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16 February 2017
10 February 2017
Protest Action Planned Against Chick-fil-A in West Hartford, CT (Press Release)
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
PETER
C. FRANK
+1-914-417-9579
Who: A
group of citizens concerned about Chick-fil-A's policies and
practices
When: Saturday,
February 11th, 10am - 1pm
How: Politely
distribute literature to prospective customers
Where: Chick-fil-A
West Hartford, 509 New Park Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06107
Chick-fil-A
has a history of opposing LGBTQ
equality. Actively denigrating a segment of our population can
make it easier for them to turn a blind eye to the farm factories
providing most of their food, which employ inhumane practices that
are cruel to the animals they raise. Despite promises to the
contrary, Chick-fil-A continues to donate millions of dollars to
anti-LGBTQ organizations through its foundation and continues to
source products from farm factories.
The
protest, spearheaded by LGBTQ rights activist Peter
C. Frank, has the support of organizations such as Connecticut
Latinas/os Achieving Rights and Opportunities
(CLARO), True
Colors,
Inc.,
People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA), and Everything
Transgender in New York City
(ETNYC).
Mr. Frank rallied fellow activists who are not satisfied with its
blanket proclamations of "treating people with dignity."
"We're
doing this not because Mr. Jackson decided to become a Chick-fil-A
franchisee in West Hartford but rather to send a message to the
Chick-fil-A corporation and its culture of devaluing living
beings—such as LGBTQ people and chickens. It's about a corporation
that has and continues to fund organizations creating such animus,
including certified hate groups," Mr.
Frank explained. Chick-fil-A continues to have a zero rating in
the Human Rights Campaigns’ Buyer’s
Guide.
Although
protections are offered at the state
level, Chick-fil-A's corporate policies on
its web site
do
not list either "sexual orientation" or "gender
identity or expression" in their nondiscrimination policy. They
do, however, list other categories that are not included in the state
law, which is commendable. However, this further raises the question
as to why they fail
to list "sexual orientation" and "gender identity or
expression" in their policies.
Their
brand-new facility does not have a gender-neutral bathroom. Some
locations have threatened not to serve customers who are "confused"
about their gender, which has alarmed Jennifer
Louise Lopez, a renowned transgender rights activist who grew up
in the Hartford, CT region and serves as ETNYC's executive director.
She called attention to comments
from Daryl
Jackson, "owner/operator
of the West Hartford location, who recently was quoted as saying he's
'hiring for character' and '[doesn't] care if they are red, blue,
[or] what their beliefs are."
Ms.
Lopez believes such statements indicate an inherent bias. "Apparently
Mr. Jackson believes that being LGBTQ is a belief. I am letting him
know that being who you are is not a belief,"
she proclaimed.
Chick-fil-A's discriminatory policies do not end with the LGBTQ community. For instance, Frank O'Gorman, who helped organize the demonstration, wrote about a Muslim franchise manager who refused to partake in a group prayer to Jesus and was fired the next day. Mr. O'Gorman has documented the funding of organizations by Chick-fil-A that are listed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as "hate groups," such as the Family Research Council, which has spent tens of thousands of dollars lobbying the United States Congress not to condemn Uganda's "kill the gays" legislation.
Mr.
Frank added, "Chick-fil-A donated over a million dollars to the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes,
which has been reported to communicate a strongly anti-LGBTQ message
to its athletes and participants, as reported
by ThinkProgress."
Even
our beloved furry and
winged
friends are not safe from Chick-fil-A's corporate practices.
"Chick-fil-A
promotes a system in which chickens are fully grown at 6 weeks old
with bones that cannot support their weight. These animals suffer
immense pain and live in horrendous conditions. We would never
imagine doing this to cats & dogs,"
decried Tiffany Walker, an investigator with the grassroots animal
rights network Direct
Action Everywhere.
Various
videos
circulating the Internet depict the inconceivably inhumane treatment
farm factory workers take against the helpless animals, literally
grabbing chickens by their feet or wings and flinging them twenty
feet or more into cramped cages. The slaughter of animals isn't any
better, either, with video of chickens being scalded alive in boiling
water just one of the numerous practices routinely employed by such
farm factories. According to some reports, Chick-fil-A sources its
food supplies from such farm factories.
While
Chick-fil-A stated
in 2014 that they would no longer purchase meat injected with
steroids or antibiotics, and last
year proclaimed they would use only cage-free eggs, they have
given themselves 5 and 10 years, respectively, to enact such
promises. "They do not disclose what percentage of their
supplies currently meet their new standards, nor have they made
any promises regarding the inhumane and cruel treatment of the
animals killed in providing food for its locations," Ms.
Walker protested.
Chick-fil-A
spokespeople laud their company's commitment to 'dignity' but some
question their understanding of that word. "We're not asking
people to put aside their religious beliefs but they should at least
respect us, which can be demonstrated by publicizing corporate
policies that will cultivate a culture free from discrimination,"
Ms. Lopez said.
Mr. Frank concluded, "If Chick-fil-A truly respected the LGBTQ community, why hasn't it apologized for its past actions?"
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