Chick-fil-A faces rightwing backlash after cutting ties to Christian groups

[KY_EnviroGuy]

Chick-fil-A faces rightwing backlash after cutting ties to Christian groups
Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee condemn restaurant chain that also donated to civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/nov/30/chick-fil-a-conservative-ted-cruz-mike-huckabee

(snips)

Leading US conservatives have turned on the fast-food restaurant chain Chick-fil-A after the company decided to cut its ties to two Christian groups that have long opposed same-sex marriage.

To compound rightwingers’ fury, it has also emerged via tax filings that Chick-fil-A donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a civil rights advocacy organization, in 2017. The SPLC has a lengthy record of supporting LGBTQ+ and abortion rights.

Chick-fil-A, previously best known for its chicken sandwiches, was embraced by conservatives due to its foundation’s funding of the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which oppose same-sex marriage. This adoration has now turned sour, however.

and

A spokeswoman for Chick-fil-A said the company had fulfilled its obligations to the two Christian organizations and would now focus its donations to “education, homelessness and hunger”.

When will retailers ever learn it's best to try very hard to stay neutral on sex, politics and religion (the gentleman's creed) and leave their sectarianism, hatred, biases and racism at the house?

Is this Chick-fil-A's come to the Flying Spaghetti Monster moment?......

[Turin_C3PO]

1. Glad to see they donated to the SPLC.

Small steps to right previous wrongs.

[mr_lebowski]

2. This backlash was absolutely a 'given' from the second they announced they were doing this ...

Wingnuts are pretty vindictive about such betrayals.

Actually, we pretty much are too, come to think of it

From a business perspective (for them, given their status as a 'favored' place for xtian types to patronize), probably at most they should've said they're ceasing donations to ANY political group, rather than starting giving $ to SPLC ... so I applaud them for actually having done something good even though it's likely not good going to turn out a net positive for their bottom-line ... at least not in the shorter term.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

5. I find it ridiculous that people have to take into consideration...

any religious or political leanings of any company with regard to their purchases. I think this is all a right-wing scam, promoted mostly by Faux News and talk radio (for profit).

It's just as ridiculous that officers of corporations openly advertise their politics and religion (Home Depot comes to mind from years ago) to promote sales.

These practices worsen the already terrible divisiveness in our nation.....

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Go ahead and let them eat their unhealthy fried chicken. They'll die sooner from heart disease. nt

[Iggo]

4. Thank you, Popeyes. (n/t)

[KY_EnviroGuy]

6. If they could just cut back on the heat a little in their food....

I would get their carry-out more often......

Like some others, they need more no-pepper items for us sensitive seniors..... (loved hot food during my youth)

Otherwise, I do like their food. Never had the first bite from Chick-fil-A.

[Iggo]

7. I've only ever had chicken strips from Popeyes. (Twice, I think.)

But they're building one walking distance from my house.

I loved Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches. I was mad that I had to give them up. But give them up I did. Some things are more important than a better than average chicken sandwich.

I do see that, now that Popeyes has a more popular sandwich, Chick-fil-A has seen fit to change their ways. But I've built up too much resentment of them over their homophobia. I won't be going back.

[CatWoman]

9. you guys really think Popeye's success

Has a lot to do with this Epiphany?

If so, BRAVO to Popeyes!!

Brawley fights and all.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

12. In stark reality, I think we just have to accept....

that a high percentage of officers of most public corporations are right-wingers due to focus on profits and resentments of taxes. Few of them really care about social issues - those are just useful tools to polish public image.

Research also suggests many of those officers tend to be psychopaths to some degree, and that makes sense when a commoner like me observes their behavior. This is a direct result of our current style of capitalism.

I think we just have to trudge on every day and do what we can to signal to big business that we prefer they behave in a fair and humanistic fashion, and remind them often that we do have choices.

KY.......

[Igel]

14. Now that Popeyes has a chicken sandwich, Chick-Fil-A sees fit to change its ways in 2017.

When they say "met their commitment" it's because they signed a commitment to provide funding through to the end of this year, and they made that commitment years ago.

This has been understood the same way many other things have been understood. Rather poorly, with an eye to not questioning what our superiors tell us.

[targetpractice]

10. Popeye's vs. Chick-fil-A...

[TlalocW]

8. Didn't they reverse their reversal?

I thought I had read where they gave in to conservatives' outrage.

TlalocW

[FreeState]

11. Yep - they are back to being anti-gay

See https://www.democraticunderground.com/113753465

[Blue_true]

13. My guess?

Generational change afoot in the owning family. The younger members that are slowly assuming control aren't as rabid as their elders.