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Community => Politics and Government => Topic started by: ironbite on July 24, 2012, 04:53:41 pm

Title: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: ironbite on July 24, 2012, 04:53:41 pm
So recently, Chick-Fil-A's CEO came out and said what we all know.  That he, and by extension his company, endorses the biblical definition of marriage.  Or at least the one idiots think is the biblical definition of marriage.  One woman, one man.  Because I'm like that.  Most recently is that their kid's toys were provided by the Jim Henson Company.  And after that little announcment, JHC decided it didn't want to play anymore with a fast food joint that endorses discrimination (http://ca.movies.yahoo.com/news/jim-henson-company-ends-relationship-chick-fil-over-160739551.html)

Kermit and Miss Piggy won't be chomping down on Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches any longer.

 The Jim Henson Company will stop providing toys for the fast food chains kids meals because of Chick-fil-A's anti-gay marriage stance.

On Facebook, the company said that CEO Lisa Henson is a strong supporter of  marriage equality and decided to end the relationship with the food-maker. The company behind the Muppets will donate the money it received from Chick-fil-A to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

"The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have notified Chick-fil-A that we do not wish to partner with them on any future endeavors," the statement reads.[/url]

So Chik-Fil-A then sent out a store-wide sign to all their franchises detailing just how to proceed when a customer asks why they can't get a little finger puppet for their kid's to play with for the time it takes to get home from the drive-in.  And here's the sign.

(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/558300_509428692416526_72528055_n.jpg)

Ironbite-they sure do practice "Christian" values don't they?
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Fpqxz on July 24, 2012, 05:35:57 pm
I cannot for the life of me understand why corporations are involving themselves in the same-sex marriage debate on either side.  I'm not really sure what they gain from it.  Invariably they end up drawing one consumer base while alienating another.  Remember the whole hullabaloo over the multicolored Oreo cookie?  Well this is the opposite of that.

I mean seriously, these people are selling cookies, chicken sandwiches, and other consumer products.  Why should anyone give a shit what the upper management or board of directors of this company or that one thinks about the issue?

(unless, of course, it is all an insidious plot to allow corporations to legally marry each other, in which case God/Allah/Buddha/whatever help us all)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Smurfette Principle on July 24, 2012, 05:38:42 pm
Yeah, Chik-Fil-A's coming out as homophobic isn't going over well at all. (http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2012/07/23/chick-fil-a-banned-in-boston/)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: niam2023 on July 24, 2012, 05:41:26 pm
Well, lying about the whole thing and making the toys look unsafe.

These people sure practice Christian values, alright.

...They fail biblical studies forever.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Old Viking on July 24, 2012, 06:34:28 pm
I'm still trying to find that biblical definition of marriage.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: nickiknack on July 24, 2012, 07:06:31 pm
Now we just need to get the info out that Dominos Pizza is a fundie company.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Shane for Wax on July 24, 2012, 07:14:44 pm
Feel that Christian love. And proper values.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Yaezakura on July 24, 2012, 07:21:58 pm
I cannot for the life of me understand why corporations are involving themselves in the same-sex marriage debate on either side.  I'm not really sure what they gain from it.  Invariably they end up drawing one consumer base while alienating another.  Remember the whole hullabaloo over the multicolored Oreo cookie?  Well this is the opposite of that.

I mean seriously, these people are selling cookies, chicken sandwiches, and other consumer products.  Why should anyone give a shit what the upper management or board of directors of this company or that one thinks about the issue?

(unless, of course, it is all an insidious plot to allow corporations to legally marry each other, in which case God/Allah/Buddha/whatever help us all)

Mostly, it comes down to the sense of consumer pride. People on both sides of the issue want the companies they support to in turn support them. For bigots, that means they don't want companies who "cater to the faggots". For reasonable people, they don't want to be lining the pockets of bigots.

I never have and never will eat Chik-fil-A. Their stance on gay marriage is the primary factor in that. Why would I spend my money at a place that will donate my money to causes that will try to negatively impact my life?
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: MadCatTLX on July 24, 2012, 07:30:38 pm
So Chik-fil-a supports the biblical definition of marriage. Which one?

