By SUZANNE DOWNING
A three-year-old video of a Chick-fil-A executive discussing race relations surfaced this week, thrusting the fast-food chain into an undesired spotlight alongside Bud Light, Target, J.Crew, and Disney.
In the video, Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy shares thoughts on Christian repentance and the need for an “apologetic heart” concerning black Americans. He suggests that white Americans should “pick up the baton and fight for our black, African-American brothers and sisters.”
Filmed during a particularly tense period, as Black Lives Matter violence and looting swept across America, Cathy knelt to shine the shoes of Black Christian rapper, Lecrae Moore.
This act mirrors the biblical story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, a not-unheard-of practice in the Christian race-reconciliation movement. The poignant symbolism of washing the feet of those who may harbor anger and resentment toward your race is powerful.
Yet in 2023, this reconciliatory video encountered a metaphorical guillotine. Public frustration with ever-shifting corporate “woke” ideologies has prompted some conservatives to call for a boycott of Chick-fil-A — a chain they helped elevate to the third-largest restaurant chain in the country, behind only McDonald’s and Starbucks.
Critics contend Chick-fil-A has entered the culture wars by also hiring a vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion, which some perceive as a departure from merit-based employment and a surrender to the “woke” agenda.
However, Chick-fil-A has been simpering for liberal approval for over a decade. Since its inception, the Chick-fil-A Foundation faced vehement criticism from LGBTQ advocates for donations made to pro-family organizations like Focus on the Family, National Organization for Marriage, and even the Paul Anderson Youth Home. Under pressure, Chick-fil-A caved.
In 2019, ThinkProgress chastised the Chick-fil-A Foundation for donating to two Christian groups supporting traditional marriage: Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The foundation capitulated and ceased donations.
Over the years, boycotts from those opposed to the company’s Christian leanings, even attempts by elected leaders to block franchise openings, have targeted Chick-fil-A. Yet the brand has grown and now boasts over 2,500 locations. Only Alaska and Vermont lack a Chick-fil-A franchise, with Texas hosting the most locations — 471 stores, comprising 16% of the company.
Ironically, sales would often skyrocket on days when a boycott was called, with customers queued for blocks to buy a breaded chicken sandwich. Like Budweiser, Chick-fil-A had become as American as apple pie, with conservatives expressing their support through their wallets.
Nevertheless, Chick-fil-A is not invincible to consumer discontent and should brace for a protracted battle with Americans who are looking to economize their hard-earned dollars.
Anheuser-Busch is a case in point. Since Bud Light partnered with transgender Dylan Mulvaney, the company’s stock price has plummeted over 18% within a month. It might take years to recover, if at all.
Similarly, Target is investing in security near its Pride Month displays, while consumer resentment appears to be escalating. This week, JPMorgan downgraded Target’s stock to “neutral,” citing growing concerns over the company’s waning fortunes. This marks Target’s longest losing streak since 2000.
Disney is also under fire after hiring a man dressed as a “fairy godmother apprentice” to guide girls into a boutique on its property. Disney’s stock has plummeted.
Chick-fil-A, Bud Light, Target, and Disney are not the only brands provoking Americans’ ire. Kohl’s has come under criticism for marketing infant clothing adorned with “Pride Progress” flags. These companies have become emblems of a cultural trend that at least half of America deems detrimental to the very survival of the nation.
Perhaps June is now the month to spend quality time at home with our families and reconsider funding companies that dismiss our values. After all, we’re increasingly hearing that every time you leave the house, it costs you $100. Save money, spend time with your family. And here’s a practical note: You’re likely to need those savings later this year, considering the precarious economic climate America is in.
Suzanne Downing is publisher of Must Read Alaska.
I guess I’ll have to boycott CF. Only one problem: I’ve never been to one.
Supporting companies that despise your way of life could be called assisted suicide. Avoid these companies like the plague, because that’s what they are.
Better than avoiding them is to destroy them. We need elected officials that are willing to clear out all the trash and bring back America as it should be. No more of this “diversity equity and inclusion” crap. Vote red or America is dead.
If you mean red like Lisa Murkowski you need to recalibrate your advice.
25 years ago, all of this babble was referred to as “White guilt,” by liberals and the media. But just one generation later it has become the product of
“total indoctrination.” Welcome to the new, budding communist America.
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American voters still vote their pocket books. Don’t use the products and services of woke businesses and corporations. And, never vote Democrat or RINO. The message of conservative, “retransformation” will eventually take hold when enough of us have had enough of this garbage.
Thank you, Suzanne, for another great column.
“…. when enough of us have had enough of this garbage?” When enough Jews in 1941 Germany finally “had enough,” it was too late.
I would not boycott them, but No chick fil A in Alaska anyway. I’d like to boycott all the others, but I never shop there or go to Disney in the first place. Can’t afford Disney!
