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Chick-fil-A, third largest fast food chain in America, has weathered controversy over the private beliefs of one of its founders since 2012. CEO Dan Cathy had the temerity to express belief in, and support for, the biblical view of marriage. See Update below
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 want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to 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.”
Cathy soon learned that was not the America that existed in 2012, especially after President Obama decided to abandon his own view on marriage in favor of the radical redefinition only a couple of months before Cathy’s remarks. A scorched-earth approach towards Chick-fil-A by Leftists to rid the public square of “hate chicken” geared up.
Seven years later, Chick-fil-A was more successful than ever — because their delicious food and exemplary service is open to anyone who walks through the front door.
While most Americans sensibly roll their eyes at the continued attempts to transform a personally held belief into hate hate hatey discrimination against LGBTQQXLMNOP community, the usual political panderers always seize an opportunity to pile on for press face time. Facts don’t matter when there’s a business owned by Christians to harass. To Chick-fil-A’s loyal customers, we went for the chicken and cheered every expansion.
However, I guess seven years of harassment is too long and new markets too tempting. Therefore, Chick-fil-A has decided to dump its charitable giving to the Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes …
I get the reasoning behind this although it is sad to see. LGBT activists still can't find where @ChickfilA actually discriminates or treats others with hate…because it doesn't happen!! The woke crowd loves to be the bully… https://t.co/RQVHQqPpM8
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) November 18, 2019
Chick-fil-A no longer donates to controversial Christian charities* after LGBTQ protests.
*the Salvation Army https://t.co/KFjRnhq64b
— Aldous Huxley's Ghost™ (@AF632) November 18, 2019
To be fair, the corporate suits have tried to put the best spin on this capitulation to the mob.
Staying true to its mission of nourishing the potential in every child, the Chick-fil-A Foundation will deepen its giving to a smaller number of organizations working exclusively in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger.
Doesn’t that just remind you of the “I’ve resigned because I want to spend more time with my family” schtick? And doesn’t it ring a little hollow because don’t we know who the Salvation Army serves and how effective are they?
Dear Christians: How much of your faith are you willing to publicly denounce and abandon in order for the left to continue damning you for what you believed in the past anyway?
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) November 18, 2019
I’m pretty disappointed in Chick-fil-A. They fear the Left (and the Left’s affect on their material wealth) more than they respect and fear God.
And that, dear reader, is the real meaning of Matthew 19:23.
UPDATED: Well, this didn’t take long…
The full statement from Drew Anderson, GLAAD’s director of campaigns and rapid response, names more steps the fast-food chain must take to prove its genuine repentance:
If Chick-Fil-A is serious about their pledge to stop holding hands with divisive anti-LGBTQ activists, then further transparency is needed regarding their deep ties to organizations like Focus on the Family, which exist purely to harm LGBTQ people and families.
Chick-Fil-A investors, employees, and customers can greet today’s announcement with cautious optimism, but should remember that similar press statements were previously proven to be empty.
In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-Fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQ reputation that their brand represents.
Ahem.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say: –
“We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that plays it is lost!”
~~Rudyard Kipling
UPDATE 2: Welcome Instapundit readers!
Kevin says: I mentioned in a quick back-and-forth with VG writer Toni Williams that one of my personality characteristics in my interaction with others is always one of skepticism when faced with information … I have a need to verify or confirm the information.
Right off the bat, your article states Chick-fil-A is the third largest fast food chain in the United States. Every ranking I have found put’s Chick-fil-A ranking around 20th (give or take). Even before I looked up the information, just thinking of McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Domino’s, Dairy Queen (which are on every street corner in every small, medium and large town USA) and others made me question that fact. You might want to update your article in order for the reader not to stumble across an opening false statement which then taints the rest of the article.
Secondly, you reference the “LGBTQQXLMNOP” community. I do love how Mr. Trump stumbles and slurs his language when trying to say LGBTQ. (Given how at times he slurs some of his words I’m not at all surprised he made a sudden, unplanned visit to Walter Reed this weekend. Let’s send him our thoughts and prayers that everything is okay.) Your article would be better received if you didn’t intentionally try to (put your own word here) the LGBTQ community.
