For some reason, this story really annoyed the hell out of me this morning.
Whenever a new Chick-fil-A opens, hundreds of its devoted fans walk in after spending days, sometimes weeks, outside the front door. Some devotees will wait in line at multiple restaurant openings, just to say they were among the first to eat at that Chick-fil-A. They must really love the chicken sandwiches there, right?
They do, but there’s another reason why they do this. At each grand opening, Chick-fil-A hands out coupons for one free Chick-fil-A Meal per week for a year (52 meals) to the first 100 people in line. For the most devoted Chick-fil-A fans who attend multiple openings, that means having free lunch and dinner for weeks, months or even years.
This leads us to Christina Heise and Matthew Robinson. They are regulars at Chick-fil-A openings, showing up to more than 70 combined. Eventually, they met and started talking. One chicken sandwich led to another, and now they’re engaged to be married.
Oh yes, NOW I remember why this story pisses me off.
As Equality Matters has reported, Chick-fil-A’s WinShape foundation has given millions of dollars to organizations that oppose marriage equality (Marriage and Family Legacy Fund, Family Research Council), bully gay students (Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Focus on the Family), and promote harmful ex-gay therapy (Exodus International). In addition, the company has a score of 0 on HRC’s corporate equality index, offering absolutely no protections to LGBT staff and even firing employees who engage in “sinful” behavior. Compare that to how many Fortune 100 companies offer non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation (94 percent) and gender identity (69 percent).
Free waffle fries, free bigotry. Yeah, that pretty much sums up America The Beautiful. I wonder if they’d honor the coupons for Christina and Matthew here if they were Christina and Madison, or Christopher and Matthew, engaged to be married. I’m thinking no. But then again, I’m thinking they wouldn’t be in line anyway…then again, taking 52 free meals from these guys on the company’s dime seems like a pretty good entry into the sweet revenge column to me.
TR
I don’t mean to be snarky, but is this really news to you? Truett Cathy is such a conservative evangelical that all Chick-fil-A’s are closed on Sundays. Not surprising that he’s in bed with right-wing politics here.
Rathskeller
I wonder how long the list is of “casually boycotted” businesses there are for politically minded people. For me, it includes Domino’s, LL Bean, Chick Fil-A. I guess I’m boycotting Curves, too, but in the same way that I’m boycotting buying any new yachts.
comrade scott's agenda of rage
In other words Appalachia Is A State Of Mind.
Learned that when I moved from DC to Central Misery.
And people wonder why I’m a chardonnay quaffing, Volvo driving librul with a snotty ‘tude toward about 30% of the country.
And I’m guessing our gubmint-sponsored Medicare will take care of their heart disease-related issues when they hit old age….assuming the people they support with their bidness don’t kill Medicare. Then they can die mid-bite.
Satanicpanic
On principle I only eat Chik-fil-a sandwiches on sunday
David Fud
Not going to defend them: Gay rights are human rights. But the fact that they will hire ex-cons, even though they proselytize relentlessly, makes up for some of their atrociousness in my book. A lot of companies simply throw out the job applications of those who “check the box” (of felony conviction). We can’t break the recidivist cycle without employers willing to step up and hire those who have paid their debt to society.
Commenting at Balloon Juice since 1937
Bigots get to eat shitty food and die. All is right in the world.
Rosalita
aw man, now I want a chicken biscuit
rikryah
I think the food is nasty. been there twice and disliked it both times.
Derelict
One other thing Chik-Fil-A does to sue anyone who uses the phrase “Eat More ____”. They’re suing some poor bastard up here in Vermont who’s been selling t-shirts that say “Eat More Kale” based on the idea that the corporation owns the phrase “Eat More _____” and nobody should ever be able to use it for anything.
So many reasons to hate Chik-Fil-A!
Foxhunter
@David Fud:
That is true. However, if you don’t profess allegiance to some form of organized religion during the application/interview process, you are not getting a job at CFA.
I grew up in the same same area where Truett Cathy resides and I still live close by. Many of my old friends from high school moved on to work at CFA corporate. Every one of them professes their religion publicly, and often. If you aren’t fully committed at hire, you wlll be after a month or two on the job.
