chickfila Reuters

Chick-fil-A said on Monday that it would no longer donate to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, two groups that have been criticized by LGBTQ advocates.

While some people are lauding the decision, the move has sparked a Twitter battle on both sides of the political aisle. Many on the right are slamming the chain for the move, which they see as giving in to pressure from activists.

„Today, @ChickfilA betrayed loyal customers for $$,“ former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee tweeted on Monday. „I regret believing they would stay true to convictions of founder Truett Cathey. Sad.“

„We made multiyear commitments to both organizations, and we fulfilled those obligations in 2018. Moving forward you will see that the Chick-fil-A Foundation will support the three specific initiatives of homelessness, hunger and education,“ a Chick-fil-A representative said in a statement to Business Insider.

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Chick-fil-A said on Monday that it would stop donating money to two organizations that have been under scrutiny by LGBTQ activists.

In a press release, the company said it would „deepen its giving to a smaller number of organizations working exclusively in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger.“ The chain confirmed to Business Insider that it would stop donating money to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, two organizations that have been criticized by LGBTQ advocates.

„We made multiyear commitments to both organizations, and we fulfilled those obligations in 2018. Moving forward you will see that the Chick-fil-A Foundation will support the three specific initiatives of homelessness, hunger and education,“ a Chick-fil-A representative said in a statement to Business Insider.

Following the announcement, critics took to Twitter to voice their opinions on the decision, a move that many on the right have blamed on pressure from activists.

In a tweet on Monday, former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee accused the chain of betraying loyal customers for money.

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In Aug 2012, I coordinated a national @ChickfilA Appreciation Day after they were being bullied by militant hate groups. Millions showed up. Today, @ChickfilA betrayed loyal customers for $$. I regret believing they would stay true to convictions of founder Truett Cathey. Sad.

Others also accused Chick-fil-A of giving into „mob“ pressure. Conservative commentator Matt Walsh called the decision „a counter productive surrender“ and suggested that the chain’s defiance against past critisicms was one of the main reasons for its success.

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Chick fil A defied the LGBT rage mob for years and only grew in popularity because of it. Now all of a sudden they cave. This is the most pointless and counter productive surrender I’ve ever seen.

Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey and other critics tweeted similar sentiments.

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Really @ChickfilA? This is the direction you want to go? You’ve garnered the unconditional support of millions not in spite of but BECAUSE OF your stances, which is the sole reason you’re successful. Idiocy. Bye! https://t.co/LIAzBt9Xos

And some suggested that the company should be ashamed of the decision.

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Shame, shame on you, @ChickfilA. You are the 3rd most successful fast food franchise in the US. You had no reason to capitulate. But you did. Yes, shame on the progressive bullies too — yet the greater shame is yours, Chick-fil-A, you cowards. https://t.co/eTfALNMUz4

Dana Loesch, a former spokesperson for the National Rifle Association, suggested that pressure was to blame for Chick-fil-A’s move.

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Did Chick-Fil-A bend the knee to the mob?https://t.co/glNgfZxplb

Loesch also pointed out that the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army do work that seem in line with the causes that Chick-fil-A is looking to support, namely homelessness, hunger, and education.

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Fellowship of Christian Athletes? A group that facilities fellowship of faithful high schoolers and encourages embracing Christ’s top command to love one another? So bad to encourage those values today, apparently.

Despite the backlash, there were people who came out in support of the move. Zach Stafford, editor-in-chief of The Advocate, tweeted, „THE GAYS HAVE WON.“ However, Stafford added a disclaimer in another tweet.

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BIG NOTE HERE: They have said this before and we should not be 100% they will stop.

But, hey. Here you go.

Joshua Israel, senior writer for The American Independent, suggested that the move was an important, yet small, step in the right direction.

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This is a major step for a company that has come to symbolize anti-LGBTQ discrimination. But they have work to do if they want to be an inclusive company. (6)

Chick-fil-A has faced backlash for its donations for years. In 2012, CEO Dan Cathy said he did not support same-sex marriage. After backlash, the company stopped making donations to right-wing and religious organizations known for lobbying against LGBTQ rights through the WinShape Foundation, but continued to donate to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army.