(http://x70.xanga.com/f018463225db8282213520/w224941734.png)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: ironbite on July 24, 2012, 07:35:04 pm
Gonna go with Genesis 2:24 there Alex.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Her3tiK on July 24, 2012, 08:35:39 pm
The Daily show covered this (http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-july-23-2012/gaywatch---holdouts-edition) rather nicely. And hilariously.

Seriously. Watch it.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Cerim Treascair on July 24, 2012, 09:45:00 pm
Now we just need to get the info out that Dominos Pizza is a fundie company.

Hey, I worked for Domino's, I still like them.  One of the best jobs I had (for exercise, since I was going door-to-door and hanging promo tags off of doorknobs)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Lachrymose on July 24, 2012, 10:09:54 pm
I'm still trying to find that biblical definition of marriage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: nickiknack on July 24, 2012, 10:20:05 pm
Now we just need to get the info out that Dominos Pizza is a fundie company.

Hey, I worked for Domino's, I still like them.  One of the best jobs I had (for exercise, since I was going door-to-door and hanging promo tags off of doorknobs)

Well, Domino's founder is notoriously anti-choice, and gives a shit load of money to anti-choice groups like Operation Rescue
http://www.alternet.org/economy/156405/5_food_companies_run_by_radical_right-wingers/ (http://www.alternet.org/economy/156405/5_food_companies_run_by_radical_right-wingers/)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: armandtanzarian on July 25, 2012, 12:44:11 pm
I cannot for the life of me understand why corporations are involving themselves in the same-sex marriage debate on either side.  I'm not really sure what they gain from it.  Invariably they end up drawing one consumer base while alienating another.  Remember the whole hullabaloo over the multicolored Oreo cookie?  Well this is the opposite of that.

I mean seriously, these people are selling cookies, chicken sandwiches, and other consumer products.  Why should anyone give a shit what the upper management or board of directors of this company or that one thinks about the issue?

(unless, of course, it is all an insidious plot to allow corporations to legally marry each other, in which case God/Allah/Buddha/whatever help us all)

Mostly, it comes down to the sense of consumer pride. People on both sides of the issue want the companies they support to in turn support them. For bigots, that means they don't want companies who "cater to the faggots". For reasonable people, they don't want to be lining the pockets of bigots.

I never have and never will eat Chik-fil-A. Their stance on gay marriage is the primary factor in that. Why would I spend my money at a place that will donate my money to causes that will try to negatively impact my life?
That and you simply don't want to alienate a chunk of your clients.

Chick-Fil-A's case is different though, since it is IIRC family-owned, and not publicly listed as these other companies are. Meaning Casey, the CEO, has no one to answer to but himself. In most companies usually its a combination of customer demand and investor pressure that determines what the employees, especially the CEO, does. In private companies the investor pressure is gone, in the hands of a CEO who decided losing a few customers may be worth clarifying his stance. Customer pressure may also be less significant for them compared to Jim Henson, or Starbucks, because their customer base consists mostly of the same bunch who would probably vote against gay marriage anyway.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: armandtanzarian on July 25, 2012, 12:56:11 pm
Also:
(http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2012/7/25/11/enhanced-buzz-11069-1343230481-26.jpg)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/chick-fil-a-gets-caught-pretending-to-be-a-teenage
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Thejebusfire on July 25, 2012, 03:53:24 pm
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7oi71yXqG1r0l6mao1_500.jpg)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Shane for Wax on July 25, 2012, 06:05:55 pm
Also:
(http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2012/7/25/11/enhanced-buzz-11069-1343230481-26.jpg)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/chick-fil-a-gets-caught-pretending-to-be-a-teenage
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7q3qjf9BO1qchzbw.gif)

Chik-fil-a pls. Wow.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: ironbite on July 25, 2012, 08:06:01 pm
Ah-hem........MIZ!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vxiQ9JCKvE

Ironbite-now that's better.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Shane for Wax on July 25, 2012, 09:25:29 pm
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7qrrkj9GN1qz9bu3o1_500.png)

HAHAHAHAHA

Whoever made that image I want to shake their hand and buy them a beer!
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Sylvana on July 26, 2012, 02:03:26 am
Also:
(http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2012/7/25/11/enhanced-buzz-11069-1343230481-26.jpg)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/chick-fil-a-gets-caught-pretending-to-be-a-teenage