It’s like Jesus Camp with really good milkshakes and chicken sandwiches.
So I appreciate their commitment to recidivism prevention, but it hardly offsets their other transgressions towards civility and decency for others that are ‘not like them’.
satby
@David Fud: See, now I have to rethink my Chik-fil-a hate. I didn’t know that and it is important. I’m watching the slow descent into abject depression of a family member convict right now because he can’t find a job. Served his sentence, rehabbed for the addiction issues; and every job app clearly is thrown out.
gypsy howell
Uh oh. I’m behind the times here — what about LL Bean is supposed to enrage me?
Culture of Truth
Admirable, but apparently they think loving the wrong person is worse than being a convicted criminal.
Mark S.
@Derelict:
Wow, they better not win that.
Nemesis
Guess why Chik Fil A is closed on Sunday?
I refuse to spend my money there.
Chyron HR
@Derelict:
Now I’m really worried about my new restaurant, “Eat More For The Cure”.
Culture of Truth
@Mark S.: They won.
Amir Khalid
I have not come across Chik-Fil-A except in the aviation columns of Salon‘s Patrick Smith, nor did I ever notice a Chik-Fil-A place on my trips to the USA. What kind of food do they do? Are they sort of like Subway?
meander
Following up on @Deralict’s comment (#9), Grist.org had a piece about Chik Fil A’s lawsuit (or legal threat) against a person making the “Eat More Kale” merchandise as a way of promoting better health through eating vegetables.
Gin & Tonic
@Derelict: Here’s a great article, from The Economist, of all places, defending Bo, the “Eat More Kale” t-shirt guy.
MikeJ
@Amir Khalid: Fast food chicken sandwiches. More like a McDonalds but with chicken instead of beef burgers. None of that fancy dressing bar where you pick and choose what goes on, just throwing bags of premade sandwiches at you.
Mnemosyne
There aren’t really any Chik-Fil-A’s anywhere close to me, so I probably eat there about once every three years or so.
Here in So Cal, the ubiquitious fast food place run by Christians is In N Out, but though they print (very small, very discreet) references to Bible verses on their packaging, there’s no evidence that they support anti-gay causes, and with the digging people were doing in 2008 for Prop 8, I don’t see any way they could have flown under the radar. They mostly seem to demonstrate their commitment to Christianity by paying their employees well and providing full benefits and vacation time.
Roger Moore
@Amir Khalid:
Their mainstay is fried chicken breast sandwiches. I think they’ve added grilled ones for people who don’t want quite as much fat, but the fried ones are still the big business. They also have chicken based breakfast foods and side dishes. They’re almost like the anti-Subway: much less selection, much less healthy, and the only vegetables on their sandwiches are a couple of pickle slices.
Thor Heyerdahl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1R64-ZWVoM
RobertB
@Foxhunter
I was under the impression that discussing religion in a job interview was not allowed. I’m aware that there’s a difference between legal requirements and the reality of the workplace, but I thought that this sort of thing could get a corporation in hot water.
PurpleGirl
I’d heard the name a few times over recent years but I never saw one — no presence in NYC. I went to their web site and found they have one by NYU now. I looked for information about the origin and meaning of their name. Any one have any ideas on that.
Amir Khalid — they primarily do fast food chicken filets.
Cacti
@Amir Khalid:
They’re a fast-food chicken joint: sandwiches, wraps, nuggets, strips, etc.
Although a national chain, they were founded in the south and most of their locations are concentrated in that region.
Founder is a major talibangelical.
gaz
I’ve not seen one in WA. Not saying they aren’t here, but I haven’t seen one. I’ve only heard of this chain in passing, and I only remember it because the name sounds weird, like some sort of knock-off candy item made in china, that you can get at the canned food outlet/grocery clearing house.
The fact that a joint with a name like that makes food, well that just puts me off of my lunch. It seems incredibly wrong.
gex
@David Fud: Fuck you.
Oh, if people aren’t hateful fucks to EVERYBODY, then they are not too bad. Especially if the people they fucking hate aren’t you. Am I right?
