Chick-Fil-A Under Fire For Catering For An Anti-Homosexual Group

[Obama 2012 1,714]

activist groups need to take a chill pill, seriously.

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http://www.newsrecord.org/mobile/news/chick-fil-a-catches-flak-for-partnership-1.2429520

Chick-fil-A Inc., the chain of fast-food chicken restaurants — including one the University of Cincinnati's campus — is receiving backlash from human rights groups for its connections with a reportedly anti-gay organization.

Last week, the restaurant chain was listed as a sponsor for a two-day marriage retreat in February hosted by the Pennsylvania Family Institute (PFI), an organization whose president, Michael Geer, has been vocal in the past regarding his opposition toward gay marriage.

Once word broke about Chick-fil-A's sponsorship of the event, several groups supporting gay rights, including the website change.org, protested the restaurant's involvement with the PFI.

"Over 17,000 people have e-mailed Chick-fil-A demanding that they pull their sponsorship from the event and come clean over whether they support anti-gay organizations like the Pennsylvania Family Institute," according to the change.org website.

Chick-fil-A released a statement on its Facebook page regarding the incident, indicating it was an independent restaurant operator — not the chain's corporate office — that made the decision to provide food for the marriage conference.

"We have determined that one of our independent restaurant operators in Pennsylvania was asked to provide sandwiches to two Art of Marriage video seminars … At his discretion, the local operator agreed to simply provide a limited amount of food," the statement read.

The statement further read "Our Chick-fil-A operators and their employees try very hard every day to go the extra mile in serving all of our customers with honor, dignity and respect."

Geer, the president of PFI, told the website The Christian Post efforts to tie Chick-fil-A to endorsement of the seminar are misleading and "all, in all it's a trumped-up story."

The website for the PFI, however, still lists Chick-Fil-A as a sponsor for the seminar.

It isn't the first time Chick-fil-A has received negative attention regarding endorsements.

The restaurant chain was criticized in 2009 for donating money to the Christian group Focus on the Family, which has endorsed therapy for homosexuals to become heterosexual and supported anti-gay legislation regarding same-sex marriages.

[SuperDuper! 230]

Remind us again why we should care what a chicken sandwich restaurant does?

If you don't like it, don't eat there. Vote with your dollars--and your feet.

Word!

[TBoneTX 45,522]

If I recall, the founder of the company is very religious, and this is why all of the restaurants are closed on Sundays.

[Jenn! 918]

Remind us again why we should care what a chicken sandwich restaurant does?

If you don't like it, don't eat there. Vote with your dollars--and your feet.

You don't have to care and feel free to enjoy your waffle fries. But some people do and they are making it known as well as voting with their feet and dollars. So what's the problem?

[Dakine10 5,452]

activist groups need to take a chill pill, seriously.

Wow. I always thought you supported the first amendment.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It's certainly a problem for their brand image. Guess the company needs to tighten up its rules for franchise operators

[luckytxn 2,264]

If you are against gay marriage then that means you are anti gay? Does that mean a neighbor that is gay and his live in are also anti gay if they are also against gay marriage?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A company that appears to oppose gay rights, is anti-gay. It's not a difficult thing to understand.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Wow. I always thought you supported the first amendment.

I am. That doesn't mean that these people don't need to take a chill pill.

[ScottThuy 140]

If I recall, the founder of the company is very religious, and this is why all of the restaurants are closed on Sundays.

They advertise that they are closed on Sunday to allow the employees time with family. I have heard numerous rumors about religous ties such as SDA etc but when asked about it the company claimed no religous motives, rather family oriented motives...

[ScottThuy 140]

I wonder if they are going to catch any grief for catering to Dwarfs...

[ScottThuy 140]

A company that appears to oppose gay rights, is anti-gay. It's not a difficult thing to understand.

flawed logic....

using that logic, because I dont like pickles on my hamburgers I am anti-hamburger...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

flawed logic....

using that logic, because I dont like pickles on my hamburgers I am anti-hamburger...

Oh boy

We are talking about the public image projected by a recognised, established brand of family restaurant.

If that brand is associated with a group that has an established anti-homosexual, pro-religious agenda (if indeed, the PFI has that agenda as is claimed) it tars the reputation of Chick-Fil-A.

Thankfully the corporation has explained what happened and distanced itself from the controversy. As they should do.

Edited January 12, 2011 by Ron Burgundy

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Oh boy

We are talking about the public image projected by a recognised, established brand of family restaurant.

If that brand is associated with a group that has an established anti-homosexual, pro-religious agenda (if indeed, the PFI has that agenda as is claimed) it tars the reputation of Chick-Fil-A.

Thankfully the corporation has explained what happened and distanced itself from the controversy. As they should do.

the flawed logic comes with associating the catering of one event by a single location of a corporation, with the corporation itself.

Who the hell cares?

Next thing you know anti-religious people are going to bash them for being closed on Sundays when they want their damn chicken sandwiches.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

the flawed logic comes with associating the catering of one event by a single location of a corporation, with the corporation itself.

Who the hell cares?

Next thing you know anti-religious people are going to bash them for being closed on Sundays when they want their damn chicken sandwiches.

Paul, it's a national brand. If the corporation is releasing statements to address a controversy relating to one of their locations, it's because they are clearly concerned about what this incident is doing to their reputation beyond the location in question.

Edited January 12, 2011 by Ron Burgundy