This past week, Chick-fil-A stirred up a bitter dispute over the highly controversial topic of gay marriage. The fast food restaurant chain received both acclaim and animosity nationwide after Chick-fil-A president and COO, Dan Cathy, disclosed his views on families and marriage.
On July 2, in an interview with the Biblical Recorder, Dan Cathy released the following statement: “We are very much supportive of the family— the biblical definition of the family unit… We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”
Cathy’s statements fueled the fire of a national debate and was met with much opposition. The Jim Henson Company, which had entered a partnership with Chick-fil-A to market kids meal toys, subsequently severed their ties with the latter, in response to the interview on July 2. The company stated that all payments from the former alliance would be donated to Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). Thomas Menino and Edwin M. Lee, mayors of Boston and San Francisco respectively, voiced their disapproval of the matter through public statements and Twitter. Menino aspired to forbid Chick-fil-A from opening franchises in Boston “unless they open up their policies.” Edwin M. Lee followed suit and tweeted, “Very disappointed #ChickFilA doesn’t share San Francisco’s values & strong commitment to equality for everyone.”
In response to the ongoing controversy, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee initiated August 1, 2012 as national “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” Huckabee encouraged supporters of the chain’s stance to dine at their nearest Chick-fil-A establishments in an effort to counter boycotts from gay marriage supporters.The former governor described the goal of the day, , “Let’s show that people are still Americans and that even Christians can take a stand for what they believe in without being punished economically.” Record breaking sales were complimented with a vast show of public support as thousands of hungry customers flocked to restaurants nationwide.
Gay activists took to Chick-fil-A restaurants at the “Kiss-In” event on August 3, 2012, in an effort to retaliate. LGBT individuals arrived to display acts of affection in public. Although the kissing demonstration attracted interest from the media and citizens, the crowd was sparse compared to the numbers of attendees of national “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”
