The latest target of conservative outcry is no longer Target. Hundreds of social media users took to Twitter on Wednesday to call for a boycott of Chick-fil-A over the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) page on the restaurant’s website.
“(T)hey Chose Go Woke, Go Broke,” Twitter user MAGA American Patriot posted.
The controversy began late Monday night when podcaster Joey Mannerino tweeted that Chick-fil-A had “just hired a VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.”
The company’s DEI page — which has actually been up since 2020 — features a quote from vice president Erick McReynolds: “Chick-fil-A restaurants have long been recognized as a place where people know they will be treated well. Modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and we are committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business. These tenets are good business practice and crucial to fulfilling our Corporate Purpose.”
The page goes on to say, “Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s commitment to being Better at Together means embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in everything we do.”
That seems to be the part many right-wing conservatives take issue with.
“Dear @ChickfilA, two points to remember regarding your DEI position. First, you cannot hold to that position and glorify God. Secondly, it would be a massive disappointment to your founder,” tweeted Josh Buice of Douglasville, Georgia, who describes himself as a “Follower of Christ, husband, dad, pastor, founder & president of G3 Ministries.”
People on both sides of the political aisle pointed out the irony of conservatives boycotting a restaurant that states its corporate purpose as being “(t)o glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A” — even to the point of being closed on Sundays.
According to Twitter user Charlie Kirk: “DEI is an inherently anti-Christian practice. Having a ‘DEI director’ isn’t just bad business. It’s incompatible with being a conservative or a Christian company.”
Alejandra Craballo posted: “They’re really going to go after Chick-Fil-A because they support diversity. As someone who hasn’t eaten there in years due to donating to anti-LGBTQ hate groups, this is going to be hilarious to watch.”
A representative with Chick-fil-A said the company has no comment on the boycott call at this time.