chick-fil-aChick-fil-A has been in the middle of a PR nightmare. CEO Dan Cathy's support for anti-gay groups has put a bulls-eye over the company.  Well, things just got worse. VP of public relations Don Perry died of a heart attack this morning.

People will undoubtedly blame the stress of this scandal for his sudden death. A few particularly cruel foes may even say it's karma since he defended what people say is a homophobic company. Well, jumping to that line of thinking is just as asinine as the anti-gay stance Chick-fil-A has been criticized for. 

Yes, the company faces protests and boycotts, but to point a finger at the scandal is a ridiculously unfair conclusion to make at this point. It takes years for cardiovascular problems to develop, and for all we know, Perry may have loved what was likely the biggest challenge of his career.

You may not have agreed with the company's stance, but Perry's attempt to smooth things over with the public was admirable. Speaking on behalf of the fast food chain, he promised to "leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

Of course timing could not be worse. It's not only a tragedy for the family, but for his colleagues as well. Perry had been with Chick-fil-A for 29 years, and with his passing, the company probably lost one of its biggest supporters.

How do you feel about Chick-fil-A?

 


Image via hectorir/Flickr