Chick-fil-A caves in to homosexual pressure. Agrees not to donate to pro-family groups in exchange for permission to put restaurant in Chicago.
Slap in the face to pro-family supporters.
POSTED: September 21, 2012
NOTE: This report will be updated with current information.
We all remember Wednesday, August 1 -- Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day. Thousands of pro-family citizens across America took the time (and money) flock to Chick-fil-A restaurants in support of their then-courageous stand for pro-family values, including traditional marriage. It was the restaurant's biggest grossing day in its entire history.
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In the Burlington mall just outside of Boston, this is what the line looked like -- 50 yards away from the Chick-fil-A store!
[MassResistance photo]
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A week earlier, the Mayor of Boston and a Chicago ward boss had both threatened not to allow the restaurant to open branches in their areas because they disagreed with the pro-family traditional religious beliefs espoused by Chick-fil-A's owner. Left-wing politicians and homosexual groups had complained that the company's non-profit arm had donated money to pro-family groups such as the Family Research Council, Exodus International, and Focus on the Family. And the owner, Dan Cathy, had publicly defended that position.
Here's what Dan Cathy, president of Chick-fil-A, famously told the Baptist Press on June 16:
"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. 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."
But this week, in probably the most cowardly and disgraceful move yet by a company, Chick-fil-A has capitulated to the demands of the homosexual movement and announced that its non-profit arm will no longer donate money to pro-family groups.
In exchange for that promise, the Chicago politician will allow the Chick-fil-A to set up a restaurant in his district.
The Chicago Tribune put it pretty succinctly:
A Chicago alderman who made national headlines during the summer for opposing a Chick-fil-A in his increasingly trendy Northwest Side ward has reversed course, saying he will let the fast-food chain open a store in Logan Square.
Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st, said the restaurant has agreed to include a statement of respect for all sexual orientations in an internal document and promised that its not-for-profit arm would not contribute money to groups that oppose gay marriage.
Secret negotiations with Chicago politician and homosexual group
In fact, despite CEO Dan Cathy's strong words about "staying the course," Chick-fil-A badly wanted the Alderman's permission to open a restaurant in his district. It's now been revealed that Chick-fil-A executives have been secretly negotiating with both Alderman Moreno and a hardcore Illinois homosexual activist group over what concessions by Chick-fil-A were necessary for the restaurant to be allowed.
As the New York Times reported on Wednesday:
As a result of the negotiations, Mr. Moreno received a letter signed by John E. Featherston Jr., a senior director of real estate for Chick-fil-A, stating, "The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas."
Mr. Moreno said in an interview Wednesday that he believes the company will stop "using money to fund groups that have antigay causes. They have committed in writing they will not do that."
He said company executives showed him records of its charitable giving for the year that does not include groups such as Focus on the Family, Exodus International or other groups that oppose marriage equality or have fought against the expansion of gay rights.
Keeping it quiet
On Wednesday, the Washington Times reported on how Chick-fil-A wanted to keep it quiet that they had been negotiating with both the alderman and the homosexual group:
The Christian-rooted fast food restaurant agreed to stop funding groups such as Focus on the Family that oppose same-sex marriage in a meeting with the Chicago politician who had been blocking the company's move there. Chick-fil-A wrote a letter to Alderman Joe Moreno affirming this, according to his spokesman, Matt Bailey, but the company initially wouldn't allow his office to release the letter to the public. Three weeks later they relented.
"There was concern from them," said Anthony Martinez, executive director for the Civil Rights Agenda, the Illinois lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender group that negotiated with both Chick-fil-A and the alderman to stop funding for so-called anti-gay groups. "They really didn't want to announce it, really, but, of course, the alderman needed to clarify why he was changing his stance on them opening a restaurant within his ward."
Chick-fil-A did not return requests for comment, and has previously said it will not discuss the issue with the media.
Mr. Martinez said Chick-fil-A told the alderman they will no longer fund groups that support traditional marriage through their charity arm, the WinShape Foundation, and will instead use that money toward educational programs and food donations.
However, on Tuesday the Illinois LGBT group, "Civil Rights Agenda" had put out a statement of its own which said:
"We are very pleased with this outcome and thank Alderman Moreno for his work on this issue," said Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda. "I think the most substantive part of this outcome is that Chick-fil-A has ceased donating to organizations that promote discrimination, specifically against LGBT civil rights. It has taken months of discussion, both with our organization and with the Alderman, for Chick-fil-A to come forward with these concessions and we feel this is a strong step forward for Chick-fil-A and the LGBT community, although it is only a step."
The Washington Times added that Alderman Moreno declared that this "constituted a major victory for gay rights." (We can hear the celebrating already.)
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The sickening homosexual "kiss ins" at Chick-fil-A restaurants likely did their job -- intimidating the management into caving to their demands.
