Chick-Fil-A : Can you Please Hold the Propaganda?

[stevenleser]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_steven_l_070809_chick_fil_a__3a_can_yo.htm
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August 9, 2007
Chick-Fil-A : Can you Please Hold the Propaganda?
By Steven Leser
It isn’t as if I missed the fact that Chick-Fil-A, as a result of its CEO S. Truett Cathy, had a strong religious bent. Most people familiar with Chick-Fil-A know that the store is closed on Sunday and that is per corporate policy that is religious based. So far, so good, I have no problem with that.

However, when a friend goes into a store and along with their meal is handed a video DVD by James Dobson of “Focus on the Family” infamy, a DVD which no less purports to tell a woman “how to be a good wife” they have gone too far. Focus on the Family is not just a religious group, it is a political one. As with many groups on the religious right, they seek to marry church and state and impose their views on the rest of the country.

In case anyone was wondering, this shared marketing between Chick-Fil-A and Focus on the Family is not new. According to Wikipedia:
Chick-fil-A has promoted religious groups via toys and CDs included in children's meals, much as movie studios promote new movies via McDonald's Happy Meal toys. These have ranged from including toys from the Christian television series VeggieTales in children's meals to including Financial Peace for Kids children's books by Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey and CDs from the Christian radio program Adventures in Odyssey, as children's meal incentives. The latter show is produced by the radio division of Focus on the Family, and typically heard on Christian radio stations.Chick-fil-A and Focus on the Family also have a history of cross-promotion. Chick-fil-A has also sponsored meetings by the group All Pro Dad; All Pro Dad is a group with affiliations with Focus on the Family via a group called Family First; Family First promotes a large number of conservative religious causes, including covenant marriage.
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I’m surprised such practices have not caught the eye of Liberal and Progressive groups before now. Again, the issue is not that Chick-Fil-A and its CEO are promoting a religion. They could hand out Bibles or Korans or anything like that if that is their desire. It is the promotion of a group like Focus on the Family that should earn Chick-Fil-A a boycott. Please spread the word. No Democrat/Liberal/Progressive should patronize Chick-Fil-A until they get out of the business of promoting the Christian Right.

[bunkerbuster1]

1. I never eat there

And I make sure that any sane/rational people I know who do, understand why I don't.

You'd be surprised at how many people honestly don't know that the company is owned by a Christofascist.

[asjr]

2. Well, I've always wondered if they

have their chickens blessed before killing.

[barbtries]

10. i had no idea

of course i know of only one outlet locally, in a mall, which i visit once or twice a year.

[beachmom]

19. In fast food, you can choose between a "Christofascist" or

corporate killing of our people through extremely unhealthy food. Chik fil A has healthier choices. Sorry, I find this issue a tough call. And I can't stand the religious right.

[bunkerbuster1]

27. I hear ya--I've been there (once) and found their wraps decent eats.

When we're on the road and looking for a bite, I'll tolerate fast food. Otherwise I try to avoid it all if I can.

[givemebackmycountry]

3. They opened one last year in Olathe, Kansas

Believe it or not, people were camped out overnight to be among the first to get a freakin' chicken sandwich.

To this day, the place is so busy, that at times there are still people lined up out the door.

To get a freakin' chicken sandwich.

Is it any wonder that Kansas is one of the most bat shit crazy states in the union?
If you don't believe me, ask proud2Blib - she'll tell you.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. That's just a small town thing I'd imagine

My in laws live in a small town in South Carolina and are always giving us the update on the NEW fast food restaurants they get in town. To them it is a sign of progress and it gives the residents a few more choices on where to eat. You can only eat out at Joe's Fish Camp so often before the catfish starts to get to you!

[marmar]

5. "people were camped out overnight to be among the first to get a freakin' chicken sandwich"

Please tell me that's a cruel joke......

[live love laugh]

26. "To get a freakin' chicken sandwich. " BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! n/t

[SSpeedracer]

6. Trade it for an ice cream cone

I'm an athiest and consider myself extremely liberal. I dont care for fried food. However, my kids love the place. On many occassions I've traded the toy for another. For awhile they had foreign language CD's that I thought were pretty cool. Kids however prefered exchanging the CD's for an IceCream cone.

I use opportunities like focus on the family to discus these ideas with my children.

My only concern with chikfila et al is the saturated fat and poor nutritional value. I also find it humorous to see a cow walking around promoting the destruction of chickens. Sureal.

[Harry Monroe]

15. Or use the DVD for a coaster

Or a frisbee. There are many ways to recycle.

[sinkingfeeling]

7. I haven't been in a Chick-Fil-A in more than a decade. My money won't go there.

[Enthusiast]

8. I've never seen a Chick-Fil-A

I've never seen a Chick-Fil-A restaurant here in Ohio. But, I would have taken that opportunity to smash the Dobson DVD on the spot. As my little personal protest.

