Unless you've spent the past few days watching nothing but porn on your computer, you should have noticed all the drama stateside surrounding Chick-fil-a, a popular fast food restaurant. The entire issue started when the Henson company pulled their Muppet toys from Chick-fil-a's children's meals. Henson's reasoning for their actions was because the Chick-fil-a chief executive stated that they personally "supported the "traditional family," and "the biblical definition of the family unit.""
And ever since then, things have gone batshit. From online protests on Facebook, to entire cities voicing their disapproval and threatening to ban the fast food joint, it's become a war.
To eat, or not to eat fast food chicken, that is the question.
Before this situation, my only qualms with Chick-fil-a were their absurd prices for a meal. Sorry, but I'm not going to spend $7 on a tiny chicken sandwich, a tiny box of waffle fries, and a sweet tea when I could get twice as much from any other fast-food restaurant for half the price. I'm a jew. I also like tacos more than chicken sandwiches.
Now seeing the aftermath of this situation, I think the whole ordeal is a bit ridiculous. People are ranting that if you buy from Chick-fil-a you are subsequently supporting the discrimination of gays. A line has been drawn in blood implying that we as a consumer society must choose between tasty chicken fried in peanut oil and an end to discrimination due to sexual orientation.
A lot of people on my Facebook news feed are equating this to when blacks were refused service at commercial places, but has Chick-fil-a ever denied it's services to a LGBT member? Not that I can recall. I'm pretty sure they want as much money as they can get. I mean, after all, THEY ARE A BUSINESS. Also, Chick-fil-a does not hide the fact that they are a Christian business. Hell, that's why they don't do business on Sundays.
While I do not agree with the opinions of the Chief Executive of the company, I also must acknowledge that they are just opinions. Business owners are allowed to be human too (although sometimes they seem like soul-less monsters), and we must not ignore the fact that they have the same free speech rights that we have.
So, to sum up how I feel? Regardless of whether or not Chick-fil-a supports gay rights, I'm still not going to buy their food. The fact that they don't support gay rights just gives me an excuse to tell my friends anytime they want to eat there. It's my opinion and my choice to not eat their food. It's your opinion and your choice if you want to eat there.
How do you guys feel about this?
I am a bit perplexed about what the controversy is about as well. I had heard about the Muppets backing out, but I thought the Chick-fil-a people had to have done something worse than honestly answering questions during a news interview. I guess it's the right of the Muppet folks to do business with who they want to... But on the other hand, I bet they sell Muppet toys at stores such as Walmart and Target who have products made in sweat shops overseas. Why haven't they pulled their toys from those stores? Do they condone horrible working conditions in countries like China and wherever? I suppose it may be possible to stop doing business with every corporation or company you believe supported a political stance that's immoral, or is involved in something dubious... but that would rule out nearly every corporation in America. Well..except our good friends at Google who are morally above reproach. Anyway, this article made my hungry. I can afford maybe McChicken...
ReplyDeleteExactly! Every corporation has skeletons in their closet. I don't think people need to be so extreme about it.
DeleteWhen I heard about this, my first thought was about why the hell fast food chains have to have an opinion on LGBT rights. I heard they donate a buttload of money to anti-LGBT organizations (which (1) those exist? and (2) what type of asshole keeps those running?). Our world is just ridiculous when puppets get in conflicts with fast food over religion/opinions/whatever this is. I've only eaten at Chick-fil-a once, there's none within a hundred kilometers of here and I don't plan on eating there again because I don't want to support their idiocy. Considering the ridiculousness of Chick-fil-a, I don't blame the Muppets one bit.
ReplyDeleteYou're not missing out by not having one nearby.
DeleteI honestly don't care. I like Chick-Fil-A, but rarely eat it because it is pricey, but just because they don't support gay rights isn't a reason to not go. If Tace Bell suddenly was all anti-gay rights I'd still eat there. I'm all for the gays and the chicken.
ReplyDeleteThis would have passed me by but someone pointed it out to me and told me the whole story. While I think that, okay, the guy has opinions that the rest of the world doesn't like, you're right. They are just opinions. If you're going to hate Chik-Fil-A, hate them because they make bad food (or so I hear. I don't think we have them). Don't hate them because of the opinions of one man. If they really were so disapproving that they wouldn't allow gay people to eat there (and I think that amazingly there are a few places like that) then hate them all you want. They would probably deserve it then. What I really don't like though is how it's been blown way out of proportion, and how it really is basically a war now. You have people saying that to show their support of this place whose name I hate spelling but really in the time it took to write that I could have written Chik-Fil-A, they're going to go and eat there to "make a statement". It's become political as well with Mitt Romney going there and tweeting about how good the food is. He did it so much someone actually said to him "We get it, you hate gays." But this isn't about Romney, this is about someone having an opinion and it being blown way out of proportion. I would say I'm amazed at how far it's gone, but I'm really not. When someone can sue McDonalds (and win) for making them fat, I'm not really going to be surprised anymore.
ReplyDeleteI've never eaten Chick-Fil-A in my life and I don't plan on starting. I don't eat much fast food to begin with, though, so I can't really say why I don't eat there in particular.
ReplyDeleteStill, it's kind of crazy how much opinions can affect the masses. This should be a lesson to everyone that voices matter, but be careful you have your facts straight and those separated from your personal beliefs.
And I know Target has been under fire for endorsing campaigns that do not support gay-marriage, and yet I still shop there for certain things because I think the quality is better than Wal-Mart.
I have never heard of them but, I suppose, whether they support gay rights or not, everybody dislikes some companies for different reasons. Though I suppose it would make more sense to dislike them for their food rather than what they believe in. x
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't really care what they support or don't support, I just liked their food. Also I like they way you opened this blog post. It really caught my attention, lol.
ReplyDeleteI hate chicken. But, that wasn't the question. :p
ReplyDeleteI think it makes sense that they support the traditional family because they do close on Sundays and they are an openly religious business! I mean come on now. It's not that serious. Many people support the traditional family that doesn't mean they hate or discriminate against gays. Ugh. People make a big deal out of little things and forget to worry about the bigger things. Sigh.