I will never give the Salvation Army one red dime because of my personal experience with their organization 20 years ago. I was in a “partnership” to provide services to runaway and homeless youth with the Salvation Army. We shared a building they owned in downtown of a large, metropolitan city and we paid about $5 a square foot a year for the roughly 10,000 square feet for the upstairs of the building where we sheltered 60 young people every night (mostly youth suffering mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and abandoned by their families). The County eventually pulled their contracts and issued those contracts to my agency to operate (the Army could not effectively/safely run the program … a drop-in center and a school). Over a matter of 18 months the rent went up from $5 to $15 a square foot ($50,000 to $150,000 a year which was very difficult to pay on a non-profit shoe string budget). Lastly, I was sitting in my office that year when a crane showed up and removed the big fluorescent “The Salvation Army” shield from the building. I called my contact the Army, Major H., and they said, “Oh, no. The building hasn’t been sold.” About a week later I got a letter from the new owner raising the rent to $21 a square foot and also giving me a 12 month notice of termination. The Salvation Army solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars from the community to buy and renovate this building for homeless youth. They sold it for a hefty profit and walked away, leaving a homeless shelter for children, homeless.
Never will I personally give them a penny or encourage anyone else to give them a penny. I’ve never eaten at Chick-fil-A (not because of their political beliefs but because (1) I don’t eat fast food anymore and (2) if there is a Chick-fil-A in my community, I have yet to see it.
GWB says: your article states Chick-fil-A is the third largest fast food chain in the United States
Did you check the link she so helpfully provided? Because it states that as of May it was third. Now, the link she provides does NOT provide a link to the actual ratings (shame on them!) but a little searching takes you to the Nation’s Restaurant News article, which does link to the actual data. Unfortunately the 2019 data is for subscribers, and I’m not paying to prove Darleen’s point.
Also, you state that they all put Chick-fil-A around #20. You didn’t look very hard, since both the 2017 and 2018 data at QSR show it as 8th in US sales. The 2017 QSR shows it at #1 for “average sales per unit” (unit being each restaurant, I think). (BTW, QSR Magazine seems to be a reputable food industry publication, as does Nation’s Restaurant News.)
I will put the link to the NRN article here, and the QSR link in a subsequent comment (to avoid quarantining).
Kevin says: LOL … Yeah, I went to the link as well … it’s not important enough for me to shell out my hard earned money. A more reputable link (versus the Florida one posted earlier) was helpful. Thank you.
GWB says: OK, I screwed that up, somehow. The NRN link was supposed to be in the original (and wasn’t) and the QSR in the second (but was the NRN link).
*facepalm*
HERE is the QSR link.
Darleen Click says: I did put the link in my article to substantiate the 3rd largest fast food chain as of June 2019. You could have started there.
Updated Jun 22, 2019 at 11:28 AM
Through the diligent efforts of those billboard cows with their poor penmanship and dubious spelling skills, Chick-fil-A has moved up the ranks from the seventh-largest restaurant chain in the United States to become the third.
The chicken sandwich giant blew past Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell and Subway on its ascent, with $10.46 billion in American store sales, according to Nation’s Restaurant News’ latest countdown. Up 17 percent for the year, Chick-fil-A stands behind only McDonald’s ($38.52 billion in American sales) and Starbucks ($20.49 billion).
Average sales for a Chick-fil-A location brought in $4.6 million in 2018, up from $4.2 million in 2017 — more than three times that of major chicken competitor KFC.
I make sure to source my claims of facts.
I’m sorry for your individual experience 20 years ago. In any, and I mean any, worldwide organization with a history of 154 years, there are bound to be instances of bad behavior. What you need to ask yourself, is society better or worse with their existence.
Also, I don’t mock individual people for the fact they are gay or lesbian. I do mock the self-identified activists of a movement that purports to represent them all and that harasses people for not falling in line with their political ideology. Because LBGTQQ yadda yadda yadd is a Leftwing movement, not a civil rights one.
GWB says: intentionally try to (put your own word here) the LGBTQ community
The day people quit equating activists with the rest of the human beings will be the day we finally have some measure of peace. The “community” is the worst enemy of anyone who actually participates in those activities. The “LGBTQQXLMNOP” appellation is used (among a lot of others) because of the stupid identity movement that sees every variation on abnormality as some new group in need of their own letter in the soup – because somehow grabbing all the letters will make them dominant. We mock because it is a stupid, risible, petty attempt to justify the existence and power of the activists.
The arguments of those who participate in those sorts of things would be much better received if they dumped the activists zealots.
GWB says: I, too, have heard of problems with the Salvation Army. They have, unfortunately, grown terribly large, and it’s difficult to maintain focus when you’re that large – as countless organizations have found out over the years.
