Chick-fil-A Sets the Record Straight

CitizenLink ^ | Sept 20, 2012 | Karla Dial

[fwdude]

In response to media reports that Chick-fil-A has agreed to stop making charitable donations to groups like Focus on the Family, the company today released a statement to set the record straight.

Contrary to reports first made by the gay-activist group The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA) on Tuesday and later picked up by mainstream media outlets, Chick-fil-A and its charitable-giving arm, the WinShape Foundation, did not agree to stop making donations to groups that support the biblical definition of marriage in exchange for being allowed to open a franchise in Chicago.

“For many months now, Chick-fil-A’s corporate giving has been mischaracterized,” executives said in today’s statement. “And while our sincere intent has been to remain out of this political and social debate, events from Chicago this week have once again resulted in questions around our giving. For that reason, we want to provide some context and clarity around who we are, what we believe and our priorities in relation to corporate giving.

“A part of our corporate commitment is to be responsible stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. Because of this commitment, Chick-fil-A’s giving heritage is focused on programs that educate youth, strengthen families and enrich marriages, and support communities. We will continue to focus our giving in those areas. Our intent is not to support political or social agendas.

“As we have stated, the Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect — regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators.”

According to a TCRA press release issued Tuesday, “In meetings the company executives clarified that they will no longer give to anti-gay organizations.”

That was the stipulation gay activists, led by Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno, made earlier this summer, after Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy said in interviews that he and his family are “guilty as charged” of holding biblical views on marriage. Moreno vowed to block the construction of the franchise unless the company changed its beliefs and stopped supporting “hate groups.” Moreno relented to the construction this week, spinning Chick-fil-A’s statement as a victory for his side — despite the fact that it was made before he denied the permit.

Moreover, many news agencies reported that Chick-fil-A had specifically agreed not to give money to Focus on the Family or the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). NOM said Wednesday it has never received money from the foundation. Focus on the Family has.

Some people were quick to criticize the 66-year-old chicken chain for “caving” to political pressure. Focus on the Family President Jim Daly said that’s not what happened.

“Dan and Bubba Cathy are my Christian brothers and good friends. They and their company have long shared Focus on the Family’s commitment to helping build strong and thriving families — and they have in no way deviated from that deeply held and biblically inspired passion while working with the city of Chicago to open Chick-fil-A restaurants there,” Daly said.

“I feel bad the Cathys are having once again to endure media accounts mischaracterizing their values and charitable efforts — and, unfortunately, I know how they feel. Focus on the Family has for 35 years been dedicated to saving and strengthening marriages, helping couples raise happy, resilient kids and encouraging and empowering men and women to advocate for God’s truth with Christ’s heart. And still, in stories like some of those about Chick-fil-A’s efforts to expand in Chicago, we are described as being ‘hateful’ toward certain groups of people.

“How is an organization that helps save one marriage every six minutes and helps parents navigate through a crisis involving their children every 90 seconds deemed ‘anti’ anything but ‘anti-family breakdown’?” he concluded. “That’s a question we would hope the media begins to ask with more regularity of those who disagree with us and with Chick-fil-A for bringing our Christian values to bear on the work we do in the public square.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Read Chick-fil-A’s statement of corporate identity and values.

[Cyber Liberty]

Daly should know, so I hope that’s the truth here. After reading yesterday’s PR from CFA, it sounded like a cave.

[buffaloguy]

If anyone wants to get hold of me next Wednesday I’ll be at Chick-Fil-A.

[Magnum44]

So all the knee-jerk reactions yesterday were premature?

Thats never happened before here...

[fwdude]

You mean the left and its lap dog media lied and distorted what CFA said - I am shocked I tell you.

It wasn't only the left, but the Chicago left, which takes leftism to a compounded level of insanity and militancy (if that's even possible.) As thingumbob pointed out, Chicago thuggery involves incessant, blatant lying, extortion, and pandering to a base so far out in left field, they have to enlarge the field.

[ReformationFan]

Remember, lying to the modern day leftist is always “justifiable” in their mind since they stand for “the common good”. I remember when we voted on how our state would legally define marriage, the anti-marriage forces lied and said the pro-man-woman legal definition would result in invalidating all marriages in the state in order to con some of the undiscerning into voting against it.

[xzins]

I agree with you. Sadly, these same reprobates are fighting to make their viewpoint the language of our law, so that any mention of the normal is automatically viewed as hate speech.

But, and I say this as a degreed family consultant and educator myself, that WinShape would NOT agree to “save the ‘marriage’ of a same-sex couple.”

Having been through a major secular university, I found myself on a serious hotseat on that issue. My response to them that I would not counsel such a couple to “save” their ‘marriage’ did not set well. Fortunately, one of their staff in the research department was a Christian, and we agreed that I’d just be up-front with such people from the get-go. I saw no problem with being honest with people. If they then chose not to continue with me, then that was their business.

[ReformationFan]

That’s because to the left, politics is their religion. Anything less than complete and total agreement and submission is “hatred” and “persecution.”

