In the latest installment of the Chick-fil-A saga, the Berenstain family is attempting to distance itself from the controversy surrounding the antigay fast-food restaurant, directing readers to HarperCollins, publisher of the Berenstain Bears books.
The Berenstain family posted a note (pushpin and all) on its website, noting that Chick-fil-A’s kid’s meal promotion featuring Berenstain Bear books had been in the works for over a year and that they were “unaware of any controversy involving Chick-fil-A until July 25th.”
The note continued, “The Berenstain family does not at this time have control over whether this program proceeds or not. We hope those concerned about this issue will direct their comments toward HarperCollins and Chick-fil-A.”
Not considering for the moment that the family probably has some control over promotional partnerships, upset readers delivered a petition with some 80,000 signatures to HarperCollins, accompanied by the book “The Berenstain Bears and the New Neighbors,” asking the company to end the Berenstain Bear promotion with Chick-fil-A.
The outcry follows the Jim Henson Company’s announcement that it would no longer provide toys to Chick-fil-A after CEO Dan Cathy confirmed the company opposed same-sex marriage and it came to light that the company has donated millions to antigay organizations, including those that have performed reparative therapy on gays and lesbians.
Last Friday, supporters of same-sex marriage staged a “kiss-in” at Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country, which followed a pro-Chick-fil-A “Appreciation Day” Aug. 1.
The kiss-in had both supporters and detractors among same-sex-marriage backers, with detractors criticizing the move as a publicity stunt that backfired or, to a lesser degree, was misguided in its goals. (Showcasing gay couples kissing likely doesn’t demonstrate the damage that donations to reparative-therapy groups do, which might have been a more effective tactic.)
Further, promoting a kiss-in, as well-intentioned as it may have been, put Chick-fil-A supporters on the defensive, and probably didn’t convert anyone into gay-marriage supporters.
Chick-fil-A has long been a conservative fast-food retailer — this isn’t new news. (The company is closed on Sundays so that employees can partake in a biblical day of rest.)
If the LGBT community wants to win more allies in this fight, it needs to figure out how to counter Chick-fil-A’s message and move the argument away from free speech (no one disputes Cathy’s right to oppose same-sex marriage) and focus on his actions and that of his company, who they fund and what those organizations do with that money.
In the end, no one is forcing anyone else to eat or not eat at Chick-fil-A. Make your voice heard with your dollars and spend them elsewhere.