[barbtries]

9. at least i'm still free enough

to skip eating there forever. thanks for the heads up.

[klook]

11. I've talked to 2 people who applied for jobs in their corp. office

Chick-Fil-A asks every interviewee to tell their "personal story." To anybody who's spent any time around Christian fundamentalists, that's code for witnessing their devotion to Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. And from what I hear, if you don't use this part of the interview to espouse your deeply held Christian convictions, they will not hire you.

Of course, they don't come right out and ask you if you're a Christian (or straight, or a Republican, or married), because they are smart enough to comply with the letter of the law.

One of the two job candidates talked about her Christianity and got hired. The other didn't, and got a form rejection letter. Of course you could never prove in court from these two cases that this is a pattern, but I have no doubt that it is indicative of their corporate policy.


The Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strip® Tray - Revolting? Or just unhealthy?

[beachmom]

20. thanks for your story, but their carrot/raisin salad IS healthy, and

their sandwiches are far less calories than comparable ones at the other fast food restaurants. I bet a liberal who found common cause in good health and having a day of rest on Sunday could talk their way in. SOMEBODY talked them into offering a PBS CD to offer to kids.

[KaptBunnyPants]

12. I didn't know he was that kind of "Christian".

That's a shame, I really like Chick-Fil-a. Mainly the waffle fries, the sandwiches are OK. Of course, it's impossible to be unaware of his religious beliefs while shopping there, but I never knew he was a theocrat. I just thought he was evangelical. And I also didn't know Veggie Tales was a Focus on the Family production. I shall have to stop eating at Chick-Fil-a's and continue hating Veggie Tales, but now with actual cause.

[Uncle Joe]

13. That's a bummer, I used to enjoy eating at Chick-Fil-A,

however any restaurant or business passing out Dobson's material to me, will not have a second opportunity.

Thanks for the thread stevenleser.


Kicked and recommended.

[NastyDiaper]

14. That hate-group and their Grand Wizard Dr. Dobson have a mouthful of Ghouliani already.

I'm surprised they can fit a chicken sandwich in too.

As for Chik-Fil-A, I'd probably have to see discrimination in employment or service to trigger my boycott alarm.

(ed i find klook's note above very interesting. seems like it'd be a pretty easy to get some proof for that.)

[jgraz]

16. Chick-Fil-A -- has there ever been a less appetizing name?

What, was "Flies on Vomit" already taken?

[beachmom]

17. That's strange. The only CD I received was Between the Lions (as in PBS)

It was great and it read children's books and songs about reading. It came with the kids' meals, where you can substitute fries for fresh cut fruit (not the icky canned kind). I also like that they're closed on Sundays. Where did this happen?

[beachmom]

18. And one more thing: Veggie Tales is very popular. I'm not into it,

but I think it's a waste of time to get worked up about Veggie Tales. As to James Dobson, well that sucks.

Still, given how much healthier their food is (believe me, I'm a Weight Watcher, and their food has less points), and how it does seem a nicer place for employees to work than the other fast food restaurants (they automatically get a day off every week), that's a tough call, when I'm stuck and need to get a quick meal for the family.

Culture war vs. health vs. employee working conditions. It depends on your priorities, I guess.

[knitter4democracy]

25. We like Veggie Tales around here.

It's funny, and the kids and I love it. Then again, we're Christians, so there's that.

3-2-1 Penguins is funnier, though. :)

[Raejeanowl]

21. I'm Personally Surprised

Is this propagandizing regional? As much as my own family members eat there, why have we never seen these handouts?. Believe me, I would have objected.

[stevenleser]

24. It is corporate policy to work with FOF to do this, but...

I have been written by people who say they see this all the time as well as folks like you who go and never see it. I'm not sure how the decision is made at the corporate level as to which restaurants receive the CDs/DVDs.

[ClintonTyree]

22. Never eaten there......

never will. There is one in Tulane's Student Center. My daughter used to eat lunch there frequently, until I informed her about their policies and politics. She never ate there again, neither did any of her friends. They are nucking futs!

Screw 'em. They'll never get one penny of my money.

[sarcasmo]

23. This Santa Jesus stupidity will directly lower their bottom line.

[tbyg52]

28. So far, so good, I have no problem with that.

I do, and always have, had a problem with that, because they are a business, not a church! I don't think what they do (being closed on Sunday, giving extras if you give them a church program) should be illegal, but I will not patronize a business that operates in this way, because they are trying to tell me what to do with my life, beyond just eating their chicken sandwich.

I would have no problem at all with businesses that made sure every employee had one weekend day off, or a reasonable distribution of work hours and days off. That would be great. But choosing Sunday has always seemed pretty arrogant to me--like that's the only holy day in the week!

The church program thing (maybe it was just the one near me, I dunno) *really* annoyed me. I have a few old Church of Freethough programs (it didn't last here, unfortunately), and I sometimes consider making a copy and turning it in to them for my fries, or whatever it was. Wonder if they would notice?