Monday’s news that the beloved fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A would no longer donate to organizations critical of the gay and transgender community left some with a bad taste in their mouth. Unsurprisingly, members of the militant Left, such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, continue their campaign of bigotry against the company despite the announcement. This was to be expected. Those who are determined to hold Christian-owned companies responsible for daring to possess “wrong thought” will not be satisfied.
While Chick-fil-A will never be approved of by those who despise the religious foundation of its owners, plenty of the company’s supporters were left disappointed by the supposed bowing down to secularism. After advocating for the successful but harshly criticized restaurant, its fans were bound to feel this way. But the overwhelming urge to ditch Chick-fil-A entirely, while tempting, is not only wrong but against what conservatives have been preaching for years.
In Chick-fil-A, conservatives and Christians see a company that represents the values they espouse. When schools, churches, and other businesses have been attacked by those touting a liberal agenda, Chick-fil-A stood as a bulwark, successfully ignoring calls to change. On Chick-fil-A’s behalf, its fans repeated “it’s just a chicken sandwich!” at detractors who view the company as a religious organization more than a success story of capitalism. Possible patrons have always been encouraged to focus on what they’re selling and the service they provide more than actions that take place outside of franchise locations. This line of defense makes sense, no matter which business is in the spotlight. Frankly, if we chose not to buy from a company because we disagreed with personal views held by or actions of the owners, our purchasing options would be very limited.
Despite the religious connections to Chick-fil-A, they are first, and foremost, a business that wants to be successful. This is what conservatives, proponents of the free market, must understand. No matter which location one visits, the goal is the same: Provide good products and service to as many people as possible, and by doing so, make a profit. At the center of the mission is the brand that’s being promoted. The company is keenly aware of the harm done to the brand through false smear campaigns. They have no control over how others react to them, but they can make transparent changes in an effort to possibly generate more interest from previously disinterested groups. And that’s what they seem to be doing.
In a statement released on their site called The Chicken Wire, the company explained that it would focus donation efforts on the areas of education, homelessness, and hunger. However, this does not mean they will never give to faith-based organizations as they address here: “Additionally, the Foundation will no longer make multiyear commitments and will reassess its philanthropic partnerships annually to allow maximum impact. These partners could include faith-based and non-faith-based charities.”
Chick-fil-A is a company that not only provides great food and stellar service but improves our communities and the people in them. A business that sets out to tackle education, homelessness, and hunger (and whatever else they choose) should be praised. They are giving back, not harming. Conservatives should be able to support that mission no matter how they personally feel about their changing donation structure.
This beleaguered fast-food restaurant is a business, not a church. It seems rather hypocritical for conservatives to shame Chick-fil-A for making their own decisions when they’ve defended them from the very same line of attack from leftists for years. The disappointment is understandable, but not enough to ditch them and the good they do.
I doubt that many people who have had a problem with Chick-fil-A will suddenly start eating there. Conversely, the majority of those who are bothered by their recent announcement will probably not boycott the chain. But the news serves as a great reminder to friends and foes alike: Both businesses and customers have freedom of choice.
In the end, it’s all about the product.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner‘s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