You would think that with the people of 4chan running around they would know better than to try stunts like this. Hell those 4chan people are better at tracking people down that the police, and they cant be the only ones who dig up background info on people.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Her3tiK on July 26, 2012, 09:39:11 am
Also:
(http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2012/7/25/11/enhanced-buzz-11069-1343230481-26.jpg)
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/chick-fil-a-gets-caught-pretending-to-be-a-teenage

You would think that with the people of 4chan running around they would know better than to try stunts like this. Hell those 4chan people are better at tracking people down that the police, and they cant be the only ones who dig up background info on people.
You say that as though companies like this are used to being criticized for the things they say.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Vypernight on July 26, 2012, 03:14:59 pm
Yeah, Chik-Fil-A's coming out as homophobic isn't going over well at all. (http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2012/07/23/chick-fil-a-banned-in-boston/)

I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask, "Is this legal?"  To ban a company from your city just because of its owners views?  Granted I don't know if the owner has performed actions against ssm, and if he has, then sure, ban him.  But I can't see banning him just for his views.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: VirtualStranger on July 26, 2012, 03:32:00 pm
Also:
http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/enhanced/web05/2012/7/25/11/enhanced-buzz-11069-1343230481-26.jpg
http://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/chick-fil-a-gets-caught-pretending-to-be-a-teenage
You would think that with the people of 4chan running around they would know better than to try stunts like this. Hell those 4chan people are better at tracking people down that the police, and they cant be the only ones who dig up background info on people.

"Those 4chan people" generally don't give a shit about viral marketers or anyone stupid enough to fall for them. They are not omnipotent internet vigilantes. They are a bunch of people who happen to use an imageboard.

You guys seem to think that marketing techniques like this are something uncommon. You would be sorely mistaken. Companies use tactics like this all the fucking time, on just about every major site you can think of. It's especially common on news sites, where half of the comments are likely to be bought and paid for by some financial corporation of political entity.

Yeah, Chik-Fil-A's coming out as homophobic isn't going over well at all. (http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2012/07/23/chick-fil-a-banned-in-boston/)
I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask, "Is this legal?"  To ban a company from your city just because of its owners views?  Granted I don't know if the owner has performed actions against ssm, and if he has, then sure, ban him.  But I can't see banning him just for his views.

Boston can't legally ban them from the city, but they can deny their building permits. Chick-fil-a can stand on the street and sell their chicken sandwiches all they want. They just can't build a restaurant without the city approving their permits.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Distind on July 26, 2012, 04:03:51 pm
Yeah, Chik-Fil-A's coming out as homophobic isn't going over well at all. (http://www.prop8trialtracker.com/2012/07/23/chick-fil-a-banned-in-boston/)
I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask, "Is this legal?"  To ban a company from your city just because of its owners views?  Granted I don't know if the owner has performed actions against ssm, and if he has, then sure, ban him.  But I can't see banning him just for his views.
Boston can't legally ban them from the city, but they can deny their building permits. Chick-fil-a can stand on the street and sell their chicken sandwiches all they want. They just can't build a restaurant without the city approving their permits.

Always good to remember that "Because they pissed me off" is pretty much a valid reason to deny someone a building permit unless a court case is pushed against it.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: erictheblue on July 26, 2012, 04:31:54 pm
I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask, "Is this legal?"  To ban a company from your city just because of its owners views?  Granted I don't know if the owner has performed actions against ssm, and if he has, then sure, ban him.  But I can't see banning him just for his views.

Boston cannot ban CFA from the city, but that is not what the mayor is doing. He is trying to keep them out of a certain district of the city.

Government restrictions on speech are subject to a "time-place-manner" test and restrictions must be content-neutral. If there is no time/place/manner in which you can act, this is a violation of the First Amendment. Governments can, however, ban speech in certain times/locations/manners. (i.e. "you cannot protest with any noise within 30 feet of the courthouse." Under that ordinance, you could protest vocally 31 feet from the courthouse, or you could protest 5 feet from the courthouse if you did so silently.) Government restrictions on speech must also be content-neutral. (i.e. "No political campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place." This is valid since it limits ALL political campaigning, and gives a location where such campaigning could be done. Contrast "No anti-war protests within 100 feet of a polling place.")

