Chick-fil-A fights likely on local college campuses

[Harry]

DENTON — As classes resume in the coming weeks, LGBT groups at local college campuses will deliberate whether to try to have on-campus Chick-fil-As removed after the controversy over the company’s anti-gay positions intensified over the summer.

Two active petitions are asking the administration at the University of North Texas to remove the Chick-fil-A from the student center.

UNT student Joseph Billeaudeau started a Change.org petition to persuade the university’s president to remove the Chick-fil-A from the student union. So far, 436 people have signed it.

Billeaudeau wrote on the petition site that “maintaining a contract with an anti-gay vendor like Chick-fil-A undermines what makes this university so great.”

“As a student at the University of North Texas, I ask that profit from students not be used to discriminate, or politically oppress the LGBT community. I demand that the University remove Chick-fil-A from the Union!”

UNT alumnus Mike Chinnici started another petition on Change.org with 34 signatures.

“UNT has long stood as a progressive university,” Chinnici wrote on the site. “It was one of the first colleges in Texas to integrate during the civil rights movement, and I, as an alumni, ask my alma mater to continue to

support human rights and remove a modern symbol of prejudice from the heart of the university.”

UNT spokeswoman Kelley Reese told Dallas Voice that as a Chick-Fil-A licensee, “UNT runs its operation in accordance with the university’s values of respecting and accepting all individuals.

“Our students, faculty and staff may individually choose to eat at the Chick-Fil-A in our University Union or they may choose to spend their money elsewhere,” she said.

read more: http://www.dallasvoice.com/chick-fil-a-fights-local-college-campuses-10123957.html

[UNTstormchaser]

Oh jeez. This could be an all out war if the university decides to remove it. I can really see both sides of it. I guess, what it comes down to, is if the university feels comfortable leaving a company that donates to anti-gay causes on campus. If this were a private school, there would be no issue. But because it's public.....it could be ugly.

[GrayEagle]

Other than the fact that Chick-Fil-A believes in family values and that a marriage is between a male and female they are not anti-gay. If the LGBT wins this then I've given my last dime to the university.

[UNTflyer]

Dumb. I don't support many of Ben and Jerry's causes but I love their product. Not everything needs to be about your individual beliefs or social justice. It's a big world.

(null)

[UNTFan23]

What is to stop CFA from opening a store across the street from the school if they get evicted?

This is getting ridiculous.

[UNT90]

"Accept our way of thinking or else!!"

Yep, that's tolerance.

UNT officals need to ignore this idiocy.

Students need to "eat more chikin" on campus.

[Green P1]

Meh...

[NT03]

Isn't there a chick fi la on the TWU campus?

[Andrew]

Isn't there a chick fi la on the TWU campus?

The article mentioned two, unt, smu, and UTA campuses having similar issues

[Andrew]

Two = twu on the iPad....

[UNTflyer]

Yes, because the best way to fight for your rights is by suppressing the rights of others.

[UNTcrazy727]

Oh jeez. This could be an all out war if the university decides to remove it. I can really see both sides of it. I guess, what it comes down to, is if the university feels comfortable leaving a company that donates to anti-gay causes on campus. If this were a private school, there would be no issue. But because it's public.....it could be ugly.

Or they could just ignore the loud, look at me minority and the whole thing would disappear. These people need to shut up.

[meangreendork]

What is to stop CFA from opening a store across the street from the school if they get evicted?

This is getting ridiculous.

It really is, top to bottom.

That support CFA day thing was silly. I don't think God wants us to voice our opinions by buying a chicken sandwich. That day's counterpart day was just as silly, too. Everyone who got involved with this mess is silly, and the only people who got anything out of it were CFA's shareholders.

I don't agree with CFA's stance, but booting them from campus means they'll just buy a spot near campus. Won't fix anything at all.

[UNTstormchaser]

Wait, none of you actually see what the legitimate problem is here? Really???? Let me break it down for you. I'll start by telling you what this is not.

This is not an issue of free speech. This is not an issue of suppressing the rights of CFA's supporters. This is not an issue over the rights of the students to be able to choose where they eat. This is not an issue of religion. This is not an issue of whether UNT should care about CFA's personal beliefs. Well what is it then?

The reason there is a problem here, and a messy one at that, is because UNT is a public school. UNT is a government/taxpayer funded public research university. If UNT were a private school, there would be zero problem or debate. Anyone calling for a private school to remove a CFA from campus isn't going to get very far with that, because private schools can do whatever they want. So, what's the difference here? As I said, UNT is PUBLIC. Funded by the public, overseen by the government. The reason that makes a difference, is it may not be okay for a public university to promote a company that donates a portion of their profits to organizations that use that money to try to legislate their religious beliefs, namely anti gay laws. And even more likely, is that it is not okay for a public university to PROFIT off of a company that donates a portion of their profits to organizations trying to enact anti gay laws. What you're all forgetting is that UNT is profiting off of having CFA on campus. It doesn't matter if after CFA is removed, they open a store across from campus. That's cool. They can do that, and I'll probably eat there. It doesn't even matter if they open up their brand new world HQ building across from campus. That's totally fine. They're a private company, they can do whatever the hell they want and it shouldn't matter to us what they do. But, it might matter that UNT profits from having them on campus. I'm not a legal expert, so I do no know. But, you guys are totally misunderstanding why this is an issue. It isn't about what CFA says, said, believes, wants, whatever. It's about where they donated.

