Chicken and Controversy, That’s What Chick-fil-A Does
Chick-fil-A is no stranger to controversy.
From the corporate stance on traditional families, gay marriage, and religion, the famous fried chicken chain has made quite a name for itself as its popularity has skyrocketed over the past few years.
The fast food chain was in the news again recently for another hot topic: the Black Lives Matter movement.
Source: Twitter @AllenWest
Start the slideshow below to see the T-shirt that started the latest Chick-fil-A scandal, then SHARE and tell us your thoughts!
Choosing Sides
Source: Twitter @DJHeatDC
When it came to light that the company had donated millions of dollars to charities that support traditional marriage and families, including the Family Research Council, which the Southern Poverty Law Center had previously classified as a hate group, the company faced nationwide backlash from progressive groups, corporate sponsors like the Jim Henson Company, and individual customers.
More problems started when a restaurant in Pennsylvania agreed to sponsor a marriage conference that opposed same-sex marriage.
In June 2012, Chick-fil-A came under even more scrutiny after COO Dan T. Cathy spoke out against same-sex marriage, telling protestors that they were “inviting God’s judgement on our nation” by having “the audacity to define what marriage is about.”
Backlash
Source: Twitter @IAmMikeBlack
When same-sex marriage and LGBT activists began to protest the restaurant, conservatives responded in many ways. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee even started a Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day to show support for the traditional beliefs of the restaurant’s management.
Since those days, Chick-fil-A has maintained a poor reputation within the gay community, but the corporation has stopped donating money to groups “that promote discrimination, specifically against LGBT civil rights,” according to a report by The Civil Rights Agenda.
In a mission statement entitled Chick-fil-A: Who We Are, the company avows to serve and respect all customers regardless of sexual orientation.
Back the Blue
Source: Twitter @rbooker1029
While Chick-fil-A released a statement after these earlier controversies saying they would leave the gay marriage issue “to the government and political arena,” they didn’t stay out of incendiary topics for long.
The restaurant is back in the news after a Texas location took an overtly public stance on one of today’s biggest issues in America: the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing reports of policy brutality, especially against minorities.
Go Blue or Go Home
Source: Facebook/ Chick-fil-A The Woodlands at College Park
In several pictures that quickly made rounds on the internet, Chick-fil-A employees can be seen wearing shirts that say “BACK THE BLUE” and “GO BLUE OR GO HOME.” The local chain manager, Eli Advincula, confirmed that the shirts were meant to “show our support for Police Lives Matter […] they are out on our streets every day.”
Police Lives Matter is a movement born amidst recent anti-police demonstrations that urges citizens to obey and respect law enforcement in order to promote cooperation and safety.
Taking a Stance
Source: Twitter @lxcarruth
Needless to say, reactions to the restaurant’s decision to wear these shirts and decidedly show support for one cause over the other has lead to mixed reactions.
Many people found the simple gesture to be brave, especially considering the recent decline in popularity among police and other first responders. Others felt that the company was once against laying down its foot in social issues that it was better off avoiding.
The most important thing to remember, however, is that the shirts were primarily designed to show support for a local football team. While the manager did confirm that the shirts’ duality was intended to comment on the police issue, they were first and foremost made for some good old Texas high school football, a fact which many people failed to understand before commenting.
In the above purported Facebook post from Chick-fil-A, the company clarifies that this was a decision made by the one chain and not representative of the restaurant corporation as a whole.
Do YOU think the local manager made the right decision to get involved in social issues? SHARE and let us know!