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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.
Free !
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) March 7, 2016
Los Angeles area @ChickfilA restaurants named official partner of the #LAGalaxy: https://t.co/JAiZYoGRIh pic.twitter.com/oz03nVe1Qd
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:
Celebrating the three-year anniversary of @RobbieRogers coming out: https://t.co/eFexCfuPZ1 pic.twitter.com/e1GJZz4Qu4
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 16, 2016
And this:
On #PresidentsDay, relive the amazing moment @BarackObama praised @robbierogers: https://t.co/F5p0yWkFPj pic.twitter.com/UKmUnDu6kP
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) February 16, 2016
And this:
.@RobbieRogers was named to @OutMagazine's Out 100: https://t.co/qx56Ac3L8I #Out100 pic.twitter.com/8qOo3pgXSZ
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) November 10, 2015
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.
@LAGalaxy hosts #PrideNight on the 24th w/ these. I live on the east coast, I cant go. I NEED this for my collection! pic.twitter.com/qpS5x1bJRx
— Miranda Chamberlain (@UndaBear) June 10, 2015
...
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.