Because of these two groups, GAY people are way more antisocial and destructive to society than criminals.
ETA: This is not to say that I don’t think ex-cons shouldn’t be given employment chances etc. But making up for massively funding anti-gay causes that have passed 30 amendments, and “bullying” policies like in Anoka? Fuck that. Not even close.
Lee
The franchise (not corporate) that is closest to my house has a out gay teenager working there (daughter’s friend).
So I think the franchises are bit freer on who they higher.
Still closed on Sundays.
gaz
@David Fud: I’ve said the same of Walmart, and I stick to it. I don’t shop walmart, but I really wish that more companies would hire ex-cons, and also have on the job life-skills training, like Walmart does (wonder if this joint does that as well?).
OTOH, like walmart, everything else they do makes them raging arseholes. So fuck them.
gaz
@gex: heh. careful. You’re starting to sound like me. now more people might get us confused. =) hehehe
The Bobs
@gex: @gex
So we should hate all the haters?
Amir Khalid
I read in Wikipedia how Chick-Fil-A fired a Muslim employee in Houston ten ears ago because he wouldn’t join in group Christian prayers at work. Between that and the anti-gay staff policy, I do not have a good impression of the company.
Foxhunter
@RobertB: It’s implied. A friend of mine went to head quality control for their condiment division. I, the ‘reference’, had a thirty minute chat with his future boss before his hiring. The line of questioning was vague, but it was obvious what he was serching for with regards to my friend.
Here’s a quote from a Forbes article written several years ago –
“The parent company asks people who apply for an operator license to disclose marital status, number of dependents and involvement in “community, civic, social, church and/or professional organizations.”
‘The Cult of Chick-fil-a’.
Also, CFA is a privately held company which gives them a bit of cover for some of their practices.
David Fud
@gex: That isn’t what I said. I said it mitigates their assholishness. I seem to have an ability to tell shades of gray that seem to be a bit missing it your comment. Feel free to ask me how often I have eaten at Chik-fil-A.
Mark S.
@Gin & Tonic:
From that article:
They don’t even spell it the same way, because the joke is that cows are writing it. So Chick-Fil-A:
gaz
@David Fud: While I agree that it is a bright spot in a record otherwise sullied with bigotry and christian cultism, I for one, think it’s a league too far to say that it actually mitigates any “assholishness”.
They’re still every bit raging assholes in my book. I don’t think that having a couple of minor good ideas in a roiling sea of bad and hateful ones mitigates anything.
I’m sure if I looked hard enough, I could find some bright spots in the Westboro Baptist Church as well – but that does nothing to erase the very open bigotry and hatred from that organization.
Edit: I think your mistake is wedging good and bad acts on some sort of artificial scale of balance. Such a thing is overly simplistic, IMO – and does not reflect the real world or the motivations of people who live within it.
jharp
Fuck em. I don’t want their freebies and refuse to patronize the place.
redshirt
@gypsy howell: Lobster themed pajamas and stuffy mom jeans.
catclub
@RobertB: Consider a candidate minister being hired by a church. I think they could discuss religion.
The ‘no religious test’ is a limitation on government, not private sector. As far as I know.
Does every employer have to be an EO employer? I doubt it.
ETA: I am so totally wrong. Just read EEO website.
Never mind.
Culture of Truth
The PTO in Washington agreed with Chick-fil-A that the t-shirt is likely to cause confusion.
Satanicpanic
@Foxhunter: Woah, that’s creepy. Has anyone investigated In-N-Out? They print little Bible citations on their stuff, but I hear they’re really good to their workers and haven’t heard about them discriminating.
Ash Can
And in other news, an enterprising reporter in Texas has committed a lengthy act of journalism and pretty much gotten to the bottom of George W.’s Air National Guard clusterfuck (h/t Gus at LGF). I will never — never — forgive the GOP for foisting this fuck-up on the nation and the world.
Amir Khalid
@catclub:
Does that mean a private-sector employer gets to apply a religious test to employees and job seekers, even when the test is irrelevant to the job in question?
gaz
@catclub: heh. If this was an intentional rhetorical tactic from you, then I have to say:
Well played. Well played indeed.
