The Arbiter 2-17-11

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For decades the PAAW building taught students and instructors.

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Volume 23

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February 17, 2011

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Do you want your food loaded with flavor or morals?

Junior Political science major

“It’s up to them whether or not they want to…personally – if the food’s great, and I enjoy it, then OK. If it becomes an issue where it goes with my beliefs or against my beliefs, then I guess I would make a decision whether I would or wouldn’t eat there.”

Brandie VanOrden

Truett Cathy, creator of Chick-fil-A, founded the WinShape Foundation which includes retreats for marriage support and counseling. The retreat has openly stated it doesn’t allow homosexual couples.

“I think we as a society have reached a point where we need to be socially responsible. I think that if Chick-fil-A has the best food, and is supporting something I don’t agree with, then I would stop eating there.”

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It would be horrible to lose to Idaho. —Stephanie Jasper, Senior

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Chick-fil-A was faced with angry students when news that the company monetarily supported anti-homosexual groups was leaked. Some students even moved to boycott the restaurant. Every organization, whether it’s a fastfood chain or a club of students, has the right to express whichever view it wishes. If Chick-fil-A wants to support anti-gay groups, they should be allowed to, and if students on campus want to kick the restaurant to the curb, they should also be allowed to do that. Some say the opinions of a company shouldn’t matter-- that customers should buy what they like, no matter where their money is going. But this is taking too passive a stance. Ethics should play a role in what people buy. If a student disagrees with a certain principle or policy of a company, they should make an effort to oppose that company in a way they deem appropriate. Shannon Morgan and Gus Voss, promoters of the boycott at BSU, believe students should stop buying from Chick-fil-A. Voss’s biggest issue with Chick-fil-A’ lie in its violation of BSU’s values. “The company violates Boise State’s Statement of Shared Values, specifically those values of Respect and Fairness,” he said. “While the campus restaurant does provide equal access to a homosexual and a heterosexual at the counter, employees are

In February 2009, Chick-fil-A donated money to Focus on the Family, an anti-gay Colorado organization founded by Rev. James Dobson.

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The company’s president, Dan Cathy, posted a video on the company’s Facebook page to explain providing food for a local seminar is not an endorsement or a political stance.

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Commotion has arisen about Chickfil-A’s support of anti-gay organizations. Some people push for those that support gay rights to stop purchasing food from Chick-fil-A, their philosophy being: “Don’t support businesses that don’t support your personal beliefs.” However, there are a few flaws in that attitude. For starters, a survey conducted in 2008 showed Chick-fil-A was one of the top choices of Boise State students. Clearly, those whom Chick-fil-A supports didn’t affect those choices -- students just wanted delicious food on campus. Chick-fil-A isn’t open on Sundays, implying that the company has religious, particularly Christian, morals -- which is true. This does not mean everyone who decides to eat a Chick-fil-A has Christian beliefs. The widely popular, privately-owned, successful corporation should support whomever they want, including religious communities. Additionally, the philosophy seems to be negatively weighted. A positive spin on the same philosophy would be, “Support businesses that support your personal beliefs.”

Journalist

treated differently at the corporate level.” Kale Howard, senior psychology major, will also boycott the restaurant. “It makes an impact on my life,” Howard said. “Yes, it’s indirect, but buying food from Chick-fil-A is giving money to individuals and an organization that actively support groups who oppose gay marriage and gay rights. Financing Chick-fil-A is financing opposition to gay marriage. I’m not okay with that.” If students don’t want their university to be threatened by a company which disagrees with the school’s values, they should actively participate in the boycott. Shannon Morgan, senior communication major, said that Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay policies restricts LGBT rights. “My sole reason for boycotting Chickfil-A is the monetary and product support of groups that work to change the law surrounding not just gay rights issues, but proand anti-choice issues,” Morgan said. “To be absolutely clear, I have no problem with Christians or Christian values, and I fully support any citizens’ right to live their faith or beliefs.” Whether or not people support Chickfil-A’s donations doesn’t matter -- the fact that some students are taking a stand against this violation of theirs and the university’s values is admirable. Ethics are extremely important, and they should influence where consumers put their money. Students should join the group boycotting the restaurant if they care -- or continue to enjoy their chicken sandwiches if they don’t.

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Journalist

Christine Ritchie

OUR OFFICES IN THE ALUMNI CENTER

Tony Madonna

Consume with a conscience

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Senior Nursing major

Da Ney Chen

Buy the product, not the politics

For example, if Pizzeria A supports Habitat for Humanity, and someone believes what Habitat for Humanity does is good, then that person will continue to go to Pizzeria A as a personal choice, and could possibly encourage others to go. However, if Pizzeria B supports a group that discriminates against minorities, then a person might choose to not go there anymore, and, if they don’t, they may insist that none of their friends go there as well. Perhaps they might even make it public by tipping the local newspaper or posting something on Facebook. If a person chooses to go to Chick-fil-A, it does not mean said person adopts the company’s beliefs. “If going to Chick-fil-A means I am antigay, then buying Nike or Reebok shoes means that I’m in favor of outsourcing possible American jobs because their shoes are made in China,” said Nick Hueser, a sophomore business major at Boise State and a member of the gay community. “I go to Chick-fil-A because I like the food, not because of what the company stands for. When I buy a product from a company, I’m not buying their beliefs as well.” Finally, having a Chick-fil-A on campus does not make BSU anti-gay. Boise State made a business decision to have Chick-filA on campus to give the students a popular option for food and to make money for the school. Boise State does not become “guilty by association” for having it on campus. Chick-fil-A is a private company and can support whatever group or organization they wish. When someone purchases a Spicy Chicken Sandwich from them, it does not come topped with the beliefs of the company, only pickles.

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“I think it’s a case by case basis. Some people who believe really strongly about something, whether it’s anti-gay or whatever [the issue], then they won’t want to eat there because they don’t support that at all…. other people disagree with it, but not enough to go hungry.”

Aaron Dahl

Freshman Business marketing

What do you think of Chickfil-A contributing to anti-gay organizations?

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