In the play I’m in, Angry F*gs, my character enters one scene carrying a Chick-fil-A bag.
Chick-fil-A has emerged a few times at school.
I always try to mention that they donate to some really anti-gay causes and are a very conservative corporation.
I’ve never set foot in their stores for that very reason.
I’ve had a few classmates challenge me:
Have you had their chicken?
Turns out they have some pretty darned good chicken.
They’ve said I’d forgo my boycott once that delicious chicken was in my mouth.
Nope.
The discussion emerged again and a fellow student; an international student said:
It’s just food.
She went on to note that we Americans tend to turn anything into some sort of battle.
I’d mentioned the discussions of boycotting Walgreen’s.
We talked about it and she noted that if I boycotted every problematic corporation I’d be without most of the things I used each day.
She’s right.
Amazon is horrible to their employees and I’ve done the mental gymnastics to justify my continued dependence on them.
I had a friend who was boycotting Amazon, but would give me money and ask me to order from them.
Dude, you’re still giving them your money.
Mental gymnastics.
The only drugstores around school are owned by Walgreens.
My beloved Whole Foods across the street is owned by Amazon.
It’s just food.
That said…
… I’m still not going to a Chick-fil-A.
After all these years it would just feel … wrong.
The world is gray.
You pick your battles.