Adding insult to injury, the conservative hosts of Fox News Channel's Fox & Friends celebrated Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's signing of legislation dubbed the "Save Chick-fil-A Bill" by eating food from the notoriously homophobic fast-food chain on-air.
There has been a recent spate of pushback to Chick-fil-A stores opening in airports and on college campuses across the country, but the bill Abbott signed this Pride Month prohibits Texas and its cities and counties from punishing individuals or businesses because of affiliation with or donations to religious organizations (including those that are anti-LGBTQ).
"The bill is to protect private entities from punishment over actions they take due to their religious beliefs," Fox & Friends cohost Steve Doocy said.
"So, San Antonio airport -- I used to live there, flew into that airport all the time -- and they have obviously restaurants, their food court. And Chick-fil-A wants to move in there," cohost Ainsley Earhart attempted to explain. "Well, the area lawmakers -- the local lawmakers saidno because there is some controversy with this restaurant. Whether or not -- what their beliefs are on LGBT -- and so they voted no. Well, it went all the way to the governor's desk, and he just signed it."
"Chick-fil-A -- we have one across the street from us. This is piping hot," Doocy said while shoving a piece of fried chicken into his mouth.
The fast-food chain has been under fire this year over tax returns revealing that the company, whose CEO, Dan Cathy, is openly antigay, has continued to donate money to anti-LGBTQ organizations in spite of pushback and boycotts.
Responding to revelations that Chick-fil-A continued to donate to anti-LGBTQ organizations after it tried to make over its image in light of boycotts over Cathy's anti-equality statements in 2012, the company asserted that the media was painting "an inaccurate narrative about our brand."
But there's no glossing over the findings that Chick-fil-A's charitable arm gave $1.8 million to three anti-LGBTQ organizations in 2017, including the Salvation Army. It also donated to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which enforces a "sexual purity" policy that bars "homosexual acts." Finally, it donated to the Paul Anderson Youth Home, which provides housing for troubled youth and "teaches boys that homosexuality is wrong" and that same-sex marriage is a "rage against Jesus Christ and his values."
In closing the segment on Fox & Friends, the cohosts said, "When you try to stop Chick-fil-A, you help Chick-fil-A," as they continued to munch away on a spread of fried food.
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