Chick-fail-HEY! Promotes Hate Groups, and are NOT good corporate citizens for communities

Would you eat in or take out food from a restaurant that funded anti-Muslim hate groups - say, supporting groups which advocated burning down American mosques, with or without people inside them?  Would you patronize a business that gave a couple of million dollars to a group like that, openly - and was PROUD of doing so?
Would you want to eat at a restaurant where the owner and founder routinely made statements that were derogatory to Hispanics, calling them terms like wet backs or spics? What if the owner asserted that countries south of our southern border, from Mexico onwards, people should be exterminated?  Would you eat there or want them open and making more money to fund that hatred in YOUR neighborhood - or would you prefer a different business that made more healthy and constructive philanthropic choices?
How about if the owner of a proposed new restaurant was anti-Semitic instead of an Islamophobe - how would you feel if that owner gave money to organizations that funded white supremacist groups that staged public rallies claiming that Jews were dirty, and were responsible for killing Jesus, or were part of some secret plot to control the world's banks / gold supply/ oil supply/ water supply / or media? Would you want them welcomed by your city council when they applied for a business permit?
How about a business that was anti-asian, that referred to Asian Americans as 'gooks' or 'chinks' or 'slanty-eyed sloping headed morons'? Would that be ok?  Or maybe they were anti-disabled, and felt that anyone born that way should be sterilized so they didn't reproduce -- and they gave a lot of money to eugenics-oriented pseudo-science promoting groups?
If you said NO to one or more of these hypothetical examples, you wouldn't want such a business or it's owner invested in an enterprise on one of your neighborhood street corners...........then how is it different  from a mayor or a council person from objecting to Chick-Fail-hey!?
NO, not for supporting marriage inequality; they should be able to believe whatever religious nonsense, intolerant or otherwise if they wish.  But here is a list of those organizations and the harm those organizations do, and the hate statements they make that are anti-gay, that received money from Chick-Fail-Hey!.
From Equality Matters, looking at documentation of actual hate groups funded by Chick-fail-hey!:

Chick-Fil-A Donated Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2010

July 02, 2012 9:26 am ET

In early 2011, Chick-fil-A came under fire for its donations and political ties to a number of anti-gay groups. Though Chick-fil-A continues to deny supporting an anti-gay agenda, the company has donated over $3 million to organizations like the Family Research Council and Exodus International between 2003 and 2009. And in 2010 alone, Chick-fil-A donated over $1.9 million to anti-gay causes, more than any other year for which public records are available.

Chick-Fil-A's Charitable Arm Gave Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2010

WinShape Is Chick-Fil-A's Charitable Arm. The WinShape Foundation is Chick-fil-A's charitable arm, created by Chick-fil-A founder and chairman S. Truett Cathy in 1984. WinShape has received a substantial amount of funding from Chick-fil-A: in 2010 alone, WinShape received $8,067,161 from Chick-fil-A Inc. [WinShape 2010, Publicly Available IRS 990 Form via Foundation Center, accessed 6/27/12]
WinShape Gave Over $1.9 Million To Anti-Gay Groups. In 2010, WinShape donated $1,974,380 to a number of anti-gay groups:

• Marriage & Family Foundation: $1,188,380
• Fellowship Of Christian Athletes: $480,000
• National Christian Foundation: $247,500
• New Mexico Christian Foundation: $54,000
• Exodus International: $1,000
• Family Research Council: $1,000
• Georgia Family Council: $2,500

[Winshape 2010 Publicly Available IRS 990 Form via Foundation Center, accessed 6/27/12]
Click here to learn more about WinShape’s history of anti-gay donations

The whole article is too long to repost here, so I'll provide some excerpts that identify the problem areas with Chick-Failure-hey! donations:

EXODUS INTERNATIONAL

Exodus International Promotes “Ex-Gay” Therapy. Exodus International is a major promoter of “ex-gay” therapy, the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight. The organization refers to being LGBT as “perverse” and a form of “sexual brokenness.” [Truth Wins Out, accessed 6/27/12]

What is wrong with 'Exodus International'? In the past, Exodus International has engaged in torture of gays, including but by no means limited to strapping electrodes to male genitals, and then trying to shock them 'out of being gay'.  ZAP!
from the article:

I first learned about Exodus International when doing some preliminary reporting on reparative therapy. Also known as conversion or reorientation therapy, reparative therapy has been rejected by the American Psychological Association and every other major professional medical organization in the United States. Considered harmful and damaging by mainstream scientific organizations, reparative therapy is a set of practices built around the assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder that can be fixed. Using that as a starting point, reparative therapists use masturbatory reconditioning; social skills training; prayer groups and even aversive treatments, such as the application of electric shock to the genitals, in an attempt to turn gay men and women straight.