All of the wokeism being displayed is designed to cause more bad feelings between humanity. We are all born with love in our hearts. Unfortunately, many have been taught to hate and continue to push their hateful teachings. Where are hollyweirdos these days? Why aren’t they all singing, “Love will build a bridge?” Why are celebrity’s pushing lab grown celebrity meat? Do people realize this is in your face canabalism? Why are they pushing eat the bugs? Hollyweirdos are all part of the big club and must answer to their puppet masters just like Biden. All major corporations have been infiltrated. Go look at the list of corporations which are members in the WEF. These monsters must not be allowed to enslave the world. Cloud seeding/weather modification is the true climate change hoax. Everyone knows that plants use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis to convert it to oxygen. John Kerry and other leaders telling farmers to stop growing crops is going to cause mass starvation. Did you see evil Bill Gates (king of poison jabs and GMOs) laughing in the background when John Kerry discusses stopping farming in the U.S.? Both of these evil bastards fly around the world in private jets pushing their lies and are hell bent on destroying humanity. It is time for ALL people to wake up and say NO to all evil!
” We are all born with love in our hearts.” Where’s your? Your rant is full of hate.
Paolo, like the clueless radical leftist that you are, you confuse righteous anger and indignation for so-called “hate”.
The REAL hate emanates almost entirely from the rigidly intolerant, dogmatic and cult-like radical leftist extremists such as yourself.
Amen
My last employer had a CFA in the hospital cafeteria it wasOK, but not great. A backup choice for when the rest of the food was tooawful!
LOL “rigidly intolerant, dogmatic and cult-like” describes right-wingers to a T. And can you please come up with something a bit more original (and accurate) than “radical leftist”?Thought not.
If the radical leftist extremist shoe fits — and it most adamantly DOES fit — they wear it.
Why do you hate America and the American way, Mr. Estrada, and why can’t you just accept that you’re lucky enough to be here in the first place without trying to drag us down with your corrosive cultural marxism and your loathsome whiny ignorance?
Just what exactly is wrong with you, Sonny, and why would you imagine that decent Americans would be okay with your Globohomo Industial Complex garbage?
From poem on Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” This country’s greatness and true genius lies in its diversity.”
So there I was, trying to nicely lament the grotesque spread of corrosive cultural marxism and loathsome whiny ignorance, and, almost as if I’d called your name, Maureen, you’ve come stumbling into the discussion with a vile pile of both and you’ve actually tried to pass it off as somehow or another meaningful.
Y’know, that disgusting mess you’d posted wasn’t original equipment on the Statue of Liberty at all when the French graciously gifted it to our wonderful republic back in 1886.
Instead, it’s a subversive commie stain from un-American marxist scum Emma Lazarus and it didn’t disgrace that beautiful statue until 1903.
You’re spewing ridiculously skewed history, Maureen. Nobody wants somebody else’s “wretched refuse”. We need to have much higher standards than that. Please pull yourself together.
Aunt Sally for the win!
Speaking truth is not an expression of hate.
I believe you’re onto something Suzanne. I’ve boycotted California for almost a decade now. I don’t particularly like Chick-fil-A sandwiches. I don’t buy Smithfield hams anymore since China bought them. I prefer Coors beer.
This has all turned into a backfire of sorts for these companies. Americans have had enough of their crap. Black lives matter as I read the other day turns out they only spend about a fourth of their money on actually helping black families. The rest of the donation money goes to administration similar to the Clinton foundation. I never did anything to black people so I don’t have anything to be sorry for. I have had racial attacks against me because I was white but that was a long time ago before I got the gumption to fight back. I think it’s time to take back America and apparently most of the country agrees with that. They’re free to put out their rainbow flag and oh there commercialization as a way of trying to help their bottom line. As they found out, they can’t make a dime without us. The diversification people don’t have that much coin. Every chance they get on TV shows, the writers and producers take advantage of a gay situation and the person makes notice about their partner or their other person they have at home depending on what letter of the alphabet they are. I believe they think that if they keep putting it out there it will soon become old hat and accept it in America. I think by their ratings there soon finding out that they are the next to go down the tubes of unacceptable behavior in America.
Consumerism isn’t what my life is all about. My family has never been one to “keep up with the Jones” or run out and buy the latest fad. It’s not like I was already shopping at Target, buying Bud or eating out at restaurants. And things have certainly been a lot tighter the last few years. I don’t think we’re the only Alaskan family like this, either. 😉
How about WalMart? LOTS of PRIDE clothing and stuff there.
This is the gimme era. Pakistan wants the US to pay them reparations for climate change, forgetting that Pakistan was founded in 1949 to give shelter to Muslims, and no group has done better proportionately from petroleum than Muslims. Africans want the US to pay them reparations from climate change, and they also want to bump the line for emigrating to America even as American Blacks want reparation for slavery, and for living in America – perhaps forgetting that the United States has been unable to win a war since the US Armed Forces were integrated. As a matter of fact the entire southern hemisphere wants compensation from US taxpayers, and the IRS awaits its share of your PFD.