[MDH]

This thread will turn into the others. Post the picture of the two girls kissing and lets be done with it

[KRAM1]

Yep...let's just hope that Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream isn't sold on campus if the Chick-Fil-A thing gets any headway going with the administration. I mean...those guys are so left wing that conservative students certainly don't want their university supporting such left-wing causes as those that Ben & Jerry's gives money to these days!!!!! I mean...come on......

Let's see conservative students don't like the causes Ben & Jerry's support so they just don't buy the ice cream and let those who do go about their merry way.....LGBT students don't like what the president of Chick-fil-A says about marriage and it's a major deal and Chick-fil-A must go!!!! I think I spot a trend here with the oh-so tolerant let me pat myself on the back liberal tolerant folks....

It just get nuttier and nuttier every day with these folks......Man, the Blue Bell folks and the Chicken Express folks just better mum up...let's not have any problems there...life would not be good if something happened with these two.....

[UNTFan23]

It really is, top to bottom.

That support CFA day thing was silly. I don't think God wants us to voice our opinions by buying a chicken sandwich. That day's counterpart day was just as silly, too. Everyone who got involved with this mess is silly, and the only people who got anything out of it were CFA's shareholders.

I don't agree with CFA's stance, but booting them from campus means they'll just buy a spot near campus. Won't fix anything at all.

CFA is a privately held company. If there are any shareholders (depending on the company's structure) there may only be a few.

The reason there is a problem here, and a messy one at that, is because UNT is a public school. UNT is a government/taxpayer funded public research university. If UNT were a private school, there would be zero problem or debate. Anyone calling for a private school to remove a CFA from campus isn't going to get very far with that, because private schools can do whatever they want. So, what's the difference here? As I said, UNT is PUBLIC. Funded by the public, overseen by the government. The reason that makes a difference, is it may not be okay for a public university to promote a company that donates a portion of their profits to organizations that use that money to try to legislate their religious beliefs, namely anti gay laws. And even more likely, is that it is not okay for a public university to PROFIT off of a company that donates a portion of their profits to organizations trying to enact anti gay laws. What you're all forgetting is that UNT is profiting off of having CFA on campus. It doesn't matter if after CFA is removed, they open a store across from campus. That's cool. They can do that, and I'll probably eat there. It doesn't even matter if they open up their brand new world HQ building across from campus. That's totally fine. They're a private company, they can do whatever the hell they want and it shouldn't matter to us what they do. But, it might matter that UNT profits from having them on campus. I'm not a legal expert, so I do no know. But, you guys are totally misunderstanding why this is an issue. It isn't about what CFA says, said, believes, wants, whatever. It's about where they donated.

Who should dictate what issues are acceptable and what aren't acceptable for a company to donate towards that has contracts with the state? Do you see what a Pandora's box you are asking to open?

[UNTflyer]

Stormchaser,

So is it your position that a university should not do business with ANY company that donates to ANY organization that supports ANY cause that ANYBODY may find objectionable? If so, that may be pretty difficult.

How about we just let people believe what they believe and let business be business?

[meangreendork]

CFA is a privately held company. If there are any shareholders (depending on the company's structure) there may only be a few.

True. And noted. It's probably the kickoff/founding investors if any.

[Green Mean]

I actually had a few classes with Mike Chinnici. Really really nice dude. I went to high school with his younger brother as well. But then again too many folks on both sides are making this waayyyy too big of a deal.

[UNTstormchaser]

Who should dictate what issues are acceptable and what aren't acceptable for a company to donate towards that has contracts with the state? Do you see what a Pandora's box you are asking to open?

I'm not calling for anyone to do anything here. I'm simply stating why this could be a messy situation. I could really care less either way. I'll eat at CFA on campus and then donate to a pro gay marriage charity every time I do so, to offset where .01% of my money is going. I'm just explaining WHY it could be a problem.

Stormchaser,

So is it your position that a university should not do business with ANY company that donates to ANY organization that supports ANY cause that ANYBODY may find objectionable? If so, that may be pretty difficult.

How about we just let people believe what they believe and let business be business?

Not at all. I never even said that I wanted the university to remove it. As I said to the other response, I could really care less. I'll eat there out of convenience on occasion, and then donate to a charity of my choosing to offset it. It is my position that no one is actually paying attention to why this is a potential problem, that is all. It has nothing to do with believing things, it has everything to do with a public school profiting off of a company that donates money to organizations that discriminate. I'm as open as it gets about beliefs, trust me. I could care less what anyone else believes or doesn't believe. One of my best friends is as Christian as it gets. I am all for live and let live. The problem here is, CFA is not, and they make that clear by who they donate to, so it MIGHT be a problem for a PUBLIC school to do business with them. I am not sure of that. I do not know 100%. If a petition gained national traction and got 100,000 signees and the issue went all the way to the Supreme Court, I have zero clue what they would rule. I'm just stating WHY THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM, NOT WHAT I THINK SHOULD HAPPEN.

Reading comprehension people!!!!!

[yyz28]

500 signatures?! What's enrollment this year? Bumping 40k.?

[Danish43]

I bought for the first time in a long time sandwiches at CFA for the whole family. Pisses me off that these groups are telling us what we should or should not do.

[GreenMachine]

I bought for the first time in a long time sandwiches at CFA for the whole family. Pisses me off that these groups are telling us what we should or should not do.

I bought sandwiches there the other day for the first time in years solely because of all the BS.

[UNTstormchaser]

I bought for the first time in a long time sandwiches at CFA for the whole family. Pisses me off that these groups are telling us what we should or should not do.

No one is telling you that you can't eat CFA. People are telling you that you can't tell people to not be gay.