the day before the Henson announcement. Signs posted in the restaurants make this claim as well. (notice the date.)
Interestingly enough, K. Allan Blume, the writer of the original article posted in the Biblical Recorder, goes on record in the Baptist Press to say “Many of those reports “turned [the original story] into a negative. The term “anti-gay” never came up in the June interview.” Blume added.
“Everything he stated was on the positive side … He never stated anything negative.”
Wow! Where do you even begin? The first thing I saw regarding this entire mess was the sign (in the picture above) that was posted and shared on Facebook. The next article was one that was featured on Bing as a trending topic. As I started following the back links… the story just gets bigger and bigger and uglier and uglier.
I have to admit, my first thought was “shame of you Chick-fil-A”. I’m not an activist by any means but I have friends who are in gay relationships and I support their right to partner with whoever they choose. And I do believe they should be awarded the same rights as any straight married couple. That, however, is my personal opinion.
I’m also not a huge Chick-fil-A fan and my life wouldn’t be affected much if I didn’t bother to eat there again – but as I continued to delve into the story, I realized a slightly bigger issue is at play here. Blume’s comments in the Press article (referenced above) point out the fact that Chick-fil-A as a company doesn’t discriminate against their customers.
He even states that Cathy also said “We’re a business that serves the public, all people are welcomed into Chick-fil-A, and frankly we do not feel called to weigh in on a lot of social activism that’s taking place as it relates to the definition of the family, but we do definitely want to encourage strong families.”
As an American citizen, Mr. Cathy is surely granted freedom of speech and the freedom to practice whatever religion he chooses. If he chooses to support organizations that perpetuate his beliefs, he’s surely free to do so, even with the profits he makes from his business.
As consumers, we are also free to choose where we want to spend our money. If knowing that money spent in a store owned by or franchised from Mr. Cathy will be supporting organizations you don’t agree with – you have the right to go elsewhere.
According to a recent poll in the Washington Post, however, 66% of the responders indicated they will continue to patronize Chick-fil-A.
Mike Huckabee has organized a Facebook Group for two Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day events and Carly McGehee and Michael GetEqual Diviesti retaliated with a National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A.
Are you attending either one? If a Chick-fil-A were in your neighborhood or already is… would you or do you plan to continue to support them? Have you been following the story? Share your thoughts, leave me a comment!
