Like many of my hippy liberal
pro-marriage equality friends, I too immediately jumped on the bandwagon to
give up Chick-fil-A upon hearing of their CEO, Dan Cathy, responding with
“guilty as charged” to a question from the Baptist Press about his stances on
marriage equality. Being passionate about the LGBTQ and marriage equality
issues, it was easy to give up the juicy, sensitively spicy and succulent
chicken morsels in order to stand in solidarity with friends and strangers.
I even proposed the idea of a General Assembly resolution to boycott
Chick-fil-A!
 |
| My lunch on Tuesday |
Then, an image ran through my
mind.
My local Chick-fil-A happens to be
owned and operated by a lesbian. This person is also a member of the
local Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Selah
I imagine the Church minister
addressing this issue in a Sunday Sermon. I imagine standing on the floor
at the 2013 General Assembly, voicing my opinion about a boycott
resolution!
I think about how this local Chick-fil-A owner might be feeling after Dan Cathy’s words. How does she reconcile the words of Cathy and
the life she has built around her successful business? How would her life be
changed if her own church members (and friends) decided to boycott Chick-fil-A?
To answer my questions, I decide to
go to the source. Last Friday afternoon, I went to talk to the CFA owner
to get her perspective on her CEO’s comments. (Another student wondering
similar questions goes with me)
She spends a generous 30 minutes
with us sharing her thoughts about all the hype around this issue and
CFA. Though she disagrees with the CEO, she points out that they are his
personal beliefs and he is entitled to them.
I ask her about what she thinks
about a possible church resolution to boycott Chick-fil-A. She, of
course, hopes that wouldn’t happen. “It’s important to remember that each
of these Chick-fil-A’s is individually owned and operated. I pay a franchising
fee to use the Chick-fil-A name and agree to make food the Chick-fil-A way –
like putting two pickles on every sandwich. I agree to run my
business on Christian principles such as being welcoming, friendly and
hospitable to each person that walks in.”
(This resonates, as this is
one of the friendliest Chick-fil-A’s I have ever been in!)
Further, she explains, that when
boycotting Chick-Fil-A you hurt the business, employees and the community. It makes sense.
She gets a little Parker Palmer on
me – sharing that she sees her job as more than a job – “it’s a calling - it’s
a vocation”. The success of her business
allows her to be a leader in a community.
She recalls what this town was like 15-20 years ago for gays and
lesbians. As an owner of CFA, she is
able to be a mentor and participates in transforming this town into a more
accepting and loving community. She gets
me here as I was taught to be a part of the solution! (I also
can’t help but think that by eating at this particular CFA – I can continue to
support her, which will then continue to transform my own community)
I know this issue is a bit more
complicated than what I’ve shared, but what is striking about our encounter is
how level headed she is. How honest she
is. How respectful, compassionate, and
understanding she is about all that is going on. It challenges me because during
topics of passion – I am usually the opposite. This conversation strikes me
because of what it is not: extreme.
I can’t help but think of our
current political situation and how the tenor out there is one of
extremism. (And I fully admit my
participation in it) It is one that is
often mean; and points fingers at the other. It
is one that has moved far away from the days of engaging in critical thinking
skills- of making an argument and supporting it!
It also means a great deal is lost:
listening to the other, respecting the other, and valuing the other. My experience at this particular Chick-fil-A on Friday
is one that I cannot shake – undoubtedly, courageously Christian.
If I parse this complexity correctly, then its it the owner/operators that should be putting pressure on the leadership of CFA to stop funding anti-gay groups, especially those that actively practice conversion therapy to "cure" gay people. This is not just Cathy's personal belief but the way that the CFA uses it money to attempt to further a specific agenda by "Christian" groups that not only hurts LBGT people but also the the perception of Christianity in America. Not to mention that millions (billions?) of animals that are raised in confinement and treated terribly before the end up as an tasty chicken sandwich.
ReplyDeleteInteresting--how insightful to give all of us "jump on and boycott" folks a different perspective. I appreciate your "go and see"....this still doesn't mean I'll go and buy a chicken sandwich--I don't eat fast food anymore---and years ago when Taco Bell did not pay a fair wage...i did not eat taco's.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you providing us with another view of the chicken situation.
Indeed, they are his personal beliefs. So why is he using the company rather than his own personal funds?
ReplyDeleteThat the company is being directly used to fund hate groups is one highly visible symptom of the problem with our relationship with corporations in this country. Along with Citizens United.
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ReplyDeleteI was boycotting Chick-fil-a long before this recent dust-up. It's sad that your lesbian acquaintance makes her living by participating in this anti-gay company and making excuses for its hateful actions, but I'll grant you that that kind of hypocrisy is undoubtedly Christian.
ReplyDeleteI would consider buying a sandwich from this particular franchise. Would you please tell us which franchise it is? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteCan franchisees decide to donate proceeds to organizations? I think those who are in this situation should band together and encourage the community to support them as they give a percentage of proceeds to GLAAD.
ReplyDeleteThe Chick-fil-A CEO is not anti-gay. He is pro the Biblical view of marriage. He said nothing hateful. He expressed a sincere view.
ReplyDelete@Frank - franchisees have to pay a franchising fee to the corporation. The corporation decides what to do with the fees that they collect. In the case of CFA, which is privately held by the Cathy family, the Cathy family decides what to do with those fees. One thing they do with that money is work against laws that would give equal treatment to opposite-sex and same-sex marriage.
ReplyDelete@Joyce - He is trying to prevent states from passing laws that treat opposite-sex and same-sex marriage equally. He donates money to organizations that actively lobby against pending legislation, and that work to influence the outcome of initiatives and referendums. That is a political act, no matter what it's motivated by. While he certainly has the right to act politically, everyone else equally has the right to oppose him. And because I see his political act as harmful to others, I feel an *obligation* to oppose him.
ReplyDeleteNever mind, Hollie, a little googling around tells me that this is the Chick-Fil-A in Wilson, NC. It would be interesting to talk with the owner; I can see why you did.
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