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[from two years ago Tuesday, July 24, 2012] Right-wing food companies (Oh, the horrors!)
http://www.salon.com/2012/07/24/right_wingers_food_companies_salpart/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow ^ | Tuesday, July 24, 2012 07:39 AM PST | Lauren Kelley

Posted on 06/21/2014 9:53:00 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

These food chains are owned by far right-wingers who've funded conservative super-PACs.

For all the Oreo Cookies out there – companies that support gay rights, if only because doing so is good for business – there are plenty of food companies that have not come around on progressive social issues. In fact, a number of food companies are owned by far right-wingers who’ve spent significant money opposing gay rights, abortion rights, and other important causes and funding attack ads against left-leaning politicians.

The companies in question include many popular chain restaurants that you may eat at occasionally, or even all the time. It’s wise to know where your dining dollars are going.

To that end, here are five food chains that are helmed by owners who support right-wing politics.

1. Chick-fil-A

It won’t be news to many readers that Chick-fil-A’s owner is deeply entrenched in conservative politics and social issues. The chain has been in the news many a time for its owner’s anti-gay attitudes, in particular.

The latest Chick-fil-A hubbub has been especially high-profile. Chain president Dan Cathy, who is the son of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy, said in a recent interview with the Baptist Press that “as an organization we can operate on biblical principles.” Asked about the company’s support of the “traditional family,” Cathy answered, “Well, guilty as charged….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.”

Though Chick-fil-A’s attitudes were no secret, this was a bold statement. Unsurprisingly, a strong backlash led by gay rights supporters has ensued. (Meanwhile, the anti-gay side has been vocal in its support of the company.)

In response to the controversy, the company didn’t apologize, but it did spotlight its employee nondiscrimination policy and said that from now on it will “leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”

2. Carl’s Jr.

Carl’s Jr. founder Carl Karcher, who died in 2008, had been a supporter of anti-abortion causes for decades. In particular, Karcher was fond of funding the anti-choice group Operation Rescue. He also had a mean anti-gay streak as well. From the AP story that followed his death:

He was reviled by abortion rights activists for his contributions to anti-abortion groups and his oft-repeated story about talking a Carl’s Jr. employee out of an abortion. Gay rights groups dubbed his hamburgers “bigot burgers” after Karcher supported a 1978 proposition that would have allowed school boards to fire teachers who were gay or advocated homosexuality.

3. Domino’s Pizza

Like Karcher, Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan is an unapologetic supporter of anti-choice groups, including Operation Rescue, Right to Life, Priests for Life, and the Committee to End State-Funded Abortion in Michigan. (Domino’s itself has noted that it does not, as a company, support “either side of the reproductive rights issue.”)

Monaghan is a devout Catholic who also founded Ave Maria University. It’s said that he was inspired by a visit to the Vatican in the 1980s to found the Ave Maria List, an anti-choice PAC.

4. White Castle

White Castle joins Carl’s Jr. on the list of beloved burger joints with right-wing ties. According to a recent ThinkProgress report about companies that have helped bankroll right-wing attack ads, White Castle has given $25,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC, a group linked to House Speaker John Boehner that is supporting conservative candidates in the November election.

5. Waffle House

Waffle House (or Awful House as I used to call it growing up) is also mentioned in the ThinkProgress report. The breakfast joint has given $100,000 this election cycle to the Karl Rove super PAC American Crossroads. Mother Jones’ Tim Murphy reported on the donation:

This is surprising because one doesn’t normally associate Big Waffle with big scary super-PACs, but also not that surprising: CEO Jim Rogers Jr. is a longtime supporter of Republican causes, and the company’s political action committee has given exclusively to Republicans (in considerably more modest quantities). His ties to Romney date back to 2006, when he joined the finance team of Romney’s political action committee, Commonwealth PAC.

So there you have it. The next time you go out to eat at one of the above restaurants, know that your burger and waffle dollars might eventually end up funding anti-gay, anti-choice or other conservative causes.


