Stopping the Hate

[Geee]

National Review:



There is exactly one Chik-fil-A in New York City. Which is striking, because New York City is big and lucrative, and Chik-fil-A is a big and lucrative brand. And, as I discover during lunch at its sole location on the New York University campus, it’s decently tasty, too. The menu is just what one would expect from the name: Chicken in various states of fry served on buns, with fried potatoes in various different cuts on the side, and pop and milkshakes for drinks. It’s cheap, quick, and charmingly kitschy, with a menu spare enough to limit the anxieties of choice.

This simple business model has made Chik-fil-A very successful — it is to the South what In-n-Out is to California — and its founder, 92-year-old Samuel Truett Cathy, very rich. Forbes estimates his worth at $1.2 billion. And he’s devoted his considerable wealth to a life of philanthropy. He has distributed more than $35 million in scholarships to help Chik-fil-A employees go to college, another $26 million to scholarships for students at Berry College, and another $18 million for foster homes throughout the United States. He’s been honored by the Children’s Hunger Fund, and won the Horatio Alger award and the William E. Simon Prize for Philanthropic Leadership, for his charity.

Incidentally, Cathy is also an enthusiastic Baptist, and one domain of his charitable giving reflects that fact. Chik-fil-A is closed on Sundays, includes religious language in its mission statement, and donates some money to causes like the Campus Crusade for Christ. Consequently, a meme has developed on left-leaning and pro-gay-rights websites in the past year that Chik-fil-A is virulently anti-gay. Since then, the nonagenarian Samuel Truett Cathy has gone from a noted philanthropist to a hate-figure — in two senses of the phrase — for many liberals, and has gotten a string of very negative press.
It’s become a prickly issue. The company will no longer take requests for comment regarding its donations, philanthropy, and political or religious activism. Cathy issued one statement when the controversy began to congeal: “In recent weeks, we have been accused of being anti-gay. . . . We have no agenda against anyone. While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees.”

[Saltbag]

Part of why I love Chik-fil-A is their founder and his clear commitment that his faith trumps potential business gains. I'd love to see more of it, but I have to admit it's a bummer when I get out of Home Depot on Sundays and can't get one of those chicken biscuits.

[righteousmomma]

This whole campaign against them is ridiculous. It is only because they are "Christian" and choose to honor Sunday as the Sabbath and thus give a family day to their employees. This family day is clearly and strongly explained in many of its stores' brochures. No where in any of the scores of Chick Filas I have been in over a dozen States have I seen any statement of belief or faith or doctrine or view other than in effect saying "we like to give our employees time with their families so we close on Sunday".

 

They are closed Sundays to honor God AND family over the almighty dollar. I am old enough to remember when all stores closed on Sundays for the same reasons.

[Valin]

[pollyannaish]

The good news is, that the power the owner serves is stronger than those who flail against it.