Kansas students create petitions against Chick-fil-A on campuses

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July 26, 2012|By Chris Durden | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

(WICHITA, Kan.) — The controversy over gay marriage and a fast food chain has reached college campuses in Kansas.

There are online petitions at Change.org to remove Chick-fil-A from the campuses of Wichita State University and the University of Kansas.

The KU petition had more than 1,600 signatures by Thursday night. The Wichita State petition had nearly 500.

A nationwide uproar started earlier this month when Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy, son of the company's founder, said he was against same-sex marriage. Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company was "guilty as charged" for backing "the biblical definition of a family." In a subsequent radio interview, he ratcheted up the rhetoric: "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, 'We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.'"

The Cathy family has never hid from its Southern Baptist views, closing its restaurants on Sundays. Cathy has also given millions of dollars to groups opposing marriage equality.

Cathy's statements angered supporters of gay rights. Leaders in Boston and Chicago say the restaurant is not welcome there and the Jim Henson Company has yanked its Muppet toys from kids' meals.

The company itself attempted to quell the controversy by posting the following message on its Facebook page. The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.

The post didn't work. Instead, the company was accused of creating a staged Facebook account and posting messages of support of the company. Chick-fil-A denied it was behind the account. Soon after the denial, the account, which used a profile photo from shutterstock.com, was deleted.

Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A supporters have answered emphatically. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has declared Wednesday "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" and the Rev. Billy Graham says he plans to eat there next week.

Students from other universities including University of Illinois and Minnesota State University have also started petitions asking to remove Chick-fil-A from their campuses.

Wichita's first stand-alone restaurant opened at Central and Rock in March. A second store opens August at 21st & Maize.

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