Hell, even if it was accidental, it still made me smile =)
cheers.
Culture of Truth
@catclub: Discrimination in hiring on the basis of religion is a violation of U.S. federal law, in the private sector, whether the company is publicly traded or not, unless religion is a bona fide occupational qualification, as it would be for a minister of church.
gaz
@Culture of Truth: yeah. You’ll notice catclub’s post was corrected.
Foxhunter
@Satanicpanic: There is no doubt they are good to their employees.
There is no doubt their customer service is unrivaled in the fast food business.
There is no doubt they pursue their business interests with an explicit Christian bent and donate to causes that promote intolerance.
That is the problem. Senior Cathy is getting very old. When the reins are passed on to his kids, I seriously doubt this enviroment will change.
I see the University of Illinois Springfield is also pursuing a position that is similar to that of NW.
UIS students crying fowl over on campus Chick-fil-a.
RSA
For the average person, this means having one Chick-fil-A meal and 51 coupons to throw away.
lacp
Wonder how many people are using those giveaways to supplement SNAP benefits and food cupboard packages? I like freebies, too, but something tells me that people who will wait forever and a day to get these coupons might be in a tad more dire life situation than I am.
Hiring ex-cons is great. Turning them into godbags isn’t.
gaz
@Mnemosyne: Assuming what you say is accurate about In ‘N Out, I’d patronize them.
I’m down with Jesus fans. Just not bigots, rape apologists, and sanctimonious cultist twatwaffles.
Foxhunter
@gaz:
^^^
|
|
|
What he said.
Forum Transmitted Disease
Yeah, the guy is a hater and Jesus Jerk extraordinaire, but goddamn…those waffle fries.
@David Fud: I was not aware of this. Makes me feel somewhat better about the waffle fries. I have worked for places that didn’t hire felons no matter what (we’re not talking jobs where it would have mattered in the slightest) and had to turn down perfect good, decent people who had fucked up once because they checked the box. I think that’s just fucking wrong.
gex
And the ex-cons thing is very typical for religious nutters. You can sin and do wrong to your heart’s content so long as you believe the right things and repent. I’m guessing that it isn’t ALL ex-cons who get a shot, but only the ex-cons who believe the right things. In which case, Chik-Fil-A isn’t doing anything special for ex-cons, they are just privileging people who believe the right way.
And we know that a gay ex-con wouldn’t get hired.
Villago Delenda Est
So, then, EAT MOAR CHICKIN would be OK?
lacp
Don’t take it lying down – fight back.
http://basicinstructions.net/basic-instructions/2012/3/11/how-to-explain-another-of-your-brilliant-plans.html
gex
Hell, all these anti-gay religious groups do *something* nice for some other people, so it really isn’t a big deal at all. We’ve reached a tolerable level of anti-gay bigotry so we can move on to something really important now.
Satanicpanic
@Mnemosyne: Yeah, I’ve had my eyes on them for years since noticing the bible citations, and I haven’t heard anything. I was wondering if anyone else had, but I guess not so I will continue to enjoy their yummy burgers guilt free.
a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)
But then someone would have to eat them Gack. I’ve never eaten the food, because someone told me ~15 years ago that they enforced Christianity among employees so I just didn’t patronize it. Plus the food looked gross.
Corey
Chik Fil A is delicious, easily the best fast food available in America (and we have some good ones). I couldn’t care less about their gay-bashing shit; let them waste their profits on a doomed, sisyphean effort to turn back the social clock.
Xecky Gilchrist
I’ve never been a big chicken sandwich fan but I got put off Chick-Fil-A when I saw that the cash registers at the local mall had little plaques nailed above the cash drawers reading “THE LORD’S COMMANDMENT: THOU SHALT NOT STEAL.” That’s when I found out that they were godbags.
And they have a shit-ton of nerve going after people for the “Eat More X” thing since they ripped their whole ad campaign style off from The Far Side. AFAIK Gary Larson never licensed any of that stuff.
gaz
@Satanicpanic: You know what’s really fucking sad about all of this?
