CHICKEN BRUHAHA GETS BIGGER

I mean, seriously, if you want people to eat healthier, why push them to eat any fast food at all?

Ald. Joe Moreno (D-1st) said Wednesday that unless the company comes up with a written anti-discrimination policy, Chick-fil-A will not open its first free-standing restaurant in the city as it plans to do.

“They have nothing on the books that says they do not discriminate and they are open to everyone,” said Moreno, whose ward is on the Northwest Side. “I want to see that policy before they go forward.”
--Associated Press

Chick-fil-A Loyola Water Tower Statement
Attribute to: Lauren Silich, Owner/Operator, Chick-fil-A Loyola Water Tower 30 E.
Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
Since our opening last year, Chick-fil-A Loyola Water Tower has been
dedicated to serving all of our guests with honor, dignity and respect.
In response to the recent controversy regarding an additional location in
Logan Square and comments by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, I would like to invite Mayor
Emanuel into my restaurant to meet me, my husband Steve, and my management
staff.
We are a family of deep Chicago roots - my husband and I both came from
city worker families (teachers, police, laborers) and Steve is a city worker.
We are not a corporation - we are real people and taxpayers as each Chickfil-A franchise is independently owned and operated. We are Chicagoans who are
dedicated to serving our community. We hold fundraisers for hospitals, school,
fallen police and we donate to a wide variety of causes, including everything from
churches to gay and lesbian organizations.
We alone created 97 jobs this past year and our passion is building leaders
for future generations, regardless of sexual orientation or beliefs.
In addition to my personal invitation to Mayor Emanuel, we would like to
extend the invitation to any Chicagoan to visit and experience our Restaurant. We
will continue to serve our guests in the only way we know how – with great food,
exceptional service and a lot of fun.

I'm surprised that they'd set up shop in Canada.

Do you recall where it was? I've tried to locate it, but can't seem to find any in Canada.

I believe it was at the Eaton Center.

their name has been poisoned by their own brand of religious bigotry.

They are were probably one of the most successful fast food chains around here and have been growing steadily for years.

I posted survey data here. It will take some time before financial data supports the claim.

Only time and sales figures will tell. In the meantime those who feel that now is the time to make a statement are doing so.

And yet refuse to change.

When asked if he would prefer the company was in the news for other things -- the upcoming Daddy-Daughter Date Night, for example -- Cathy said he welcomed the discussion of marriage.

"It's been a really great thing for us," he said of the recent controversy. "We intend to stay the course. It's served us well. We don't mind being in the news for this.

Here’s the real issue. Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy’s family manages a charity called the WinShape Foundation, which dispenses millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations, including Focus on the Family. Where does that money come from? According to tax disclosures, the WinShape Foundation received $8,067,161 from Chick-Fil-A corporation and $11.5 million from CFA Properties, a corporate affiliate of Chick-Fil-A registered in Delaware in 2010.

What I should have pointed out in my first post is the relevant information that Chick-Fil-A reportedly “requires potential franchise operators to disclose their marital status, number of dependents, and involvement in social, church, and other organizations” and employees may be fired for “sinful” behavior. The company, which has been sued twelve times since 1988 for discrimination, is currently facing yet another lawsuit for alleged gender discrimination. Glenn Greenwald originally acknowledged that if Chick-Fil-A engages in discriminatory employment practices, then it would be perfectly legitimate to “take action against them.”

But my original point was that these Chick-Fil-A defenders missed the forest for the trees—the problem that LGBT activists have decried for years is that Chick-Fil-A uses its corporate profits to fund anti-gay media and lobbying campaigns, a fact well-documented by groups like Equality Matters. The CEO’s comments simply shed light on an issue that had been ignored by the mainstream press.

So first off, I’m glad Greenwald, who posted a response later in the afternoon, is now engaging in the substantive debate about how the company uses its general treasury to lobby, rather than the relative sideshow about what Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy believes.