CEO’s stance won’t stifle Saturday swipes at Chick-Fil-A

Katherine Johnson

Staff Writer

Chick-Fil-A’s spicy sandwich wasn’t the only thing heating customers up this summer. After Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy announced his anti-gay marriage stance, fierce debate ensued.

Numerous customers have pledged to take their business elsewhere until Cathy apologizes. Some vow not to return at all, while others are electing to keep their political views and waffle fries separate. With these ranging opinions, VCU should not intervene and remove the on campus Chick-Fil-A.

As a supporter of gay rights, I do not share the same views as Dan Cathy. I will not, however, pass up my opportunity to swipe at Chick-Fil-A each Saturday, a choice I suspect many other VCU students will make as well. While Cathy’s comments have offended customers, the majority of students will look past the comments and instead to their taste buds. Cathy’s remarks won’t suddenly make Chick-Fil-A’s food less desirable to students.

VCU Dining Services should not cut ties with the restaurant; students that choose not to support Chick-Fil-A don’t have to dine there. If the university were to cut ties with the business, they’d be taking an obvious stance on the issue. This is not the school’s responsibility.

Additionally, in doing so, VCU would also take a larger risk of attempting to speak for all students, when in fact there is diversity of opinion.

This was the risk Chick-Fil-A took by mixing chicken and politics, and students with strong views against the establishment have every right to take their business elsewhere.

But what about the people like me that can’t resist Chick-Fil-A’s food, despite being strongly against their personal views? For those that feel strongly on the matter, it may be hard for them

to believe that others just don’t care or at the other end, may agree with Dan Cathy.

These students also equally have the choice of where they’d like to dine on campus, meaning that to appease both sides of the argument, the university should leave it up to the students.

In addition, the campus offers various other dining locations that are compatible with students’ meal plans. With the plethora of options, the university should not cater to one side of the argument by removing Chick-Fil-A.

It’s also important to note that by not making any remarks regarding the event, VCU Dining Services is giving students a choice, as they should.

While Cathy’s announcement caused quite a stir, it’s hard to imagine that a business started in the South with an openly religious background would feel any differently about gay marriage. Was Cathy’s opinion really a shock to anyone or was it just something that would have been better left unsaid?  I’d have to go with the latter.

At the end of the day, Chick-Fil-A’s president spoke for himself. His opinion doesn’t represent those of his employees or many of his customers, for that matter. It’s a patron’s choice whether they choose to overlook the comments or cut ties with the fast food restaurant.

Like his customers, Cathy has every right to voice his views; only he may have to suffer losses because he voiced his opinions. If VCU students choose to boycott the on-campus location, it will hurt its bottom line, and as a result, VCU Dining Services may be forced to ditch the eatery. CT