By: Christine Nicco/TRT Columnist– [UPDATED]
Ok, so I was really offended when Chick-fil-A was donating millions of dollars to anti-LGBT organizations. Then the whole debacle turned national when Boston Mayor, Thomas Menino, decided to write a letter to Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy after the fried chicken president stated that he was “guilty as charged” for opposing anything other than the marriage between a man and a woman as stated in the Bible.
That pretty much sent everyone into a frenzy. It was war. Those who love fried chicken and those who don’t. Or, better yet, it was war between an anti-LGBT company and its supporters v. LGBT community members and allies. In Chicago, according to the Chicago Phoenix, Alderman Proco Joe Moreno promised to”block Chick-fil-A’s plans to build a new restaurant in his LGBT-friendly and trendy Northwest Side ward.” That was followed by more Mayors joining the fight against Chick-fil-A and more anti-gay chain followers (especially Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee) celebrating a Chick-fil-A day to support the anti-gay chain. But, wait. The 360 degree turn has arrived. Yes, now Chick-fil-A has released a statement, according to the Los Angeles Times, in which they surprisingly had apparently decided to stop donating to anti-LGBT groups. Are you shocked yet? If not, it gets better. Well, it is the same Chicago Alderman who reported through the LAT that “Executives agreed in recent meetings to stop funding groups opposed to same-sex unions, including Focus on the Family and the National Organization for Marriage.” A recent NBC story reports that once they received the OK to build the store in Chicago, the chicken company Godly officials said their stance is the same as it was before, when they were giving monies to anti-LGBT organizations.
As with anything that does not seem to come from the heart but is motivated by finances and greed, the chain’s previous stance to Alderman Proco Joe was not unclear, but plain false. I tend to believe Alderman Joe over the chicken company haters. The company’s true colors were clear, but not their apparently misguided words to the Alderman. Applying pressure from the right, the angry hate-filled conservative “Christians” were up in arms after reading the Alderman’s statements, reported by the Washington Post. The WP story pretty much states that the company released other statements that are unclear as to where they stand when it comes to marriage equality and the LGBT community. Yet they opted to give a very good answer to their flip-flopping stance saying to the WP that “its corporate giving had for many months been mischaracterized.” Mischaracterized? Really? It is simple: either you stop donating monies to anti-gay organizations or you don’t. It’s not complicated, unless it’s time to play Chicken games at Chick-Fil-A.
That was before former Governor Huckabee called the “Christian” company about their “so called” change of heart. As NBC reported, “In a message posted on [Huckabee’s] website Friday afternoon,” the former governor said he spoke personally with Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy, who gave him a statement saying, ‘There continues to be erroneous implications in the media that Chick-fil-A changed our practices and priorities in order to obtain permission for a new restaurant in Chicago. That is incorrect. Chick-fil-A made no such concessions, and we remain true to who we are and who we have been.'”
Chick-fil-A’s website, prior to the Huckabee statement, stated everything but their stance on marriage equality and the LGBT community, while preaching about the “commitment that God had entrusted” them with. Is that commitment selling fried chicken, giving monies that foster hate towards marginalized groups in society, or preaching from a greasy pulpit about what God deems to be right or wrong? Frankly, they never changed their hate-filled stance. They just wanted company growth, success and money. In all of this mess, however, their credibility suffers. What is Chick-Fil-A and who are the people who run the company? Hypocrites?
They seem to have wanted to say just about anything to have that store open in Chicago, and it is not because they care/d about the LGBT community. If they did, they would have mentioned us in the press release that they so proudly show on their website and would not have released that statement to Huckabee. After all, the four-page release pretty much states all about their corporate giving and family-oriented approach (conveniently forgetting all of the monies given to hate groups) in the traditional, conservative way that Truett Cathy (who started the chain) did by “applying biblically-based principles to managing his business.” That sounds like an unexpected left hook to the jaw. And, they would not have released that low statement to Huckabee and another to Alderman Joe.
Chick-fil-A is playing with fire. Chick-fil-A is playing with money. Chick-fil-A wants to continue to make money at other people’s expense. Chick-fil-a is already raising monies against LGBTs and marriage equality , thus promoting and supporting anti-LGBT hatred via hidden organizations and events. Chick-fil-A did not take a stance for equality. Chick-Fil-A plays with people’s lives and endangers LGBT people and youth through donations to groups that promote hatred towards us. In my book, I, my family and friends — and everyone else we speak to who is an ally or has some humane bone in their bodies and practices true love of “thy neighbor” –will continue to boycott Chick-fil-A. Why? They are despicable cowards who hide behind money and power — and simply put, they deserve it.