So no one is surprised that homosexuals, pederasts, people who are confused as to what sex they are, Black Lives Matter members, and farmers singled out for having sex with their animals are all appealing to Democrats for compensation. If Biden wins re-election next year, and if the US House of Representatives loses its thin Republican Majority, I have no doubt most of these complainants will receive payment. If Putin throws in the towel we should also expect to see the US taxpayer compensating the Russians. In the meantime the people Alaska chooses to send to Washington, DC will continue to mysteriously become wealthier. And the newest and cutest (ever, maybe) Permanent Fund trustee is headed to Germany but the split between the PFD and state operations was 25/75. One has to laugh.
It’s not practical to boycott them all. Disney, especially, has hooks everywhere. Amazon as well.
Wal Mart is just as bad. So is most every retailer in America. Most just aren’t as stupid as Bud.
People will eventually go to the lowest price out of necessity in these economic days.
What can be done is to avoid shopping with these places as much as possible. Spend dollars with people you trust, provided you can find alternatives. Long term, start our own businesses and network to each other.
Something else is to pick one or two, say Bud and Target, and freeze them out cold. If we can cripple one or two, the rest might learn.
Might.
Don’t forget Coors.
Everyone contributing to a retirement account is indirectly funding the ESG and DIE movements. Index funds allow financial institutions to buy and hold corporate stock with your money, which let’s them control company policies and the board of directors at these companies. Vanguard, Blackrock, and State Street are the most famous examples of this.
ESG and DEI at full strength now. Corporations are willing to accept the consequences of consumer furor so as not to offend the Liberals and Globalists. This would trigger banks and insurance companies to enact sanctions on those who won’t comply. It also separates out the conformists and non conformists.
Avoid Alaska Air when possible. Don’t consume Budweiser. Stay away from Target. Don’t go to Disney World or Disneyland. Buy gas powered automobiles and trucks……big ones. Do not purchase Heinz ketchup. Stay clear of the Anchorage Daily News.
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Support conservative talk radio and great writers like Suzanne and her skilled guest contributors.
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Support your own people.
Not “woke”—-Just “folk”
Si, se puede we CAn boycott them all. Go Galt!!
> Can we boycott them all?
Yes we can. Why should we support those who hate us and would seek to oppress us?
Know this. When you take something away, something else replaces it. Have faith in that. And frankly, if you are right with God, your family, your church, your friends, you are in a place where you need very little. And it is a joyous life.
Come on folks. Chick Filet I close on Sundays because of their Christian values. There has been a change of leadership and all know the younger generation of rich families are never as conservative.
I am going to give Chick Filet a pass for now but they better get it together!! Their growth was because they once stood for our traditional values. This other companies no so much. Perhaps the Shepard will draw them back where they once were.
You can avoid them all by shopping at Walmart. Now if Walmart goes woke…
Walmart will stand firm on its Pride Month collection despite rivals Target pulling some merchandising in the wake of customer backlash.
‘https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12149197/Walmart-REFUSES-make-changes-Pride-Month-merchandise.html
WalMart has long sold LGBTQ+ items, and not just during June Pride month, either. Their marketing department confirmed in May that they will continue to sell Pride items in 2023.
The word “boycott” is sexist!
As well as being racist, transphobic and anti-non-cisheteronormative.
Oh the infamy!
How?
Life is short. I see we, as Americans, all could de-clutter a lot of our treasures, and begin shopping less before thanksgiving and Christmas comes. If you think you can wait and expect to spend less on these two important days, you can’t! There’s nothing wrong not buying some random thing for everyone you know at Christmas. There is nothing wrong giving less gifts like one gift per child. Children and families don’t need a mountain of gifts under a tree to be happy. Actually! If you are a Christian, associating gifts and celebratory decorations with Christ at Christmas and Easter is setting up your children to continue idol worshipping, and life is getting really too short to cause this generation of youth to mess around with idols, thinking they have time to find christ, while our Lord is just around the corner. We don’t have much time, we less time than those in the 1950s. We should be smart with spending and gift giving like some if someone needs something give them something they need. If they don’t need anything buy a specialty floral arrangement or sit and enjoy their time, or buy a newer car, or musical instrument and lessons, or pay for a single parent’s child’s dance, sport, or music lesson especially if you have no more children or that single parent is your family member when you seen how hard that parent works. Be smart buying gifts, it should be an investment, practical , and you see a return either back to you for someone else
Solid.
AND do absolutely everything you can to figure out how to support a ‘local’ in the acquisition process!
Best to give gifts year round.