Boston keeping CFA out of a certain district is perfectly valid under time/space/manner, since there are other places they could go. I am not sure about the content-neutral restriction. Saying "CFA cannot set up a store here because they are anti-gay" would not be content neutral, especially if other fast-food places were allowed in that district.


(There are ways governments can restrict corporate speech. I need to look up those limits since I cannot remember them. That may have an impact on how constitutional Boston's actions would be.)
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Fpqxz on July 26, 2012, 05:22:18 pm
Usually there is an enabling statute which describes when permits are to be issued or denied.  Or at least there is supposed to be one, otherwise it is just standardless discretion.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Nightangel8212 on July 27, 2012, 12:59:26 pm
To quote Winchester from M*A*S*H....

"Gentlemen, Boston would have banned Pinnochio."

Aren't they generally known for banning a lot of things?
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Her3tiK on July 27, 2012, 02:42:19 pm
Looks like Philly is following suit.
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/306829_413385732031973_130115932_n.jpg)

I love watching bigotry bite people in the ass.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Vypernight on July 28, 2012, 05:07:51 am
I'm going to play devil's advocate and ask, "Is this legal?"  To ban a company from your city just because of its owners views?  Granted I don't know if the owner has performed actions against ssm, and if he has, then sure, ban him.  But I can't see banning him just for his views.

Boston cannot ban CFA from the city, but that is not what the mayor is doing. He is trying to keep them out of a certain district of the city.

Government restrictions on speech are subject to a "time-place-manner" test and restrictions must be content-neutral. If there is no time/place/manner in which you can act, this is a violation of the First Amendment. Governments can, however, ban speech in certain times/locations/manners. (i.e. "you cannot protest with any noise within 30 feet of the courthouse." Under that ordinance, you could protest vocally 31 feet from the courthouse, or you could protest 5 feet from the courthouse if you did so silently.) Government restrictions on speech must also be content-neutral. (i.e. "No political campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place." This is valid since it limits ALL political campaigning, and gives a location where such campaigning could be done. Contrast "No anti-war protests within 100 feet of a polling place.")

Boston keeping CFA out of a certain district is perfectly valid under time/space/manner, since there are other places they could go. I am not sure about the content-neutral restriction. Saying "CFA cannot set up a store here because they are anti-gay" would not be content neutral, especially if other fast-food places were allowed in that district.


(There are ways governments can restrict corporate speech. I need to look up those limits since I cannot remember them. That may have an impact on how constitutional Boston's actions would be.)

Playing devil's advocate again, but would the mayor also be in his right if he denied it because the owner supported SSM?
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: rookie on July 29, 2012, 10:52:45 pm
Why does it seem only douchebags have a problem with Muppets? Chick Fil a, Fox News, Courtney Love. I've never heard a sane thing against them.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Saturn500 on July 29, 2012, 10:56:52 pm
Because being a douchebag is a requirement to hate awesome things.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: N. De Plume on July 31, 2012, 07:37:07 am
To quote Winchester from M*A*S*H....

"Gentlemen, Boston would have banned Pinnochio."

Aren't they generally known for banning a lot of things?

Generally, such bannings are the result of the sort of conservative “think of the children” moral outrage and overreactions that would usually wind up on the other side of the SSM debate.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Art Vandelay on July 31, 2012, 08:08:09 am
Holy shit, I've just realised that I've been pronouncing (or rather reading in my head) "Chick-fil-A" all wrong. Up until now, I always thought it was pronounced "Chick-fil-ah" rather than "Chick-fil-aiye". It does makes a hell of a lot more sense, come to think of it.
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: shykid on July 31, 2012, 11:02:44 am
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/558300_509428692416526_72528055_n.jpg)

Ironbite-they sure do practice "Christian" values don't they?

Classy... lying out of your ass because you made an ass of yourself is apparently a traditional Christian value. Yup. Totally what Jesus would have done.

"There's a safety issue with these toys. We can't actually prove it but we know there is because... there totally is."
Title: Re: Jim Henson Company severs relationship with Chik-Fil-A
Post by: Bezron on July 31, 2012, 11:04:22 am
Well, the safety issue is that association with them may make kids accept others for their differences.  Which is, you know, one of the core values of the Muppets for the last 40 years or so....