Buad 301

Saba Afridi

March 3, 2017

Guilty As Charged; Chick-Fil-A

Problem

Chick-Fil-A has been facing serious problems due to their anti-gay activism since 2012. The very famous fast food chain donated around $2 million to anti-gay organizations back in 2010 which is causing trouble for the company as well. Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy tried to justify the company’s attitude towards the LGBTQ society by bringing the Christian concept of ‘traditional family’; however, the opposers still call it an act of injustice and inequality.

Short term and Long term Goals

The criticism Chick-Fil-A is facing is very crucial for the company since it is impacting the company’s reputation. According to the president, the company has its traditions and values which are ought to be followed. Being a company that follows Christianity, Chick-Fil-A has the right to follow its traditions and beliefs that were set by the founder S. Truett Cathy.

The short term goal for the company as of now should be to tackle the issue against them and avoid the controversy. As it is mentioned in the article Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A President, On Anti-Gay Stance: ‘Guilty As Charged’, “We’re not anti-anybody. Our mission is to create raving fans.” The company is on the right track as long as the short term goal is concerned.

When it comes to long tern goals for any company, it is always to generate more revenue and increase income. In this particular case, there were some protests against the company and many people boycotted the fast food chain as well, which might have resulted in a loss for the company. The goal for the company should be to stay out of disputes and focus on the company’s progress.

The Facts of the Case

According to the article, Dan Cathy, Chick-Fil-A President, On Anti-Gay Stance: ‘Guilty As Charged’, the Christian values are very family oriented; the family God created and they believe it is sinful to redefine the marriage that God created for human beings. It is true that living in a country like the United States where everyone has the freedom of speech and expression, it should be acceptable for a company or an individual to express his/her beliefs and values. The donations made by the company to an anti-gay organization is also an act of practicing one’s religion. As the first line of first amendment of the United States Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise.” The law grants everyone an equal right to practice their religion as long as they do not harm anyone. Chick-Fil-A has been practicing their religion and traditions since 1946 with no harm to an individual or a group.