Tonight my family went to Chick-fil-A to support our elementary school in their monthly fundraising night. We eat, we pay, Chick-fil-A cuts a check to the school for a portion. Seems like a real win win. I do love their lemonade.
Well, my posting of this event on FB received a number of responses and one really made me stop and think. A FB friend announced that he no longer eats at CFA since they reportedly made a significant number of contribution to anti-gay religious groups. He said "$2 Million for anti-gay rhetoric aint righteous." I did some checking and found that there are factions who believe that by making donations to religious groups who denounce gay relationships and marriage they CFA must support that same ideal. CFA denies that and, Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy defended the chain saying, "We're not anti-anybody... Our mission is to create raving fans."
As a person who believes in equal rights for everyone. I take pause. Does that mean I shouldn't eat there? That they don't need my money to back their donations? That I shouldn't attend CFA Leadercast in May? Hmmm?
I have never been too political. I mean, I vote. I gave my first donation to a political campaign last year but it was a non-partisan local election. I have personal conviction but do I act with INTENTION about those each and every day? Do I make choices with my spending of time and money that are in line with my convictions? I have choices. I could become more informed. But can I know enough? And do I have the fortitude to act on all of it?
Well, I guess not yet. I eat at Chick-fil-A. I shop at Target. I am not a vegan or even a vegetarian (obviously, I eat chicken and use honey on biscuits). I make donations to Susan G Koemen but not the March of Dimes. I watch Ellen, and sometimes go to church but I also read books that include references to sex outside of marriage and I watch R rated movies full of cursing and violence. I even let my kids play "questionable" video games. Does all of that make me a hypocrite?
I think that in this year ahead I INTEND to consider about these issues and so much more. Perhaps I should have just made my word for the year GRATITUDE. (Please respect the the unwritten and maybe even written OLW rules say that you can change your word.)
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