FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com MAY 5, 2016 • The Queens Courier 3 A string of parking lot thefts shake up the Whitestone Shopping Center TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT? Chick-fil-A comes to Queens with a side of controversy By Briana Ellis bellis@qns.com/@briinformed Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches may be a crispy, delicious treat for many Americans, but they come to Queens with a side of controversy. The Courier reported on QNS. com this weekend that Chick-fil-A plans to open its first Queens location at Queens Center mall, located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst, this fall. This will mark Chick-fil-A’s first outer-borough location, reported Commercial Observer. The 1,000-square-foot eatery will be franchise-run, condensing spaces previously occupied by Nathan’s Famous and Taco Bell in the mall’s food court. The response from our readers was full of mixed feelings over the company owner’s staunchly religious, conservative and anti-LGBT beliefs. “Wow, they put a pickle on a breaded chicken breast! That’s totally worth supporting a company that donates money to anti-gay activism and ordinances,” one reader commented. Another message stated, “They are anti-LGBT so f*** them.” However, one commenter wrote, “It’s really good food though and lots of places are anti-gay that you don’t know about.” The billion-dollar franchise made explosive headlines in July 2012 when its CEO and President Dan T. Cathy expressed homophobic beliefs during an interview with the Biblical Recorder. According to the religious organization, Cathy said “guilty as charged” when asked if the company was in “support of the traditional family.” “I think the time of truths and principles are captured and codified in God’s word and I’m just personally committed to that,” Cathy told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I know others feel very different from that and I respect their opinion and I hope that they would be respectful of mine … I think that’s a political debate that’s going to rage on. And the wiser thing for us to do is to stay focused on customer service.” Cathy’s anti-gay marriage response sparked tremendous backlash nationwide, THE COURIER/FILE PHOTO followed by protests and boycotts of the company by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights activists. However, counterprotesters gathered in support by eating at the Chick-fil-A restaurants. Chick-fil-A further came under fire after Forbes magazine reported that its charitable wing, WinShape Foundation, donated millions of dollars to anti-gay marriage groups since 2003. The source cited a $1.9 million donation that WinShape contributed in 2010 to organizations including the Family Research Council and Marriage & Family Foundation. Chick-fil-A also dished out cash to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Exodus International, an organization known for conducting “ex-gay” conversion therapy. News of Chick-fil-A’s arrival in Queens was not welcomed by one local lawmaker. “I am deeply disturbed that Chickfil A continues to give 25 percent of their charitable contributions to anti- LGBT organizations … This group imparts a strong anti-LGBT message by forcing their employees and volunteers to adhere to a policy that prohibits same-sex love,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm, who is openly gay and leader of the Council’s LGBT Caucus. “It is outrageous that Chick-fil-A is quietly spreading its message of hate by funding these types of organizations. I hope that the Queens Center Mall will reconsider giving a company so deeply involved in anti-gay discrimination a lease on their property. Believers in equality should boycott these purveyors of hate,” Dromm added. Cathy’s religious beliefs, and that of the company’s founder Truett Cathy, also extend to Chick-fil-A’s operating hours. Chick-fil-A franchises are not open for business on Sunday, which many Christians consider to be a day of rest. “Truett Cathy has often shared that his decision was as much practical as spiritual,” according to the Chick-fil-A website. “He believes that all franchised Chick-fil-A Operators and their Restaurant employees should have an opportunity to rest, spend time with family and friends, and worship if they choose to do so. That’s why all Chick-fil-A Restaurants are closed on Sundays. It’s part of our recipe for success.” Even Mayor Bill de Blasio chimed in on the matter during a press conference on May 3. He disagreed with the ownership’s previous statements, but noted that “people have a right to open a business.” “I’m certainly not going to patronize them, and I wouldn’t urge any other New Yorker to patronize them,” he said. “But they do have a legal right.” By Briana Ellis bellis@qns.com/@briinformed The Whitestone Shopping Center has been smacked with a slew of grand larcenies by an individual who specializes in car break-ins and identity theft, police reported. The first incident occurred on Tuesday, April 12, around 5 p.m. in front of 132-11 14th Ave. in the center’s parking lot. The thief broke into a parked car and stole multiple credit cards and cash. The bandit struck again the next day between 4:10 and 5 p.m. in a parking lot located at the intersection of Cross Island Parkway and 160th Street. He broke into a parked car and took a laptop, a credit card and a debit card. The suspect then attempted to use the stolen debit card at a 7-Eleven, located at 149-52 14th Ave. A third incident took place on Friday, April 15, between 6 and 8 p.m. at the Whitestone Shopping Center parking lot. The suspect broke into a parked car and stole a Samsung Galaxy 5 cellphone and a credit card. The suspect is described as a male with a light complexion and black hair. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 888-57- PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are kept strictly confidential. Chick-fil-A has made controversial anti-gay remarks in the past.
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