Chick-fil-A To Ed Helms: We're Not Anti-Gay

Good people of Chick-fil-A, do pick a side and stay on it.

A day after "The Office" main-cast member Ed Helms tweeted the regrettable, impactful news that the nationwide chicken chain had lost its patronage over its stance against gay marriage, the chain's flack fired back to make a clarification, E! News reports.

There's actual no issue between Chick-fil-A as a brand and the gay community at large, representatives claimed, despite president Dan Cathy's remarks to the Baptist Press that Chick-fil-A is "guilty as charged" of opposing homosexual matrimony. Cathy's company is reportedly also "guilty as charged" of giving nearly $2 million in 2010 to religious groups opposing same-sex unions.

"The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect - regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender," a company statement reads. "We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena."

Upon hearing of Cathy's remarks, Helms tweeted his immediate disapproval - along with a pondering on the treatment of switch-hitting poultry.

Chick-Fil-A doesn't like gay people? So lame. Hate to think what they do to the gay chickens! Lost a loyal fan.ow.ly/ckqYe

— Ed Helms (@edhelms) July 18, 2012

In all fairness, I'm reminded of Kevin Smith's brutally honest "Clerks" tagline: "Just because they serve you, doesn't mean they like you." In a sense, the Chick-fil-A representatives have a sort of innocent-until-proven-guilty point. The company is not obligated to support or denounce any one cause behind the scenes. For that matter, it's not as though the company's "biblical" culture of principles is any secret. It's the biggest nationwide dining chain that without exception closes every store on Sunday. To date, I can't recall any significant instances of clientele or employees coming forward claiming they've been unfairly discriminated against.

Cathy probably should've kept his remarks to himself, though Cathy stumping against gay marriage publicly is different from, say, refusing service to a lesbian couple. Yes, it would've been better for Chick-fil-A to have kept their profits out of the debate over gay marriage. But speaking strictly in a business sense, there's really no wrongdoing on their part that's come to light.