Chick-fail-HEY! also contributed to Exodus International's iphone app (subsequently removed  after very successful petitions against it)  that was supposed to force gay kids into becoming heterosexual, an app that was withdrawn because of it's links to gay teen SUICIDES:

Truth Wins Out claims that the new iPhone app "is the latest move in Exodus' dangerous new strategy of targeting youth," in the petition for removal. "In light of the recent wave of LGBT youth suicides," it argues, "this tactic is particularly galling as it creates, legitimizes, and fuels the ostracism of LGBT youth by their families."

Can you think of any other group where it would be acceptable to  administer junk psychology treatments involving elctrical shocks to men and women's genitals -- treatment linked to serious psychological damage and death?  Or any company that would receive municipal approval that was linked to actively funding and contributing to iphone apps with strong causal links to teen suicides?
I can't; companies that did things like that are usually NOT considered good corporate citizens or desirable members of communities.
THAT kind of corporate donation and corporate advocacy is why cities have rejected Chick-Fail-hey!, not their embracing Christianity, albeit a very toxic religious version of it.
Here's another of the MANY anti-gay causes and organizations that Chick-FAIL-hey supports in terms of advocacy and financially:

FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL

Family Research Council Is Deed As An Anti-Gay Hate Group By the SPLC.

The Family Research Council has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for its propagation of known falsehoodscommunity. For example, president Tony Perkins has a long history of false and inflammatory attacks, such as claiming that pedophilia is a "homosexual problem." [Washington Times, 11/24/10; SPLC, accessed 6/27/12]

WinShape Donated $1,000 To Family Research Council.

WinShape donated $1,000 to the Family Research Council in 2010. [Winshape 2010 Publicly Available IRS 990 Form via Foundation Center, accessed 6/27/12]

If you aren't willing to support falsely claiming Jews are inherently pedophiles (or, as was the case repeatedly at intervals in Europe, baby murderers) or Blacks are innately pedophiles, or disabled people are usually pedophiles, then WHY? Why would it be ok with anyone to accept THIS lie about same-sex attracted people?  Those things are the kinds of false 'hate speech' statements you would expect to find from one of the other groups identified as a hate group by the SPLC - like the KKK or other white supremacist groups.  Do you want any of THEM in your community closely linked to a restaurant or other business? NO? So.......then the mayors and city councils aren't so very far off, are they -- not for the marriage discrimination position, bad as that is, but for the anti-gay HATE funding.
Keep in mind - we're talking about donations in mulit-MILLION dollar amounts, not chump change.  That is a serious amount of support for hate groups, junk hate science, contributing to teen suicide and genital electro-shock.

Is it really a good civic investment in more unhealthy fast food and a few part time minimum wage jobs -- or is it better use of the space and the community investment to get a GOOD business in the location?  I say the latter, unless you're looking to increase the number of dead teens in YOUR town.

I'll venture further - if your town has any programming to prevent teen suicide, you'd probably end up paying out more than what you'd make in tax revenue.

Update on another example of armed while old and white, crabby and flabby

Last month, two of the co-conspirators of another right wing terrorist group comprised of crazy old angry white guys made plea agreements, admitting their guilt in an attempt to commit mass murder using a combination of ricin and firearms.

Earlier this week the attorneys for their two remaining co-conspirators sought more information in a federal court hearing.  I use the term co-conspirators because it appears the defense attorneys are not denying that there were numerous conversations planning such an attack, but rather they are asserting these are old geezers who are demented, and therefore shouldn't be taken seriously.

While I agree that the fringies who belong to this group and militia groups like it are not by any stretch clear thinkers, and who were in fact delusional in expecting that militia groups are somehow going to unite and successfully overthrow lawful government, there ARE a lot of these groups.  They tend to be pro-insurrection  and they tend to be racist, tea party types who want to overthrow the government and take back the country for patriotic right wing old white people.  The editor of the GOP in Greene County, Virginia wants armed insurrection if - more likely when - the right loses big in the 2012 elections.  It remains to be seen if the GOP disapproves and fires the editor, or if they continue to embrace the violent rhetoric of the old, white, and feeble.  Then there was the arrest of the race war planning white supremacists in Florida; conservatives have been far too tolerant of these extremists and should repudiate them instead of tolerating and embracing them.  And we have the Tea Party nut job in St. Louis, one Scott Boston, who advocated at a conservative rally for the killing of Democratic candidate Claire McCaskill.  Republican challenger Sarah Steelman, instead of condemning any such violent attack on a sitting Senator, tut tutted that she might have used a different word or two, but insisted that she supported his right to free speech.  Apparently Ms. Steelman is unaware that isn't protected free speech.  I'm sure if the same words were uttered by someone supporting Senator McCaskill, that Ms. Steelman would be apoplectic.  The difference is that Senator McCaskill would condemn in far stronger language anyone claiming to support her who made such a statement.  We clearly have a problem with the right agitating for what I have previously termed an avalanche of violence. The instances are frequent, and they consistently go uncensored and uncensured by the right.