If you take every quote from the bible attributed to Jesus, and made a book out of it, I don’t see how any good person could have much if any objection to what he said. In fact most of it sounds both:
A) Remarkably buddhist
B) All about teh luuuv.
sadly, as that book even warned about – the message will be misappropriated by the haters.
In this country, these haters either worship mammon, or have a deeply flawed understanding of the crux of Jesus’ message, or often, both.
And you know what? It’s sad. Because it IS a really great message, and it’s a smart message. The greatest human capital can be achieved through working together and forgiving and even loving each other.
Darwin said as much. To summarize (with tongue planted firmly in cheek): 1 Tiger + 1 human = cat food. 1 Tiger + 3 humans = a nice rug. We were wired to work together.
Sanctity of others is important.
And also, too: See the chinese and n. korean christians. Those people seem to grok it.
Leading me to believe:
Christianity is best practiced when the people around you are trying to kill you for it.
Christians in this country are far too comfortable. Christianity can NEVER be a dominant social class. Complacency and comfort causes it to unravel.
It’s pretty much that.
So now I prefer to use the phrase “Jesus fan” as opposed to Christian to describe myself, because the latter carries far too much baggage when wielded here, particularly in the US.
Joel
Gus Fring owns that place, right?
Culture of Truth
oh man they totally stole that slogan
Yutsano
@gaz: There’s only one in Bellingham. They won’t expand further because of our minimum wage law.
the dude
When I moved to the U.S. I did a double take at the sexual innuendo of some fast food chains: In-n-Out. Chick Filler.
Now I find out they are owned by evangelicals.
This country is always surprising me.
Rathskeller
@gypsy howell: I couldn’t find anything definite online, mainly just references on DU. Linda Bean, one of the heiresses, is a wingnut. When I was involved in anti-Operation Rescue work in New York back in the 80s, she was said to been funding part of it. Given that she’s donated to Ron Paul this year, it’s hard to imagine she’s changed her views.
Satanicpanic
@gaz: It just goes to show that if your words and deeds are well-known eventually people will come along and twist your words into something you would have hated, like every new law that people don’t like is UnConstitutional or the right’s ridiculous adoption of George Orwell as a hero. It’s just what unscrupulous humans do.
catclub
@gaz: Why read the EEO website and _then_ post when you can post and then read.
I _wish_ it was intentional.
Cheers.
gaz
@the dude: I attribute that to their nearly universal lack of self-awareness.
So it really doesn’t surprise me at all.
Another example would be the teabaggers. heh.
Culture of Truth
@Satanicpanic: Today Martin Luther King would be a conservative Republican!
gaz
@catclub: either way, were I keeping score, your comment would go in the win column. =)
Shinobi
I wish the chicken of bigotry was not so delicious.
GregB
@Culture of Truth: @Culture of Truth:
I love that trope.
I tell my wingnut friends that it was a badge of honor among conservatives to be against an MLK holiday.
Because he was a commie!
ruemara
@Mnemosyne: They are the only fundy business I know of that actually acts properly christian. And the only one I would work for. I see many gay and even trans people working there and I live in a tiny town. Ok tiny to me, I’m from NY.
gaz
@Satanicpanic: is it funny or sad that the bible said as much in revelations, for example? (The accuser [my preferred nom de plume for satan] is great at quoting scripture)
gaz
@ruemara: Actually, transgendered folk are pretty well accepted even in most conservative churches – though most of their congregants wouldn’t realize this – talk to the leadership.
They still are against teh ghey though, so if you are MTF you better be married to a man, if you are married at all.
It’s a little known fact about transsexual folks and the church.
I’m not speaking about drag-queens, transvestites, or my other “gender-queer” peeps. Just TS.
Nylund
Ahhh…but does Chik-fil-A print “John 3:16” on the bottom of every cup like In-n-Out?
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@gaz: Thomas Jefferson made said book. Now the wingers are trying to erase him from history.
Satanicpanic
@gaz: Back in John’s day there were probably people quoting the Code of Hammurabi to justify their ludicrous positions on stuff, so he knew in advance how the gospels would be used.
gaz
@Belafon (formerly anonevent): @Satanicpanic:
=) cheers.
