In 2012 Chick-fil-A owner Dan Cathy became Public Enemy Number One in the gay community for his out-front stand against same-sex marriage and his companyâs donations to anti-equality groups.
In case youâve forgotten, Cathy announced that Americans were âinviting Godâs judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say âwe know better than youâ as to what constitutes a marriage.â In 2010, Chick-fil-A donated more than $1.9 million to anti-LGBT organizations like the National Organization for Marriage, Exodus International and Focus on the Family.
Despite how the media framed the story, it was about more than marriageâit was about groups that endorse reparative therapy, job discrimination and worse for gays and lesbians.
But Shane Windmeyer, co-founder and director of the LGBT college group Campus Pride, has emerged as something of Cathyâs new BFF: âIâve gotten to know Dan, heâs gotten to know me,â Windmeyer (left) told ABC News. âHeâs shared concerns about young people, about Chick-fil-A being used for certain purposes.â
How about we take this to the next level?
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According to ABC, it turns out Windmeyer has been hanging with Cathy after the fast-food king sought him out for âadvice and understandingâ over the donation controversy. Cathy even invited Windmeyer to Decemberâs Chick-fil-A Bowl between LSU and Clemson at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.
Windmeyer says heâs looked over Chick-fil-Aâs tax returns and can confirm it has stopped supporting the enemies of equalityâsort of.
âIn 2011, [According to] the 990s that I saw, they did stop funding the more divisive, anti-gay groups that actively work to harm and hurt LGBT people,â Windmeyer told ABC News.
Windmeyer says he knows he and Cathy disagree about gay marriage but that theyâve reached an understanding of each other as people.
But even as headlines screamed that Chick-Fil-A was backing down, Cathy (right) was funding a motorcycle ride benefiting opponents of same-sex marriage.
Guess all those chicken sandwiches can buy you some pretty fancy tax loopholes.
Even if Cathy is truly out of the hate game, thatâs hardly enough to make us want to hang out with the guyâlet alone fund his business. Should we run out and support Chick-fil-A just because itâs stopped funding the more divisive anti-gay groups?
Thatâs setting the bar damn low.
In the ABC News story, Windmeyer indicated that if he and his partner ever get the right to marry in North Carolina, heâs going to invite Dan Cathy to the wedding.
Well, if you and your partner canât marry in North Carolina, its due in part to the millions of dollars Cathy fed to groups that pushed the stateâs odious marriage-equality ban.
Itâs enough to make you lose your lunch.
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JasonMacBride
Who appointed this Windmeyer tool as leader of anything? The Chicken guy is playing him for a fool.
Avenger
Chick-Fil-A is delicious! I hope they open more franchises around here! Also think that they should make that successful “appreciation day” that they had last summer and annual tradition.
Taliaferro
Avenger – you, sir, are a poltroon. I trust that you will indulge in your passion for deep fried mass produced protein to the point where you brain cells are even more atrophied. This is not about the food but basic human rights – and it is a pity you cannot see that – or perhaps you can and simply don’t care.
Cee
I want to try Chic-fil-A. Too bad I will never.
FStratford
I hope they open more franchises too… franchises that people wont buy from. đ
Harley
I’m sure GOProud and the log cabin bunch are chowing down on chicken now.
Cam
@Avenger: said…
”
Chick-Fil-A is delicious! I hope they open more franchises around here! Also think that they should make that successful âappreciation dayâ that they had last summer and annual tradition.”
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They had one day where the bigots came out…and guess what. Their sales have dropped off since. People like you and the Westborough Baptist Church that pickets the funerals of soldiers don’t seem to get it.
Anybody who doubles down on being a bigot eventually loses. But then again, it’s a chain out of the the same area of the country that used to be the confederacy. So no suprise that the same area that fought for slavery uses any excuse to announce they are bigots.
Daniel-Reader
It is like someone declaring “I can confirm the gunman has stopped buying bullets” after the gunman has already shot you.
MK Ultra
Cathy is a liar, as usual. It’s becoming bad for business to be an open reliligotis homophobus, so now he’s got a new PR plan. Same as the old, just keep the hate better hidden.
Windmeyer is a big sell-out. He probably got paid to be a “public friend of Cathy’s”‘.
They can both fill each other chicks for all I care.