Letters to the Editor

UH shouldn’t support Chick-fil-A because of its anti-gay donations

It is becoming more clear that Chick-fil-A has donated millions of dollars to homophobic organizations.  The question we must ask as a campus community is, why does a University that rightfully prides itself with its diversity and its commitment to societal change allow this company two locations on campus? What about the LGBT students and their supporters from thousands of faculty members and students?

There are other chicken chains that are not donating money to hateful causes that can take its place.

Andrew Reiser is a graduate student and may be reached at [email protected]

18 Comments

  • This letter is a joke. Did the author even bother to read his letter so he could realize how absurd this is? There must be other letters that aren't filled with laughable content to take its place.

    • Yes it is, but once again you make a statement that blows the topic out of proportion. My problem isn't gay right, it's idiots like the author who pick the wrong target in an effort to make a point blowing a minor thing out of proportion and demanding bold uniquivelent compromises. See PETA, and the occasional feminist for the most visible examples.

  • You kick out Chick-fil-a and I'll hunt you down personally. But in all seriousness, there's a reason it's so popular; they serve good food, provide a wholesome environment for families (their off-site locations), and don't fry everything. KFC and Popeye's etc. aren't on campus for a reason.

  • Question: Is this person specifying that Chick-Fil-A only donates money to homophobic organizations? Because let me tell you, large companies donate money to many organizations and to single out Chick-Fil-A because of who they do or don't donate money to is ignorant. Why don't you try and go stir up beef with Barnes and Noble for their over priced books and how the poor can't afford them. Why don't you go stir up trouble with the Den which sells alcohol right off school property to students of UofH and how that alcohol might affect student academic performance. Even though Chick-Fil-A donates to some organizations that may not share your same belief on sexual preferences, don't forget that they are a Christian restaurant. I am a Christian and have no problems with gays but don't knock a restaurant on a single issue. Chick-Fil-A does more good with spreading a good message than many other businesses. Plus no other chicken chain makes better food than them. It is that simple.

    • A Christian restaurant? What does that even mean? Do Christians have a specific type of cuisine?

      You say it's a Christian restaurant as if that makes it perfectly acceptable to donate to anti-gay organizations.

      To compare anti-gay donations to overpriced books is more than a little absurd. Chick-fil-A donated to Exodus International, a group that promotes "ex-gay" therapy. Do you have any idea how destructive that kind of "therapy" is to gay and lesbian people? We're talking about organizations that quite literally destroy people and drive them to suicide. And you think that's comparable to overpriced books? What you insensitively call a "single issue" is KILLING people. Do you understand that?

      But at least you get to have some tasty chicken, right? Clearly that's what matters.

      The founders of Chick-fil-A can believe whatever they want to believe. Companies can give money to whomever they want. This is protected by the Constitution, as affirmed by the Supreme Court. That doesn't mean public universities have to help them.

      It is that simple.

      • Your points are very valid, but short of allowing them to enter into a lease, the University didn't do anything that really "helps" Chik-Fil-A. The food, presumably (I've never eaten there), is good, or at least popular, so students are choosing to dine on-campus; this is why the university leased the space to them instead of a chain less popular. If we're going to rule out business relationships on religious or moral or even ethical grounds, then we need to rethink UH's relationship with Cisco, or any number of quasi-scientific, or corporate entities who actually do have relationships (not just the tenuous "relationship" a lease for a fast food franchise creates) with the University.

        • By entering into a lease, the university is indeed "helping" the chain by offering them two locations on campus.

          That being said, I'm not necessarily calling for the university to kick Chick-fil-A out. I do believe that concerned students have a very valid reason to be concerned.

          My point is that comparing Chick-fil-A to other companies like Barnes & Noble is silly and offensive given the kinds of donations CFA has made. Supporters of CFA frequently cite "other companies" when defending CFA, yet they're never able to actually NAME another company that gives to blatantly anti-gay hate groups like Exodus International. I'm tired of seeing CFA lumped in with other companies, and I'm tired of seeing bigotry ignored under the guise of "Well, we don't know who gives money to what!" The facts remain that CFA has given an ungodly amount of money to anti-gay hate groups – that much we can be sure of. The fact that CFA is on campus is a matter of concern.

        • Al-Qaeda wants to open a branch office in the UC. You're OK with though, right? Because a lease is not support.

    • ChikFilA was started by a Christian woman and holds religious beliefs in the company. Hence why they are not open on Sundays! So who cares who they donate money to. They have their own right to donate to whoever they want. If you don't like it then don't eat their food because it's your money that is paying for it. I agree Yeahokay. And the letter is a joke.

  • cfa donates to organizations that have a less than positive opinion on gay marriage. that's not the same thing as a hate group that hates gays. cfa does not donate to stormfront, the westboro baptist church, the ku klux klan, or any REAL hate groups.

    if you get rid of cfa, might as well get rid of the Newman Catholic center because of it's affiliation with that pope guy who doesn't appear to think too kindly homosexuality.

  • I feel Chick-fil-a does more good than bad, even as a person that has many good friends that are gay (who also aren't too against Chick-fil-a). If you feel so strongly about it, try helping the LGBT community by volunteering, rather than just sitting around and voting with your dollars.

    I don't go there too often anymore, despite how tasty it can be. But I wish they could improve the management for their two UH locations. You'd think after being here for so long, they can do a better job of grasping supply and demand. They could probably make more money, if people didn't get tired of waiting and went somewhere else. No other restaurant has lines this long for waiting. Plus the employees could be friendlier like real Chick-fil-a's, rather than goof off or not apologize on the wait, or not giving us approximate time.

  • Thank God there's still a fast food restaurant serving healthy food where the servers aren't wearing crosses and offering to supersize your personal relationship with Jesus. It was getting so annoying at Wendy's where they give you religeous tracts with your breakfast croisant or Jack-in-the-box where you have to listen to Gosple music on the intercom while trying to enjoy your fries. Who needs it?

  • There is only one thing I agree with in regards to this article..that it went under the opinion category 🙂 Anyways, I love CFA and it's beliefs that it continually stands by. If you do not agree with it's belief, then don't buy any food from them! They didn't need your opinion when they built the very first CFA and they don't need your opinion in who they will donate their money too! If you want to really bash a restaurant, bash MCD for their nasty food that never expires!!!!

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