Djur
@Rathskeller: Why Domino’s? Tom Monaghan sold it in ’98. It’s a publicly traded corporation now.
David Fud
@gex: This is true. Would have been a bit less churlish to say that the first time.
Sentient Puddle
@Joel:
Hardcore Bible-thumper would be a perfect front, wouldn’t it?
PurpleGirl
@Corey: They aren’t wasting their profits on the social action stuff — they give the money to the foundation and get a tax reduction for the money they put into the foundation.
Comrade Dread
The founder is a strong fundamentalist Christian who runs his business and fortune in ways he believes are comperable to his religious principles.
Simple solution if you disagree: don’t eat at his restaurants.
gaz
@Comrade Dread: I’m fairly certain that this is all anyone is suggesting here.
Or maybe I missed the comment about hurling molotovs through the windows of the joint.
The Other Chuck
@gaz:
Fred Phelps was a civil rights lawyer who did a lot of good work for Black people. Past tense though… monomania is a hell of a drug.
trollhattan
Made me look. I knew nuffin’ about them and yet, quelle surprise, there are three right here in
Sodomistan, er, my part of California. Here’s a guess: on Sundays they function as “preserve Prop 8” campaign offices.I wonder if they’ll last as long as the now-vanished Krispy Kremes? Southern fast food doesn’t seem to last heah.
Villago Delenda Est
OK, so Atrios’ first runner up is Fred Hiatt, grand poltroon of Pravda on the Potomac.
I suspect that the David Broder Memorial Wanker of the Decade will be held jointly by BoBo and the Moustasche.
Larold
It is very important that you all watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-msplukrw
Marcellus Shale, Public Dick
i never ate at a chick fillet, and i have no intention of it.
eemom
@satby:
Please tell your family member to check out pardonlaw.com and the resource guide written by its founder, Margaret Love. Met her last week — she’s a wonderful lady who devotes her life to this very issue.
gaz
@Yutsano:
I live near there now, but I never actually go there.
It’s like cracker barrel or the pottery barn made a city.
Bunch of old crocheting baby boomers pretending they are artists. Like kitsch was ever art. heh.
Bunch of crooked sheriffs there running the jails. Tazed some girl for reaching through the tray slot on her cell door, etc. Scumbags.
In short, it’s a town for shallow assholes, by shallow assholes. If I want to find a self-absorbed, racist, prius liberal, I only have to go a few miles north and throw a brick. (throwing bricks at them seems rather appealing on it’s face, actually)
Sad_Dem
I like the idea of gays lining up for the freebies, and announcing themselves after receiving freebies. Also there’s rubber-stamping money with a phrase like “gay money” or some such and using it to buy chicken sandwiches.
slag
This is fairly off-topic, but I got so excited I had to share: http://www.colorofchange.org/press/releases/2012/4/16/colorofchangeorg-and-root-announce-partnership-inc/
This is great for two reasons:
1. Voting!
2. ACORN!
I can’t wait to see how apoplectic the right goes over Van Jones’ CoC turning it up to eleven on the Wingnut Bogeyman Meter. Send out the O’Keefes!
Joel
@Djur: Their pizza.
gaz
@slag: CoC has been on fire lately! much love for that org
Ben Franklin
@gaz:
Bunch of crooked sheriffs there running the jails.
It’s not just Bellingham. Sheriffs are the bottom-feeders of Law Enforcement. They fail the profile for elite teams, and end up in Sheriffs, who will take just about anyone.
gaz
@eemom: awesome to know about that org. my church helps advocate for local convicts in a similar fashion. Unfortunately they only operate here, and in a backwater part of Honduras. meh.
Corner Stone
@slag: I was hoping the link was to a video skit, like funnyordie.com.
I’ve a feeling Van Jones has some serious comedic props if he just let them out.
Bubblegum Tate
@Mnemosyne:
Yes, the In-N-Out folks are Christians in the positive sense, not ‘Murrican Heartland Christians whose version of Christianity bears little to no resemblance to what the Bible says. There are several reasons why In-N-Out is the only fast food place I will eat at anymore, and treatment of employees is one of them.
gaz
@Ben Franklin: True enough, but our local sheriffs are actually something of a point of pride in our community here. Bellingham can do better, but they don’t * want * to.