TOPICS: Conspiracy
KEYWORDS: abortion; boehner; homosexualagenda; liberalfascism; moralabsolutes
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Lauren Kelley is the activism and gender editor at AlterNet and a freelance journalist based in New York City. Her work has appeared in Salon, Time Out New York, the L Magazine, and other publications.
1 posted on 06/21/2014 9:53:00 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“progressive social issues...” Is that another way of saying legalized baby-killing?


2 posted on 06/21/2014 9:54:22 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement ("World Peace 1.20.09.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Funding the far-left is just “good business” but having the opposite opinion is some sort of crime.


3 posted on 06/21/2014 9:54:42 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The ditzy lib sounds as though she has a real problem with freedom and capitalism. You know, America.


4 posted on 06/21/2014 9:55:19 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Feed the wacko enrviromentalists to the starving polar bears.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Carl’s JR? conservative?

Seriously?

As a conservative Christian I never eat there simply because of it’s horrendously anti-moral ads


5 posted on 06/21/2014 9:56:52 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Legalized baby killing and government approved sodomy!


6 posted on 06/21/2014 9:57:04 PM PDT by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thanks for the pro-baby-killing Sodomite’s recommendations. I promise to patronize those establishments more often.


7 posted on 06/21/2014 9:57:44 PM PDT by MuttTheHoople (Ob)
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To: GeronL
What is so immoral about attractive people eating tasty food?
8 posted on 06/21/2014 9:58:53 PM PDT by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: GeronL

I don’t eat there because seriously, how hard is it to fix a western bacon cheeseburger, hold bun, sauce and onions? No, I don’t want lettuce or I would have ordered lettuce.


9 posted on 06/21/2014 9:59:57 PM PDT by porter_knorr
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I had Chick-fil-a yesterday.


10 posted on 06/21/2014 10:00:03 PM PDT by freerepublicchat
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To: GeronL

I worked at Hardees as a teenager, which is now the same company, it seems. You’re referring to the Paris Hilton and similar commercials? Their demographic is young males age 14-34, IIRC.


11 posted on 06/21/2014 10:03:01 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thats it, Five? All in a hissy over five. Lady is a joke.


12 posted on 06/21/2014 10:03:35 PM PDT by MaxMax (Pay Attention and you'll be pissed off too! FIRE BOEHNER, NOW!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m surprised the article didn’t mention In-N-Out, especially when the food packages used by In-N-Out specifically mention certain lines in the Bible.


13 posted on 06/21/2014 10:05:53 PM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's economic cure)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Too bad, it’s smut as far as I am concerned.

The opposite of “conservative”


14 posted on 06/21/2014 10:08:19 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: freerepublicchat

There’s at least one Chik-Fil-A in the Atlanta airport. They don’t jack up their prices. CFL is the best! We stop there every layover.

Love their spicy Chx sandwich. Employees are fun, friendly, and efficient. Good food and class act all around.


15 posted on 06/21/2014 10:08:33 PM PDT by Boojum
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Free speech for me, but not for thee.


16 posted on 06/21/2014 10:08:57 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Same thing with Weinersnitzel or however it’s spelled. I stopped eating there with their offensive ads.


17 posted on 06/21/2014 10:09:24 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Uh oh, I think a couple of those are owned by Mormons.


18 posted on 06/21/2014 10:09:54 PM PDT by laplata (Liberals don't get it .... their minds are diseased.)
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To: Jim from C-Town

You think that’s the problem??


19 posted on 06/21/2014 10:10:05 PM PDT by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: MuttTheHoople

“Thanks for the pro-baby-killing Sodomite’s recommendations. I promise to patronize those establishments more often.”

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

And remember to not spend a dime at Costco, Progressive Insurance, or any Hollywood movie.


20 posted on 06/21/2014 10:10:32 PM PDT by Eccl 10:2 (Prov 3:5 --- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding")
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