I’m sure there are lots of things I spend my money on that funds something that would offend me. I pay taxes, after all; I drive a vehicle that burns petrochemicals that come from countries which have abysmal human rights records and I use natural gas likely fracked from some poor schmuck’s backyard who’s drinking tapwater that ignites while he gets raped by the energy corporations; I buy clothes made in third-world countries and electronics that result in pollution at both ends of their life cycles; I buy food that originates at corporate farms that ignore sustainability. I’m under no illusion that I can avoid funding things I don’t believe in, although I do try. I don’t control the flow of money once it leaves my pocket. But damn it, when I’m hungry for a delicious chicken sandwich, I’m going to go to the people who serve a very good one to me with a smile and familiar greeting. When I find an alternative that can provide me with a comparable product and service, I’ll probably take my business elsewhere. But they better be within walking distance of my work.
Since when it is only okay to mention a company’s contribution to the labor market if they don’t support organizations you don’t like? I happen to like the people who work at Chick-fil-A (some of whom know me by name) and they seem to be pretty happy to be working there. I’ve been told their pay scale and benefits are slightly better than many fast-food employers though I cannot confirm that. I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if it were true, though. IME, their turnover is significantly lower in my area.
I am sorry that Cathy is a dick, though, but I’m pretty confident that time will have a way of compensating for his dickishness, no matter how much he throws at those who share his hateful Christian convictions. I can only hope the chicken doesn’t suffer much.
The best part about fast food threads on the SDMB is that nearly every poster has a disclaimer about how little fast food they eat. That’s if they admit to eating any fast food at all.
Personally, I don’t know what this “Chick Fil A” stuff is.
But then I haven’t had fast food in nearly 47 years. In fact, I’ve only been to one fast food joint in my entire life, and that was because I was forced to go at gun point.
Had a side salad and a glass of water. Ran home too.
If it turned out that Co. (because I can’t spell “kernel”) Sanders was the chief Nazi and archeritect of the Holocaust, or maybe even Hitler himself, somehow smuggled out of Argentina and morphed into the bow-tie wearing chef, I’d still eat the fuck out of that chicken! Goddammit, its good! And don’t get me started on the coleslaw! Just don’t bogart it, or there will be trouble!
I’d missed the post where you backed off your position a bit, so my apologies there. I do think it’s interesting that you feel unfair hiring practices are a more legitimate reason for someone to boycott a company than their political stances or donations. I mean, assuming that Chik-Fil-A is discriminating in their hiring practices (and I do make that assumption), it’s still pretty easy for me to avoid that. I just don’t apply for a job at Chik-Fil-A. If Chik-Fil-A discriminates against gay customers, I can avoid that, too. I just don’t go to their restaurants. Hell, I’ve never even seen a Chik-Fil-A in person, so that part’s real easy. Their political influence, however, is not limited by my proximity to one of their chicken stands. Dan Cathy is directly fucking with my life, and the only way for me to completely escape his influence is to literally flee the country.
That’s exactly the analogy I was going to bring up, so I’m glad you’ve already alighted on it. As I pointed out, a lower percentage of profits are going to be used for the wages of the friendly local workers and a greater will go to Focus on the Family. Once fixed costs are excluded, the percentage of one’s own purchase going to fund such organisations is marginal. However, it’s in the aggregate that such actions have an effect, just as with voting (see Sorites paradox).
Sarah Palin & her hubbie dropped by the Chick-Fil-A in The Woodlands–a planned community just north of town. The Houston Press food editor posted this…
Go over to Forbes & set them straight, too! This article uses the words “franchise” & “franchisee” quite liberally. Although the franchisees are also called “operators”–& are hardly independent.
They can run their company any way they like. I’ll stop picking up the occasional chicken & biscuit for breakfast.