The Jim Henson Company, which created characters for “The Muppets,” recently pulled their sponsorship from Chick-fil-A due to the restaurant chain CEO’s antigay comments.
Prior to the family-owned company’s stated opposition to same-sex marriage, Muppets toys were served with every kid’s meal. The Henson Company now refuses to continue their partnership with Chick-fil-A after its president, Dan Cathy, declared the company was “guilty as charged” of supporting “the biblical definition of the family unit.”
The Henson Company recently posted on its Facebook page: “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.”
CEO Lisa Henson is a strong supporter of same-sex marriage and has ordered that the company donate the payment received from Chick-fil-A to GLAAD (the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
The Henson Company isn’t the only entity boycotting Chick-fil-A now. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has promised to make it difficult for the chain to obtain the required licenses to open up any restaurants in his city.
“Chick-fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston,” Menino told the Boston Herald. “You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion.”
Chick-fil-A’s status on Facebook regarding its “traditional beliefs and culture” has over 78,000 “likes.” Also in support of Chick-fil-A is Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and GOP presidential candidate.
“Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same-sex marriage, abortion or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we’re considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers and intolerant,” Huckabee wrote on a Facebook page he created in support of the chain.
Huckabee took it upon himself to declare August 1 as “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” Little does he know that “National Same-Sex Kiss Day” is but two days later, when same-sex couples will go to their local Chick-fil-A and make out to spite the company.