Bellingham’s largest problem is over-gentrification, IMNSHO. And that tends to affect everything.
Corner Stone
@Sad_Dem:
What would they do? Say something like, “Oooo, these nuggets are gonna SO replenish my energy after some delicious gay sex!!”
Or maybe properly place the coupons in their briefcase and let the establishment know, “I appreciate these coupons. And so will my not female significant other. Thank you.”
slag
@Rathskeller: The Gap and all of its subsidiaries, anything made by Kraft and RJ Reynolds, and pretty much anything involved with PepsiCo (mostly because I think it’s crap). The list goes on… Really, though, being able to boycott is a privilege that I just enjoy taking advantage of whenever possible.
Brachiator
@Zandar:
With all the craziness going on, we may soon have new rules.
1. These stores don’t have to sell chicken to teh gheys.
2. These stores can “stand their ground” and claim to be frightened of teh gheys. All kind of nastiness guaranteed.
Corner Stone
For the record Zandar is evidently compiling, Chik Fil A has the unsurpassed level of customer service in fast food. And that is universal across their stores.
Their food is also always consistently of good quality.
In point of fact, in all my years of assholishness CFA is the only chain restaurant I have called the regional manager to let him know how consistently excellent I found a certain location to be.
KG
can’t we just boycott them because their food is terrible?
and hey, I’ve got family in Bellingham
ruemara
@gaz: What churches are you attending? Because I was raised fundy and have grown up around them and in various conservative churches. A trans would have been consigned to easily a year of demon chasing. More power to the congregations you’re referencing, but it ain’t that broad of a brush.
gaz
@Corner Stone: The bigotry is just an added bonus, amirite?
/snark
slag
@Corner Stone:
Oh man! That would have been exciting news! And hilarious. But the comedy will follow one way or another. Anticipation can only make it better.
Corner Stone
heh.
That’s all, just wanted to say that. heh.
waratah
I really do not like the food.
slag
@gaz: Agreed. I just hope that he and they will be able to maintain the tight ship they’re going to need in order to stay afloat. They better be battening down the hatches post haste.
gaz
@ruemara: St. John’s Episcopal church has some trans folks.
That’s not a church I belong to, but many of the missionaries/staff @ http://www.tierra-nueva.org/TNHome.html – the one I * do * belong to, were raised evangelical – extremely so. Including Chris Hoke (you can find him @ the link) who’s father was buddy buddy with the Billy Graham (yech – I know) – Chris was the was the first one that mentioned that to me. Total evangelical upbringing. Wealthy to boot. Family friends with the crazy right winger xtians even. Those churches while they won’t come out in support of TS – they look on it as a disability – some even think they can raise there kids a certain way, and it won’t happen – but they don’t try to convert TS folks – and they don’t eject them from the church, nor do they attempt to humiliate them or otherwise do 99% of the same shit they do to gays.
I have no first-hand knowledge of course. I wouldn’t set foot in one of those places – but I do trust my personal authorities on the subject – people who DO frequent such churches, and pay attention. YMMV. I’ve asked a few divinity school graduates about this as well.
JGabriel
I have never eaten Chick-Fil-A. I’ve never been to Chick-Fil-A. I have never even seen a Chick-Fil-A.
Growing up and living in the Northeast has its advantages.
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Pococurante
@Culture of Truth:
Word on the street the Vatican is pushing to renew copyright…
dww44
@RobertB: Our state legislature just passed laws mandating the display of various Christian precepts in courthouses and other public government spaces. Not likely that anyone in these parts (where the company was founded) is gonna go after Chick-fil-A for its violation of the religious test mandate to its hires.
@trollhattan:Krispy-Kreme is not a good comparison. Chick-fil-a started out here in the South as a mall only restaurant franchise about 40 years ago. They’ve expanded to free standing drive thru’s and continue to grow when other fast food places are standing still. They do have great customer service unrivaled by any other fast food franchise. The nearby Wendy’s have atrocious customer service, which is a shame, cause I like their fast food.