While I haven't yet found the identifying information for either the man in Virginia or the man in St. Louis advocating political violence, it isn't a stretch to predict they are both in middle age or older (I'm betting older) and that they are both white and not poster boys of physical fitness.  That they are crabby men angry at the world that allows black men into positions of power is clear, which makes them clear bigots. It is not a stretch to posit they are likely gay-hating Islamophobes, and possibly anti-semites as well.
The problem that would appear to be a difficult one for the defense attorneys in the case of the Georgia militia is that while both of their clients are old enough to know better, neither is extremely aged.  One is 55 years old, not old enough for retirement, and the other is 68, which, while past the current age for retirement and social security benefits, is still not that old, and is within the age to which conservatives wish to have people work, in extending the age for social security benefits to begin, etc.  Average life expectancy for white men is over 75 years old, so Ray Adams if he conforms to averages has a good 20 years ahead of him -- which he might very well be serving behind bars.  In both cases, it seems a bit early for the onset of senile dementia as an excuse for this kind of behavior.
Despite that it gives the right wing fits, the facts appear to be that there are a lot of militia groups with right wing political agendas that intend harm to their fellow Americans and others.  This was the case with J.T. Ready, this is the case with the four militia wing nuts in Georgia, and this is the problem with the Virginia GOP organization member, and with the St. Louis Tea Party wacko, different flavors of right wing wackjobs, but all part of the GOP 'big tent' that is more of a crazy persons mass straight jacket. 
Here is the report from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

2 suspects in Georgia militia plot angle for trial

By Associated Press

For the AJC

Attorneys for two remaining defendants in an alleged Georgia-based plot to attack government targets demanded more details Tuesday about the evidence federal agents have gathered against them, as the two men appear headed for trial.

Richard MillerA courtroom artist's sketch shows terror suspects Ray Adams (left) and Samuel Crump at their first appearance court hearing in Gainesville before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Susan Cole.

Lawyers representing Ray Adams, 55, and Samuel Crump, 68, gave no indication at Tuesday's federal court hearing whether they would seek a plea deal weeks after the two other men charged in the plot pleaded guilty to weapons charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

Adams and Crump are charged with conspiring and attempting to make a biological toxin called ricin.
Adams' attorney Barry Lombardo said "no, no, no" when asked if his client is pursuing a plea deal. Crump's lawyer Dan Summer declined to comment, which has been his typical response to questions about the charges.
The defense attorneys worked Tuesday to lay the groundwork for the trial, prodding prosecutors to release more details about how the government intends to prove that the two men tried to use ricin as a weapon.
They also wanted more details about the type of surveillance equipment used by an undercover informant who recorded dozens of hours of conversations in which the men talked about their anti-government views and what kinds of attacks they could plot.
Their defense likely grew more difficult last month when Frederick Thomas, the group's suspected ringleader, and Dan Roberts pleaded guilty to conspiring to get an unregistered explosive and an illegal gun silencer. Thomas, 73, and Roberts, 67, could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
"We're going to need lots of investigative time and perhaps lots of investigators," Summer said during the hearing. "Thomas and Roberts are obviously cooperating with prosecutors. We're at an extreme disadvantage so as much information as we can have will help us prepare for the case."
In the tapes, the four allegedly boasted of a list of government officials who needed to be "taken out" by them; talked about scattering ricin from a car speeding down a highway past major U.S. cities; and scouted tax offices.
At one point, Thomas said, "We'd have to blow the whole building like Timothy McVeigh," a reference to the man executed for bombing a federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, killing 168 people.
The four were arrested in early November after at least seven months of surveillance by an undercover informant who infiltrated their meetings at homes, during car rides and a Waffle House restaurant.
Testimony and court documents show the men played distinct roles in the suspected plot. While Thomas and Roberts were both described as early members of the scheme who brought Crump and Adams into the mix after Roberts talked of obtaining ricin, which he called a "silent killer" that can be lethal in small doses.
Crump had memorized the recipe for the poison, prosecutors said, and Adams had the know-how to make it as a former government lab technician. The men were arrested just days after authorities say they discovered evidence they were trying to extract ricin from castor beans at Adams' north Georgia home.
The attorneys for the two men, though, have said the government's charges are overblown.
"The government doesn't have a strong case. Surely there was talk about ricin, but it was ridiculous," Summer said at an earlier court hearing. "It was like an old man in the stages of senility talking out of the side of his mouth."