Alaska military base! https://notthebee.com/article/authorities-nap-chinese-spies-disguised-as-tourists-trying-to-break-into-military-sites
https://mustreadalaska.com/chinese-spies-posing-as-tourists-are-in-alaska-usa-today/ – sd
How ’bout to begin with we boycott, by action, the Anchorage Assembly and Peltola, who support all these ‘woke’ principles in practice by nefarious means. Businesses will take heed.
They haven’t so far. What makes you think the Politburo will listen now? Especially after so many of them were re elected.
Don’t forget The North Face. They have an ad with a freaky trans named Patti Gonia. Google it.
THE HORROR!!
Add Hersheys products to your list to boycott as I have! They tried shoving the HER bar down our throats. I ended my relationship with them immediately and eat BETTER chocolate. Boycott it all…. They will go broke!
Yeah, can get better chocolate bars from AK Sausage and Seafood(German) and the European Store on 36th street. Alot of the chocolate is from Germany, Eastern European,(Croatia, Slavakia,Poland, etc..etc) not Russia..At least you can avoid Hersey’s and the European chocolate doesn’t have all the artificial sugars etc (not allowed in Europe).
Just remember Target provides relief organizations with local donations and funding. Since 2001, they have partnered with Feeding America in their fight to end hunger in the U.S. They donate millions of pounds of food each year, providing millions of meals to families in need. They bolster communities. they provide access to a full banking institution through their credit union membership, help to save for retirement through the TGT 401(k) plan with matching contributions up to 5% of eligible earnings and offer a 10% team member discount on merchandise, with an additional 20% discount on wellness items at Target. What’s your plan to pick up that kind of community support for workers and people in need?
If we don’t support this corporation people will suffer and starve? Are you kidding ( I mean gaslighting) me?
And your point is…?
Any organization that wants to keep people will provide similar perks when possible. And will happily donate to charity for the juicy write offs.
To be mean and Darwinian about it, if they (they staff) need these perks so badly, they need to get training in something besides retail and advance their careers. Hilary said coding is good.
Using this logic, since Hitler genuinely loved dogs, he should have been left alone.
Your position, while perfectly valid, is based on emotion.
When I see state and federal office buildings (or anyone else for that matter) flying the queer flag on the same pole as the American Flag it make me realize just how sick this country has become under the current leadership. That queer flag belongs nowhere near any federal or state building, and especially not on any flag pole flying the American Flag. These mentally ill people have no respect. This “in your face” insane BS is having the opposite affect on millions of us normal folks. The harder they push just reinforces the fact these folks are mentally disturbed. Nothing they do or say will convince me otherwise.
Don’t forget ABC (now part of the Disney conglomerate). Just this week they aired a special promoting the 1619 project, which is the core of the Critical Race Theory BS.
I go to Target for their loss-leaders (as I do at most stores), as long as you’re thrifty with your shopping, you won’t be supporting the corp, just yourself, with frugal decision-minded purchases. I shop Targets sales, mostly dogfood, toilet paper, and paper towels. If I drank Bud and it was cheap I’d probably buy that too-only at rock bottom. If Disney dropped its price by 80%, and I was in the area, I’d give it a whirl and jump on the back of the Avatar. Now if you want to witness a single mom in go-go boots Target is the place (for want-to-be hipsters) to a certain extent (at least marketing-wise), but that’s another story. Political statements I keep out of my household budget.
Christians are called to speak the truth in love. That doesn’t mean capitulate to the lie of wokeism or kneel to the corporatocracy. Mr. Cathy is warping the meaning of what Jesus did to set an example for his disciples. He washed their feet to set an example that the master is no greater than the servant if they are serving the Kingdom of God. Read John 13:10-17,
Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore, He said, “You are not all clean.”
So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
In context, Jesus was setting an example for servants of God, because it was an act of humility and love towards another servant of God. No servant of the lord is greater than another. It does not mean you condone people pushing an agenda by washing their feet and hugging them. Treat them with the respect you would expect yourself, but that is it.
One correction to this story. “Chick-fil-A, Bud Light, Target, and Disney are not the only brands provoking Americans’ ire.” should read Chick-fil-A, Bud Light, Target, and Disney are not the only brands provoking MAGA and the GOP crazies ire.
You seem nice. Hate much?
Where’s the like button?!
Too bad if the neighbors are upset if we dig up the lawn in the backyard to plant potatoes. Once those cut-up eyes from seed potatoes are underground, just let nature take its course, so long as there’s no potato bug infestation, or too much rain and there’s potato rot.
A friend just returned from arranging for a road to their property out of state to find a loved one overdosed on his antipsychotic and had been down a few days, blood clots in his legs and heart, and rhabdomyolysis — will take time to recover, and it’s touch and go right now.
Seems as human beings we’re all a part of someone’s craziness. If we can keep our wits about us … .
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