Chick-fil-A also does a booming sideline business in catering, primarily to business groups. Everyone knows how religious Truett Cathey is, but, sadly, he only mirrors the society at large in these parts, with its overt and in your face “religiosity”.
JGabriel
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Pococurante:
Seeing as the KJV is the Church of England’s translation, the Vatican may have some competition.
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Rathskeller
@Djur: That’s what I meant by “casual”, as in “I add it to the list, then never research it again.” It’s not like my friends & family talk about Domino’s, but I’m not proud of being casual about this, either.
Thanks for letting me know.
Larold
@slag:
I meant to post a summary to my link above. Apologies!
Here is a fabulous music video performed by one of the queens from the current season of Rupaul’s Drag Race:
If drag queens endorse Christian-right owned Chick-fil-A, is it still an endorsement? NOPE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO-msplukrw
EvolutionaryDesign
I just think it’s creepy that they say “My pleasure” any time you say thank you to them.
JWL
There’s nothing new under the sun. Al Capone ran soup kitchens, the Wild Bunch left ranches alone whose properties bordered their hide-outs, and the Pharaohs.. well, the Pharaohs didn’t kow-tow to anyone. But you get my drift.
Btom89
@satby: What would happen if he didn’t check that box? Is it better to be fired for forgetting to check that box, months after being hired, than never being hired? I don’t know the legal implications of any such action.
Corner Stone
@Btom89: It doesn’t really matter. For every job above min wage they run a cheap background check. It’s pretty much de facto for working joe’s positions’.
A few years ago people were quietly escorted out when it came back to bite them. Now it’s so cheap and so safe from a liability perspective that 90%+ of jobs just run a background check.
satby
@Btom89: I don’t either. I’ve wondered if he should not, but a basic background check would turn it up anyway, and a lot of businesses do that these days.
Chris
@gaz:
Here’s something from the Bible:
32 The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, as everything they owned was held in common.
33 The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all accorded great respect.
34 None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from the sale of them,
35 to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any who might be in need.
– Acts 4: 32-35.
That’s not the only quote in there that’s like that.
Yeah, it’s utterly impossible to be Christian and be… well, the way those who proclaim their “Christianity” most loudly (not just here but throughout time, it seems) are.
Sadly, Christianity and socialism followed a very similar path. Both were belief systems born among the lower classes and outcasts, which spread quickly among them by preaching a gospel of love, charity and universalism. Both of them ended up getting corrupted and twisted by the powerful into messages of hate, greed and bigotry – see “Christian” Rome and Byzantium and “socialist” Moscow and Beijing – to the point that the word today has a connotation for many people that would nauseate the original creators of the belief system.
asiangrrlMN
I’mma let you finish, Zandar, but I have to post this parody Chik-fil-A ad by three drag queens. CHOW DOWN AT CHIK-FIL-A, EVEN IF YOU’RE GAY! Well, don’t, actually, but it’s fucking hilarious.
I’ve never eaten at a Chik-fil-A and given their homophobic stance, I never will.
Karen
I’ve boycotted Chic-Fill-A ever since I found out how Dominionist (my new term for the Christian GOP so that doesn’t mix them up with regular SANE Christians) the foundation is and I don’t want any of my money going to that foundation. And that sucks because it tastes really good. >_<
I've boycotted Pro Life Pizza (Dominos) since the 80s.
I've also boycotted Pro Life Cookies (Mrs. Fields).
I know it means nothing. But at least I can sleep at night.
winona
I am a huge fan of Chick-fil-a. It’s actually become a bad habit because I go so much. It’s definitely starting to show in my figure.
There’s a big reason for that too… Chick-fil-a gets me every time with a few simple package deals and a quick upsell. Allow me to explain…
When I go through the Chick-fil-a drive thru, I have a tendency of either getting a chicken sandwich combo or the chicken nugget combo. The combos come with fries and a drink plus the entree.
In most cases, do I need a drink? Not really. I usually have a 2 liter in my fridge at home or I will stick with water. Why do I buy it? Because the package deal (the combo) ends up being more expensive if I were to buy the entree and fries separately…
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