However, individual units of the Salvation Army have done great work over their century and a half of existence.
I personally don’t donate to them, as I have a score other places I can put my money and efforts locally, in order to make a difference. Food pantries, homeless shelters, personal aid to individuals, and so on.
I throw change in the buckets every year, but that is about it. The major part of my donations go to organizations that are more laser focused on one problem area: shelters for battered women, Boys and Girls Club, the local food bank, AA, etc.
Those tend to get more results than organizations that try to help everyone with every problem.
Flying Dutchman says: This reminds me of the 1980s thriller “WarGames”, in which a supercomputer appears ready to unleash thermonuclear war.
“An interesting game,” the computer announces after scrolling through a number of outcome scenarios. “The only way to win, is, not to play.”
DEEBEE says: Your point could have been made without the pointless snide nonsense you descended into quickly. So have no idea how you finished.
GWB says: Dear Christians: How much of your faith are you willing to publicly denounce and abandon in order for the left to continue damning you for what you believed in the past anyway?
Not an iota of it. Not now. Not ever. Not in the face of torture, financial ruin, or death.
I’m not going to be too harsh on Chick-fil-A, though. Changing the focus of their charitable giving is within their purview. But it certainly does look bad. And don’t let anyone shut you down for being God-fearing people.
Freddie Sykes says: Something happened but I say wait and see what did. I do not have any say in the charities Chick-Fil-A donates to but I do know that there are more charities to give to than I give.
Wait and see exactly what their new policy entails before going off half cocked. All this speculation is just empowering to the rabid SJW mobs.
zenman says: I think the charge is disingenuous.
1 – Where is the proximate cause for them changing their focus? Other than the general LGBT/ally boycotts and disruptions at new opening, has their been some massive campaign from LGBT activists for them to change their donations?
2 – Each grant or donation requires accepting a grant application, decision, record keeping, reporting, and if they are conscientious, following up to see the money is being used properly.
3 – How does this decision compare with previous years decisions on giving? The Chick-fil-A Foundation has been around since 2012, so anyone should be able to dig into their 990 reports for years past.
The more organizations you end up giving to, the more overhead, the less you have to give overall.
https://www.chick-fil-afoundation.org/partnerships
Their 2018 990 form shows 39 pages of charitable organizations that they gave money to, without counting each one, say that’s around 380 organizations. Looking at some of them, you have money given to universities, JA programs, YMCA, and a whole host of other types of agencies.
“At the Chick-fil-A Foundation, the giving arm of Chick-fil-A, Inc., our mission is to nourish the potential in every child. We don’t take our mission lightly, and that’s why we partner with organizations and charities that will help us create the caring communities we envision.
With this in mind, we take the utmost care to thoughtfully select and ultimately fund nonprofit organizations that support a diverse array of programs and charities nationwide.
In 2018, we are happy and proud to share that our donations and sponsorships contributed to strengthening and building communities.”
2019 preview – 4 pages roughly 90 organizations. $6,400,000 giving to date.
“This year, we have had the opportunity to partner with a number of organizations working hard to improve the lives of children and families in their communities. Take a look at the organizations we have been proud to support in our hometown of Atlanta and throughout the neighborhoods Chick-fil-A serves across the U.S.”
Here is 2017 990 – https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/262343206_201712_990PF_2019030616149667.pdf
Here is 2016 990 – https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/262343206_201612_990PF_2018010315079171.pdf
Dan Hamilton says: The cause is their expansion into Canada and the UK where their places have been protested relentlessly by the LGBT whatever people. Also the children now own and run the business. There is an IPO in their future.
With this the reason for their cave is clear.
Pragmatic says: At this point it really doesn’t matter, does it? Maybe there is more to the story: maybe this is not a capitulation. But if that’s true, the decision and the way it became public was a huge fumble on the part of the corporate leadership. The fact is, a fold is a fold. And, like Dicks and many others before them, it was not a good move. They lost sight of what has made them successful. So their profit motive will fail. And in the end, the left still will not be happy.
GWB says: What made them successful is having a tasty product, delivered swiftly, in a clean restaurant, by workers who are smiling and helpful. The support of orphans and homeless and such is something they also do, but it isn’t the direct contributor to their success.
GWB says: Absolutely perfect Kipling quote, Darleen.
