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The LA Galaxy are Such Hypocrites

The LA Galaxy are doing a promotion with Chik-Fil-A where every free kick goal earns you a free sandwich. Here's why that's not a good thing.

By rapidsrabbi
Robbi Rogers is the LA Galaxy's openly gay player. He probably doesn't eat at Chik-Fil-A.
Robbi Rogers is the LA Galaxy's openly gay player. He probably doesn't eat at Chik-Fil-A.
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

I don't like hot-take journalism - saying something incendiary or irrational just to drive clicks to your site. Calling the LA Galaxy hypocrites is not a hot take. It is a fact.

Monday the LA Galaxy announced that they would be sponsored for 2016 by Chick-Fil-A in a promotion that gives fans a free chicken sandwich when they score on a free kick.


You may or may not be aware that the Chick-Fil-A have a well-earned reputation for being an anti-gay company. They have given money to conversion-therapy programs that try to ‘teach and preach the gay away'. They offer no workplace protections to gay and lesbian employees, nor any training around diversity. They espouse an intolerant view of homosexuals. It's not an argument. It's a fact.

As an independent corporation, they absolutely have the right to do all of those things. Consumers and other companies, though, have the right to buy, or boycott, their products.

So fine. Chik-Fil-A doesn't share my particular perspective on inclusion and tolerance. That doesn't make the LA Galaxy hypocrites. This does:


And this:


And this:


You cannot simultaneously be proud of your openly gay player, and draw accolades from around the sporting world for your progressiveness and tolerance, and AT THE SAME TIME partner with a homophobic organization like Chik-Fil-A. It is pretty much the definition of hypocrisy.

The LA Galaxy have screwed up. If their brand is LGBT inclusion and tolerance, as exemplified by Robbie Rogers and the team's promotion of him, that's great. If they want to hew to a less-tolerant and more "traditionally defined"* understanding of ‘values', I may not agree, but that's fine too.

You can't do both. The Galaxy also shouldn't be having a ‘Pride Game' this year, as they have in the past. They can't hand out LGBT rainbow scarves. Not until they drop Chik-Fil-A as a sponsor.


...


Now the Galaxy have made me mad. Hey Rapids, go out and stomp these hypocrites into the ground on Saturday. It's the right thing to do. Supporting and opposing homophobia at the same time isn't the right thing to do.

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* I follow the traditions and strictures of a 5000 year old religion, and I'm well versed in the bible and rabbinic legal tradition, and I believe in LGBT marriage. That's why I put "traditionally defined" in quotes: not all religious people are opposed to LGBT equality. My religion, in fact, affirms LGBT equality and LGBT rights in many ways. Google it.

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