Originally published on SILVERMAN: On Sports on July 20, 2012:
NO MOR FOTBAL
That needs to be the message sent to Chick-Fil-A by the organizers of the bowl once proudly known as the Peach Bowl. It’s time for the Chamber of Commerce to cut their ties with the Atlanta-based fast food chain.
Why?
Simple. Zero tolerance. In this case, zero tolerance for hatred and bigotry. Dan Cathy, the son of the chain’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, recently admitted in an interview with Baptist Press that the company he runs is against marriage equality. Chick-Fil-A donates millions to anti-gay rights organizations.
This attitude has no place in the world and certainly not in college athletics.
Don’t get me wrong. I realize that everyone, even companies are entitled to their own views and beliefs. BUT when a company takes a social action like Cathy’s has done with his words and his money, the game changes.
Cathy is a smart man. His company has over 1600 locations and makes billions every year. He wanted his stance on gay rights known. He knew his company would take a hit publicly and maybe even in its bottom line. He doesn’t care.
Remember, this is the same chain that is not open on Sundays. The reason was outlined in the founder’s Five-Step recipe for Business Success, “I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities. One of the most visible examples of this is our decision to close on Sunday. Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business.”
The mayor of Boston has vowed to keep Chick-Fil-A out of his city. College campuses have been working to keep them out because the anti-gay stance by Cathy and his company has not been a well kept secret.
Now it’s time to keep the chicken seller out of college athletics.
The message needs to be loud and clear, you can’t peddle hate and intolerance when you promote college football.
I call on the NCAA, the Chamber of Commerce, ESPN and all partners of the Chick-Fil-A Bowl Game, Kickoff Classic and Golf Challenge to squib kick Chick-Fi-A out of the football business.
The NCAA has had a very hands off policy lately, see the Penn State/Sandusky tragedy. They can’t stay out of this situation.
Why?
This game is one of three bowls to receive an NCAA grant for the Youth Football Program.
The purpose of bowl games is to raise money for local charities. I realize this is a fact that is largely forgotten in favor of great football games.
It’s time to remind the masses. It’s time to remind Chick-Fil-A.
Bowls serve the community.
The entire community.
>>>>I did a number of radio shows about this subject and gay rights, this was one of the best of the year. Click below for my interviews with Vikings’ punter Chris Kluwe, OutSports.com’s Cyd Zeigler and Jamie Kuntz, the college football player that was kicked off his team for being gay.
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