And, while I disagree with zenman a bit – there have been a lot of protests lately, as they tried to expand overseas. And with much less protection over there – both legally and from the customers who just want a good chicken sandwich – and possibly less pure wholesome goodness from the employees, they might have decided to give a little tactically. Or it might be really bad coincidence between those overseas protests and the change in giving.
What’s a shame is that a chicken sandwich franchise is (even with this) holding more tightly to the doctrine of their faith than actual Christian church bodies. *smh*
Marc Bressler says: For decades I put $ in the red buckets at Christmastime. I stopped when The Salvation Army removed their fundraiser from Mar-A-Lago after President Trump’s election. Sad.
Flap Maxwell says: Chick Fil A should have just told the LGBTQFUQU mob to piss off. Delicious chicken sandwiches will never go out of style, no matter how many queer mobs hold signs in the parking lot. Never give in to that screeching narcissistic gaggle of freaks.
Robert W Roth says: Exactly! And double. Those racist zealots will never quit. This is just the beginning.
The problem is not only that they caved … their selective removal of support for the Salvation Army and FCA put’s Chick-Fil-A’s corporate seal of approval on the SPLC definition of “hate group”. That will be used against others, in the future.
Quartermaster says: Drew Anderson is a H8er pure and simple. His entire job is to be divisive.
“Drew Anderson is a H8er pure and simple. His entire job is to be divisive.”
You can tell he’s a deranged wacko when he says “organizations like Focus on the Family, which exist purely to harm LGBTQ people and families.”
Yeah, FOTF was founded just to harass sodomites. That’s the ticket.
William Tryon says: #JudasFilA
Its their betrayal of us after years of support.
GWB says: Really? “Judas”? Dude, you need to get out more.
And unless you are the Salvation Army of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, they haven’t betrayed YOU.
GWB says: Army or Fellowship
FIFM
Geoff says: As those groups are just normal, faithful Christian groups, yes they have.
Their selective removal of support for the Salvation Army and FCA put’s Chick-Fil-A’s corporate seal of approval on the SPLC definition of “hate group”.
That is a betrayal of everyone who dissents from the Gaystapo agenda.
Click says: The harm, as someone noted, is that in their announcement CFA intentionally smeared two organizations by implying that they were somehow anti-LBTQ. Anyone who is familiar with either organization knows that they provide services without discrimination-that is their whole mission. CFA has, in their statement, materially assisted the rabid activists. If that was not the intent, then they bungled it big time.
Geoff says: I don’t believe they are doing this because of money.
I think executives and spouses want to go to social parties without getting the stink eye. At least, that’s my working theory.
Mike-in-Keller says: I did NOT eat at Chick-Fil-A because they supported the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but I will NOT eat at their restaurants because they have withdrawn your support.
I just gave Salvation Army $100 that might have gone to their stores, from which they might have given $2 or $3 to the Salvation Army.
Way to go Chick-Fil-A! You’ve increased the total giving to Salvation Army!
The Old Sarge says: As soon as the original story hit, I invoked the 72 Rule; viz, always wait 72 hours before making any judgement. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the late Paul Harvey, it’s that there’s *always* a Rest Of The Story.
zenman says: “Moving forward, with a continued eye on nourishing the potential in every child, we are narrowing our corporate giving to three critical needs facing children in our communities: education, homelessness and hunger. The Chick-fil-A Foundation will deepen our giving to a smaller number of organizations working exclusively in these areas. The Foundation is committed to investing in the building blocks for a healthy future by ensuring the youth in our communities have a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs and an education that prepares them for the world they will face.”
Let’s see, Chick-fil-a Foundation still going to give millions of dollars to CHILDREN in need, just not the way some would like. So, let’s not loose focus of the GOOD being done, because it is not PERFECT.
“For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”
DEEBEE says: The growth opportunities are only in the part of the populace you do not serve. So all this is not surprising, if you want them to be capitalists. Now, if you want them to mix ‘principle” with that then you are acting just like the leftist capitalists. I know the contradiction in that, but ponder.
To the Fearless Women and Men of Courage, Conviction and Valor on This Blog :
Wow I love this blog. If all of us on here asked one person to PRAY with us once a day for our nation,
VICTORY girls could change the course of our nation. I love all of you who arent afraid to STAY the
course. May G-d give you COURAGE in 2020! Raise up an Army of Prayer Warriors. America God is
not done with us yet 🙂 Daniel 11:33 KJV
Kate says: Thank you, Ariel!
Very glad you’re here too.
Kate
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