Spectrum announced tonight its decision to suspend its resolution to remove Chick-fil-A from campus. Chick-fil-A declared yesterday its intention to cease its donations to anti-gay organizations, and Emily Kane, an education and advocacy chair for Spectrum, said the organization is currently investigating the claim.
Spectrum is not suspending the legislation because of the criticism it received after drafting the resolution, said Laura Lee Sturm, vice president of Spectrum. She reiterated the organization’s stance on Chick-fil-A’s presence on campus.
“Both (SGA and Spectrum) have received a lot of backlash within last 24 hours about legislation, but there have been some misconceptions,” she said. “Spectrum does not think we have the right to tell Elon student what to eat. We think Chick-fil-A’s presence here goes against the university’s discrimination policies.”
Kane further clarified the basis of the resolution.
“Some people think this is about free speech,” she said. “Spectrum is a strong supporter of free speech. We are not responding to Dan Cathy’s statement. We have a problem with Chick-fil-A’s corporate policy.”
Chick-fil-A donates money to anti-gay organizations such as the Family Research Council, Exodus International and Focus on the Family, she explained. Two of the organizations lobbied Congress to prevent its interference with the Ugandan Kill the Gays bill, and the Family Research Council is registered as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, she said.
“We do not want to see one dollar money of our going to an organization that hates us and wants to change us – or worse,” Sturm said.
Spectrum will host a Deep Dialogue discussion about the resolution on Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. in Irazu.