[Crazieman]

When the end goal is gubmint controlling the human being down to the DNA structure, everything is political. Including how often you breathe.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Wow. The homonazis aren’t even trying to be subtle with their propaganda any longer.

They label their group The Civil Rights Agenda so that their political agenda — which is one entirely of a chosen lifestyle — will be intertwined with the black civil rights movement of the 1960’s.

You can’t get much more blatant than that.

My question to the homonazis is this:
Why do you think you deserve special and extra rights that heterosexuals do not have?

Did you read that right?

Yes, you did.

The law and the cultural standard right now is that marriage is defined as one, unmarried adult man marrying by consent one unmarried adult female of a separate bloodline.

All of us heterosexuals live by that rule and do not contest it. Even if we don’t find someone of the opposite sex that we want to marry.

The homonazis are supposed to live by the same rules. But they want EXTRA rules. In addition to BEING FULLY ALLOWED BY LAW AND SOCIETAL MORES TO MARRY AN ELIGIBLE CANDIDATE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX, they want the ADDITIONAL rights of being able to marry someone of the same sex BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, not because they have to or need to or have some civil right to.

Do not accept their premise, as it is a flawed one.

And, yes, this is one of those arguments where the law of the slippery-slope is legitimate. If they say they can change the rules, then anyone can, and that opens the door to bigamy, polygamy, no age restrictions, no bloodline restrictions, and, yes, for those animal lovers out there, why not, they’ll say...

We really need to stand up against the homonazi lobby, because they are electing the Obammie-the-Commies of the world with the understanding that the communists/socialists will give them what they want.

[Liz]

Here's what really happened.

"I demanded Chick-Fil-A add hot sauce to its chicken
sandwiches and serve them w/ a side of sofrito,
in a banana leaf," said Alderman Proco Joe Moreno.

=============================================

Ho'bama has said nary a word abiout the controversy----but his ex-COS, CHICAGO MAYOR RAHM SPOKE OUT ABOUT "CHICAGO VALUES" wrt the Chick-Fil-a controversy......

Mayor Rahm danced into the controversy after Alderman Proco Joe Moreno (1st ward) publicly announced his opposition to Chick-Fil-A opening in his ward.

Mayor Rham chuckled while doing a graceful plie: "It's easy to do business in Chicago when you know 'the rules.' Chick-Fil-A can open in our town as long as it adopts 'Chicago Values.' "

(1) weekly cash pay off to the alderman;

(2) hire six of the alderman's friends who work only random days of the month,

(3) BIG AL from the Mayor's office picks up all cash in brown paper bags at CFA's back door,

(4) Chick Fil A staff trained to shoot 10-12 customers per month,

(5) Any CFA customers actually killed must be registered to vote as Democrats,

(6) $100,00 campaign contribution to Obama,

(7) free food to Jesse Jackson, Jr, who is now "convalescing," b/c he screwed up buying Obama's Senate seat.

=========================================

THIS JUST IN: The Chicago Ballet Ensemble announces that
Mayor Rahm Emanuel will debut in the presentation of a new
Chicago ballet: "The Godfather--Bang-Bang, You're Dead. "

Mayor Rahm in dress rehearsal.

[Jimmy4Toes]

I did not have breakfast at Chick-Fil-A this morning, simply because I cooked my own and did not have time to go.

According to the sodomite lobby, I must be supporting their cause.

So many FReepers "jumped the gun" on the bull-shit reports coming out yesterday without actually reading CFA's statement. Too many gullible people - that really surprised me.

[Will88]

I will try to refer to them henceforth as “THE OLD MEDIA”.

I'm hearing and using Lap Dog Media more these days, and that is very descriptive, particularly when it comes to political and social issue coverage.

[NEMDF]

I am surprised the MSM did not “authenticate” this news before airing.

[FrankR]

Good, but “T.O.M.” could also stand for “The Obama Media”

[henkster]

“That Cathy would meet with activist sodomites was bad enough, though.”

Jesus would have met with them. But he would have told them to stop sinning and seek forgiveness.

[BlatherNaut]

LOL!

[VikingMom]

Thank you for your response henster - you are absolutely correct and ALL posters here would do well to remember that “ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

While we may see some sins as more ‘serious” than others, we’re all awfully good at justifying our own while condemning anyone who commits one we find offensive.....that distorts the Gospel and has never done anything to win a lost soul to Christ!

[don-o]

Some people were quick to criticize the 66-year-old chicken chain for “caving” to political pressure.

Including a shocking number of posters on this board.

[Fester Chugabrew]

The gist of “you can’t legislate morality” is that you cannot instill civility/morality simply by making laws. For example, we can codify to our hearts’ content when it comes to killing the unborn, but that will not change the heart of someone intent on making themselves the ultimate judge of right and wrong and taking that life anyway.

[Lakeshark]

I'm happy to hear about this too, I had assumed (by reading thead titles) that they had caved.

Good news!