[MassResistance photo.] |
Setting a terrible precedent
The concept that you need a politician's permission to open and operate a business that is otherwise completely legal -- if the politician doesn't approve of the owner's personal political views -- may seem un-American to the average person. But that's what's happening here. And that's why so many people had come to Chick-fil-A's support in the first place.
Reason Magazine, although reliably pro-gay and not at all pro-family, stated pretty clearly what is really going on and what the implications are:
Just to make it clear, Moreno was going to block this restaurant not because of issues with infrastructure or traffic issues or safety or any actual matter of municipal governance. He was going to block the construction of this restaurant because he objected to the political positions of the company owners and their constitutionally protected speech in the form of donations.
This is not something supporters of gay marriage should be proud of. It is something to be terrified of. It is a weapon that can be used against anybody whose political views fall within the minority in the communities in which they live.
Apparently CEO Dan Cathy, being a billionaire, isn't interested in the bigger picture anymore.
And there's more: Meeting with campus leaders
According to reports, Chick-fil-A's appeasement is also being extended to their pro-homosexual critics on college campuses. On August 31, the Huffington Post reported that
Reliable sources who do not wish to be identified at this time tell the HuffPost Gay Voices team that Dan Cathy, the fast food chain's president, "welcomed campus leaders to a private luncheon in Atlanta on Thursday to discuss diversity, hospitality and the opportunity to find common ground."
We suspect that the "common ground" includes a similar promise to capitulate in return for less confrontational business opportunities.
No comment from Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has avoided or refused multiple requests by the news media for comment on this issue. Instead, they have forwarded a statement titled "Chick-fil-A: Who We Are," about non-discrimination and the political arena which they had first posted on their Facebook page back in July.
Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.
The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.
Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.
When they first posted this, it was not publicized and attracted virtually no interest. Three days before, the company president had announced his intent to continue donating to pro-family causes, and this appeared to be just a bland "company" statement about internal "policy." There is no reference to the company changing its non-profit donation policies.
The hypocritical double standard continues
On the other hand, the number of corporations supporting hardcore homosexual activist groups is staggering. GLSEN gets millions from corporations such as Levi Strauss, American Airlines, and Kodak. AT&T recently gave $5 million to the "Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Macy's, Target, Microsoft, Amazon, Home Depot and others all lavishly support homosexual "marriage" causes. The list goes on and on.
Macy's and Microsoft both give lavishly to homosexual causes, including support of "gay marriage." Here they in in the Boston Gay Pride Parade earlier this year.
[MassResistance photos] |
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A disgraceful slap in the face to the "Appreciation Day" supporters
Obviously, Chick-fil-A is a private company and is free to do anything it wants.
But it's a slap in the face of everyone who took Dan Cathy's words seriously, and stood up and supported Chick-fil-A's right to freedom of speech and religion. At this point, it was all for nothing. We were all played for fools. In an act of cowardice, they've capitulated and agreed to limit their speech and expression of religious belief.
Make no mistake: Chick-fil-A is sending a message to every other business in America that supports the pro-family position: If you know what's good for you, you'll cave in like we did. And in addition, if you think it's hard getting corporations to help support pro-family organizations and causes now, it's about to get a whole lot worse!
We would like to find a silver lining in this, but there isn't any. The whole thing stinks. If we would have known this would be happening, you can bet we would never have gone to "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day." And we're not ever going back.
TAKE ACTION: They must hear from pro-family citizens across America!
Contact Chick-fil-A and its chief operating officer, Dan Cathy. Tell them why you will not patronize their restaurants again. They'll have enough new business from the gleeful homosexual activists celebrating their victory.
Chick-fil-A Corp. headquarters:
5200 Buffington Road, Atlanta, GA 30349
Chick-fil-A phone: 404-765-8000 [you will reach a receptionist, who will then put you on hold to talk with a Chick-fil-A representative]
Chick-fil-A online contact form:
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Connect/Contact-Us-CARES.
Chick-fil-A's charitable foundation:
WinShape Foundation
P.O. Box 490009 Mt. Berry, GA 30149-0009
Phone: 877-977-3873
E-mail: info@winshape.org
A postscript: How it's come to this
The other major demand (which Chick-fil-A seems more than happy to comply with) is that the company state unequivocally that it will not "discriminate" in any way in regards to "sexual orientation" or "gender identity." Think about that. Suppose customers don't want to be served by a man in a dress. Or they don't want two men kissing or caressing each other (or other perverse activities) in their restaurant. Too bad. About 20 years ago, when the homosexual movement started pushing these sexual orientation non-discrimination laws, conservatives were much too polite to state the obvious: that it would lead to the wholesale dismantling of personal religious rights and the forcing of homosexuality on the public under pain of state punishment. And by and large, they still don't get it.
Many of our ongoing defeats in such culture war skirmishes have their roots in this original capitulation: the very acceptance of the concepts of "sexual orientation" and "gender identity," and that they should fall under "civil rights" non-discrimination policies to be followed by all citizens, corporate entities, and government.
