It looks like Chick-fil-A restaurants are discriminating against more than cows.
The Christian-oriented business is receiving flak nationwide for its endorsement of anti-gay events, and Ball State students are speaking out.
Spectrum, a campus organization that supports, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer students, has taken notice, but because it's a university-funded student group, it's not allowed to take a political stance.
"We talked about it with our members, and let them know what was going on, about how you are what you pay for; you are what businesses you support. If you want to try and make a difference on your own, then just don't buy products from them, don't buy their food," senior nursing major and Spectrum President Taylor Pallatin said.
The controversy started earlier this year when a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Pennsylvania donated free food to the Pennsylvania Family Institute for two marriage seminars.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute has a history of opposition against legalizing gay marriage in the state. The institute is the sole sponsor of The Art of Marriage seminars, a "video-guided event [that]... will help couples apply what the Bible teaches about marriage in powerful way," according to the Pennsylvania Family Institute's website. Until recently, Chick-fil-A had also sponsored The Art of Marriage.
Protests against Chick-fil-A have taken place at college campuses around the country. Indiana University-South Bend has temporarily shut down Chick-fil-A's services on campus.
The university decided at the beginning of the spring semester to temporarily suspend the Chick-fil-A franchise's once-a-week operations. This move was decided because of a pending donation to the Pennsylvania Family Institute. Faculty members of IUSB's Campus Ally Network brought the issue to administrators' attention.
"The suspension of once-a-week service does not reflect an endorsement of any position, but was done to give the campus to properly review the issue with appropriate representatives," according to a statement released by the university.
IUSB's Academic Senate is reviewing the issue, and Pallatin, a South Bend native, thinks it is possible the senate could recommend ending IUSB's contract with Chick-fil-A.
However, she does not think Ball State will take similar action. Pallatin's first reaction was that Ball State should shut down Chick-fil-A on campus. But she said she also realizes the money and contract obligations of the university.
"I don't know how students would react to not having Chick-fil-A," she said. "So do I think it will happen here? Probably not. Do I wish something like it would? Yes. Just because people would then question why are they gone... They'd look into it, and maybe become educated on Chick-fil-A's stance and whether they agree with it," Pallatin said.
Chick-fil-A isn't the only well-known company with religious ties. According to an article on CNN, the women's clothing store, Forever 21, has the biblical verse of John 3:16 on the bottom of its stores' bags. The message is a "demonstration of the owners' faith," according to a spokewoman of the company.
Arts and crafts store Hobby Lobby has its Christian base in its statement of purpose on its website. "In order to effectively serve our owners, employees and customers the Board of Directors is committed to: Honoring the Lord in all we do by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles... We believe that it is by God's grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured. He has been faithful in the past, we trust Him for our future."
Feeling the backlash of frustration from customers, Chick-fil-A issued a statement in January on its Facebook page.
"As our fans, you know we do our best to serve our local communities, and one of the ways we do that is by providing food to schools, colleges, civic groups, businesses, places of worship, not-for-profit groups, etc.," according to the statement. "Our Chick-fil-A operators and their employees try very hard every day to go the extra mile in serving ALL of our customers with honor, dignity and respect."
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