Well color me chicken-fried surprised. In an astounding reversal, Chick-fil-A has agreed to stop donating money to the anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family and the National Organization for Marriage. So says an advocacy group in Chicago -- the same city that was blocking any new Chick-fil-A restaurants from opening there.
Can you believe, after all the bad publicity and the counter-demonstrations, Chick-fil-A has actually changed its staunch position? But before you get teary-eyed over the power of compassion to win over hate, let's make one thing clear: It looks like this is really about money.
Chick-fil-A wanted something: More restaurants in Chicago. Chicago wanted something: More fried chicken without a side of bigotry. And amazingly, the two sides were able to get together and hammer out a deal. Chick-fil-A also agreed to distribute an internal memo stating the restaurant will "treat every person equally, regardless of sexual orientation."
I guess when push comes to shove, what Chick-fil-A wants more than to rain on the gay parade is to MAKE SOME MO-NAY. So yeah, if you put it that way, Chicago, I guess one can be a little more flexible about one's views on ho ... homo ... (it's okay, Chick-fil-A executives, you can say it!) homosexuals.
Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A isn't confirming or denying the agreement, just saying, "We have no agenda, policy, or position against anyone." Wow, Chick-fil-A, the Switzerland of fast food! And you know what? Fine. I think most of us don't want our restaurants to have any agenda besides feeding us the food we want to eat.
But I'd be lying if I didn't admit I'm taking a huge amount of satisfaction in today's news. I'm picturing Dan Cathy angrily stroking a cat somewhere like Dr. Evil and shouting, "ALL RIGHT, STOP THE DONATIONS. YOU WIN THIS TIME, SODOMITES. JUST GET ME MY CHICAGO RESTAURANTS!" Um, but mostly I'm happy that equality won this battle. Sunshine and rainbows!
What do you think about Chick-fil-A's agreement?
Image via ceriseyyy/Flickr
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Comments 20
How disappointing that they changed their stance over some backlash.
Way to stand up for what you believe in.
I love the Dr evil reference... just like white Christian men, money trumps all. be a lot better if they would have come to their senses and realized donating to anti gay is as crappy as donating to the kkk
@Happydad,
Tolerance should not be extended to those who are hellbent on persecution.
If they truly aren't giving money to those organizations anymore, I would eat there. Even though I disagree with their views, I would never boycott a restaurant because of that. I just don't want MY money to go to those organizations. But their chicken makes me sick for two days anyway . . . it's all the MSG. THAT is a reason to boycott CFA: all the crap they put in their food that can make you sick. But they do make a milkshake though. No MSG there!
If companies are people and people vote with dollars then the destination of the restaurant’s donations are open for public debate. It very well should be an issue as to where peoples’ hard-earned money goes after the chicken goes down their gullet. This issue has made our little feathered friend the modern martyr as Chick-fil-A laughs all the way to the bank. Watch the poultry be nailed to the cross and pierced by the spear of destiny at the hands of those devious cows on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/08/holy-rollin-poultry-on-cross-chick-fil.html
So its ok to persecute those whose opinion differs from yours? Some people think drugs are ok and others do not. Some people think religion is ok and others do not. Should those who oppose the others be persecuted or should we learn to disagree with civility?