Chick-fil-a: Right on 'Target'

"The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about"

-Oscar Wilde 

Yes Virginia, Chick-fil-a supports the biblical definition of marriage, and if you're just tuning in, that means one man, one woman (a.k.a none of the 'gay stuff'). While I wholeheartedly disagree with their position, I didn't think it was a humongous deal... at first. But now it seems they've made quite the splash. Sunday, hundreds upon thousands of incensed citizens are preparing to enter Chick-fil-a to either:

A) protest gay marriage and buy the company's chicken,
or
B) kiss their gay lovers while trying very hard not to buy the company's chicken.

But eventually, everybody gets hungry.

A recent study reveals a sharp downturn in Chick-fil-a 'consumer perception' this past week, (I imagine because a good deal of people went from having "no opinion" to a "negative opinion") however their earnings since the announcement have been 'unprecedented' according to Businessweek. Their net value has soared, and in terms of the fast food industry, it's been been one of the largest revenue jumps in history.

It shouldn't be difficult to figure out why. The customer demographic of Chick-fil-a is conservative Christian. Pulling a stunt like this will energize their potential customers and alienate only those who are less than likely to frequent their business in the first place. Simple enough right? I mean, did any gay rights activists really feel the pain of having to choose between that curvaceous red chicken and their convictions? I didn't think so.

It was no secret this Atlanta-based company was against gay marriage. They have contributed over a million dollars to anti-gay rights organizations over the years. Making their stance official has only been a free and immensely successful publicity campaign. And who is making sure they keep the attention that's making them all this money? Why the very gay-rights spokespeople they've off put. The best way to oppose Chick-fil-a is simply by not giving them free publicity by doing things like, you know, writing blog posts about them... (sigh)

It's time to stop playing into Chick-fil-a's talons by giving them the attention they want. Unless they fire a gay employee or refuse service to a gay customer, I think our attention needs to be placed on keeping those homophobes in the spotlight who don't actually want to be there. The first name that comes to mind is Target. Recently, the company came out with this ad depicting an idyllic gay wedding:

And while it looks as progressive as a wind-farm municipal bond, Target has received flagrant criticism regarding their anti-gay stances in the past. (for example, not selling the albums of gay artists and donating hundreds of thousands to anti-gay legislators) Now that gay marriage has become a hundred-million-dollar industry, Target has decided to change its tune. At least Chick-fil-a is honest about their stance so consumers can make informed decisions. Target is merely grabbing for gay dollars, and trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the gay consumer with empty words and hollow gestures.

Well, I suppose not that hollow. Target recently announced that they will donate $150,000 to a pro LGBT organisation, but their donation history makes me think this contribution is a simple marketing maneuver. Being the large corporation-y type that they are, Target clearly wants deregulation conservatives in power. The problem is they don't want to pay the social cost of their interests.

It's time we put Target in the spotlight for its hypocrisy and not give free social-issue publicity to places that want it. Let's stop highlighting a move Chick-fil-a planned for months, and punish Target for insulting their gay consumer's intelligence.

And let's be real, shall we? One shouldn't be eating all that fatty fried junk in the first place.