Conspicuously missing from mainstream media coverage this week has been Chick-fil-A’s decision to revise its charitable giving policy to exclude groups that have remained steadfast and not caved to the so-called LGBTQ agenda. Tuesday during an appearance on Huntsville, AL radio’s WVNN, former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), who had been an outspoken critic of Chick-fil-A’s decision, elaborated on what he saw as the fast-food restaurant’s motivation.
“Chick-fil-A has decided to allow themselves to be bullied, to allow their enemies — the people who hate them — to dictate where they give their money,” Huckabee said on “The Jeff Poor Show.” “I’m going to be very clear — they have every right to give wherever they want. They don’t have to give at all. They can choose to give to the most liberal or the most conservative organizations. But I was very disappointed that not only did they eventually bow down to the bullies on this, but then they tried to cover themselves by talking about how they had just reevaluated their overall help for education, homelessness, and job help for kids. And I just think that is disingenuous.”
“The bottom line is they caved,” he continued. “They surrendered. I wish they would just be honest about it and say, ‘Despite the fact that millions of people stood up for us when we were bullied before, and came to our defense because they protected our free speech rights and our First Amendment rights of association and religion, we’re going to bow down to the bullies anyway because we want to go into business in some areas where they might create problems for us.’ It’s just a sad day in America. I think people don’t realize that when we surrender to the voices of hostility and hate, they don’t let up on us. They don’t come around to our side. They don’t respect us. They just come back to beat the heck out of us even harder.”
The 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate said those that had once countered a Chick-fil-A boycott would not likely do that again because of the cave.
“This time, I’ll tell you the difference: Many of us who stood with them before and stood in line for hours for a sandwich, we won’t do that again because they’re just another restaurant now,” he said. “They decided they don’t want to be distinct. They don’t want to be unique. I’m waiting — will Colin Kaepernick be their new spokesperson when they announce that they’re going to open on Sundays? Where does this go? Again, they have every right to do what they want, and I think they’re probably doing this to the deep consternation of many of their local managers who typically in every case are wonderful, delightful people who have strong Christian convictions and they do a good job of managing their facilities and serving people with kindness and dignity, no matter who they are. They’re not a discriminating company. They don’t discriminate against anybody. But I don’t believe if Truett Cathy were alive, this is what would have happened.”
Huckabee noted the change came as Chick-fil-A had unprecedented growth that had made the chain the third-largest fast-food restaurant in America, behind only McDonald’s and Starbucks, in addition to having better revenues per store than either of those two chains.
“It wasn’t like they did this because they were failing and had to do it,” he explained. “I think that they’ve been convinced by corporate consultants that this is the direction they need to go. They need to be more woke, and they made this decision. They cast their lot.”
The lack of media attention about Chick-fil-A’s decision was due to the possibility of people giving notice to it, which could impact Chick-fil-A going forward.
“They are on the side of the bullies,” he said. “It is just as simple as that. They’re on the side of the bullies, and for them to call attention to it might rally people like you, me, and many of your listeners, and they don’t want that. They want Chick-fil-A to surrender. They’re proud they did. I was very proud the Salvation Army responded, and they stood up for themselves. This is an attack upon one of the finest Christian organizations in the world that does so many wonderful things very unselfishly.”
Huckabee made it clear he was not calling for a boycott of the chain but said that he thought the decision would hurt its bottom line.
“I’m not telling people to boycott Chick-fil-A,” he said. “I hate boycotts. I think they’re awful. I don’t participate in them. But as far as I’m concerned — they’re just another restaurant these days. They may have been a time when you would go out of your way to go to one, and maybe you still will if that’s your favorite food. But I think what they’ve decided is they don’t want to be that distinct if it is going to cause them trouble or — here’s what’s crazy — if they think it is going to cost them profits. I think this action will cost them far more than if they had stood up for themselves, and frankly, stood up for the Salvation Army, the Paul Anderson Youth Home and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.”
Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor
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