Mike Huckabee: Chick-fil-A Has “Surrendered To Anti-Christian Hate Groups”

Huckabee also claimed that in cutting funding to the Christian charities, Chick-fil-A effectively bowed down to the bullies and betrayed their millions of loyal customers.

Fox News has more:

Mike Huckabee has long championed Chick-fil-A in the face of attacks from the left but after the company's announcement Monday to stop donating to two Christian organizations, he has changed his tune.

The company announced it was donating to initiatives that further its “mission of nourishing the potential in every child.” It said that in 2020 it would stop donating to two Christian organizations, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and The Salvation Army, that have been accused by gay rights activists of having anti-LGBTQ views.

"In Aug. 2012, I coordinated a national Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day after they were being bullied by militant hate groups," the former Arkansas governor tweeted Monday. "Today, Chick-fil-A betrayed local customers for $$. I regret believing they would stay true to convictions of founder Truett Cathy. Sad."

The prominent conservative Christian leader added that the popular chicken chain's move was seen as "surrendering to critics and betraying loyal customers to appease those who despise them."

Huckabee wasn't alone, though, as many expressed their disappointment and anger online, questioning if the company will stay true to the faith and family values.

Gov. Huckabee also spoke on "The Jeff Poor Show" about the Chick-fil-A "cave."

Breitbart said the following about what he had to say on the radio show:

Conspicuously missing from mainstream media coverage this week has been Chick-fil-A’s decision to revise its charitable giving policy to exclude groups that have remained steadfast and not caved to the so-called LGBTQ agenda. Tuesday during an appearance on Huntsville, AL radio’s WVNN, former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR), who had been an outspoken critic of Chick-fil-A’s decision, elaborated on what he saw as the fast-food restaurant’s motivation.

“Chick-fil-A has decided to allow themselves to be bullied, to allow their enemies — the people who hate them — to dictate where they give their money,” Huckabee said on “The Jeff Poor Show.” “I’m going to be very clear — they have every right to give wherever they want. They don’t have to give at all. They can choose to give to the most liberal or the most conservative organizations. But I was very disappointed that not only did they eventually bow down to the bullies on this, but then they tried to cover themselves by talking about how they had just reevaluated their overall help for education, homelessness, and job help for kids. And I just think that is disingenuous.”

“The bottom line is they caved,” he continued. “They surrendered. I wish they would just be honest about it and say, ‘Despite the fact that millions of people stood up for us when we were bullied before, and came to our defense because they protected our free speech rights and our First Amendment rights of association and religion, we’re going to bow down to the bullies anyway because we want to go into business in some areas where they might create problems for us.’ It’s just a sad day in America. I think people don’t realize that when we surrender to the voices of hostility and hate, they don’t let up on us. They don’t come around to our side. They don’t respect us. They just come back to beat the heck out of us even harder.”

The 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential candidate said those that had once countered a Chick-fil-A boycott would not likely do that again because of the cave.

“This time, I’ll tell you the difference: Many of us who stood with them before and stood in line for hours for a sandwich, we won’t do that again because they’re just another restaurant now,” he said. “They decided they don’t want to be distinct. They don’t want to be unique. I’m waiting — will Colin Kaepernick be their new spokesperson when they announce that they’re going to open on Sundays? Where does this go? Again, they have every right to do what they want, and I think they’re probably doing this to the deep consternation of many of their local managers who typically in every case are wonderful, delightful people who have strong Christian convictions and they do a good job of managing their facilities and serving people with kindness and dignity, no matter who they are. They’re not a discriminating company. They don’t discriminate against anybody. But I don’t believe if Truett Cathy were alive, this is what would have happened.”