Some people are really serious about food. Chick-fil-A, a Christian restaurant chain, came in as the number one choice in a survey among Florida Gulf Coast University students when asked which restaurants they wanted in their student union next year. The problem is that Chick-fil-A has recently been outed as a huge supporter of anti-gay organizations.
Some students have a problem with a homophobic restaurant being established on campus, but some just don't care. As one student told RSWFlorida, an NBC affiliate in the Ft. Myers area, ""I go there because they make good chicken sandwiches," said Jose Diaz. "Just because the campus has a Chick-fil-A doesn't mean that they're saying they're anti-gay." Seems like a good chicken sandwich will trump American's civil rights every time.
There are students who realize that no matter how enjoyable a chicken sandwich is, the right for adult Americans to be able to make a legal commitment to those they love is at least slightly more important. "If it's up to me, there will not be a Chick-fil-A on our campus come next year," FGCU senior Tyler Offerman told RSWFlorida. Offerman, along with Rashad Davis, a gay FGCU sophomore, is leading the fight against a Chick-fil-A being established on campus.
A spokesperson for the school says that the school and Chick-fil-A are only waiting for the ink to dry as contracts are already 99% finalized. The student activists are facing two formidable opponents -- greedy academia and corporate America. "And, so if the students want chicken, they're going to have chicken," said Joe Shepard, FGCU Vice President of Administrative Services.
But the monoliths may be facing a backlash from an infinite enemy. Gay student Rashad Davis started a Facebook page against the restaurant. Facebook has become infamous for making the impossible, possible. Let's not forget that it took a Facebook campaign to get Lorne Michaels to finally have Betty White host Saturday Night Live. With power like that behind them, gay students may be able to retain their dignity as FGCU students.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Dan Cathy, the CEO of Chick-fil-A, doesn't have any problem with gays forking over their money for tasty Chick-fil-A goodness. "Let me be clear, Chick-fil-A serves all people and values all people," stated Dan Cathy in a Facebook response to the recent backlash. In other words, as long as homosexuals use their money for Chick-fil-A menu items and not wedding arrangements, Cathy takes no issue.
The problem as Chick-fil-A sees it is when heathens want equal rights.
The New York Times recently reported that Chick-fil-A is guided by a conservative philosophy and that the family who owns the operation supports groups who work towards stopping same-sex marriage initiatives around the country. These are the same groups that fight the legalization of gay marriage and raise propositions to overturn its legality when it does in fact become legal.
While it is true that Chick-fil-A has not committed any crimes, such as turning away gay customers, is it morally correct to allow a company with such exclusive moral principles to operate on a college campus where diversity is not only encouraged, but mandatory?
You tell me.
Follow Short Order on Facebook and Twitter @Short_Order.
