Last Updated on June 18, 2020
Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy used his platform as the head of a multi-billion dollar corporation this week to demand that white people shine the shoes of black people to show a “sense of shame” and “embarrassment” for unspecified racism.
In a video posted to the YouTube page of Passion City Church, Cathy vigorously shined the shoes of black rapper LeCrae and stated that he had bought 1,500 brushes in the past and ordered employees to shine other people’s shoes.
After offering up an anecdote of racially apologetic footwashing that he had seen in the past, Cathy got up and stalked across the stage to shine LeCrae’s shoes, saying “I invite folks just to put some words to action here and if we need to find somebody that needs to have their shoes shined, we need to just go right on over and shine their shoes, whether they got tennis shoes on or not — maybe they got sandals on — it really doesn’t matter. But, there’s a time in which we need to have some personal action here. Maybe we need to give them a hug, too.”
“And some stock in Chick-fil-A,” LeCrae responded.
The billionaire heir Cathy appeared uncomfortable and walked back across the stage, ignoring the rapper’s reply.
Cathy went to say that “any expressions of a contrite heart, of a sense of humility, a sense of shame, a sense of embarrassment begat with an apologetic heart — I think that’s what our world needs to hear today.”
Chick-Fil-A CEO:
White People Should Shine Blacks’ Shoes to Show ‘Sense of Shame,’ ‘Embarrassment’ for Racism pic.twitter.com/A2Utbc0a2t
— Gabe Hoffman (@GabeHoff) June 18, 2020
Despite Cathy’s humiliating gesture, commenters on YouTube were not satisfied, criticizing the fast food mogul for using the term “white blessing” instead of “white privilege,” and even criticizing LeCrae for not attacking Cathy over the use of the term.
Cathy’s refusal to address LeCrae’s request for stock shares in Chick-Fil-A as reparations to black people was also a subject of criticism in the comments.
Chick-Fil-A has previously faced allegations of homophobia, to which it responded by donating impressive sums to LGBTQ organizations.
The full video can be watched below.
