Sometimes, I read a string of words so utterly confusing that I have to take off my glasses, scoot closer to my computer screen, and sound out the syllables that might as well be raking my brain over hot coals: "We take no pleasure in reporting that @CrackerBarrel has fallen."
The statement was tweeted by Texas Family Project, a conservative nonprofit organization, and has garnered plenty of reactions, both against and in support of the chain's move toward inclusivity. If the tweet seems to carry some sense of hyperdramatic urgency, that's probably because it sounds like the movie Olympus Has Fallen, an over-the-top action thriller about terrorists taking over the White House. Ah, yes, a totally logical comparison between a fictional act of international terrorism and... a chain restaurant selling rainbow-painted chairs?
Now, reacting with a bit of confusion or skepticism makes sense, especially considering the Southern restaurant chain's history of allegations, which include racial discrimination, seating segregation, displaying a noose-shaped decoration, and even firing employees for being gay in the early 1990s. But the colorful rocking chairs have been eliciting some really strong feelings.
Some people on social media have responded with claims of rainbow-washing, in which a large brand or corporation engages in a short-lived display of support for the LGBTQ+ community mainly to benefit its own public image, but many others following the social media discourse have responded positively to the displays of support from the beloved country store. After all, some people have never really known whether they were safe to go to the restaurant as queer people or to bring their queer loved ones there. For them, Cracker Barrel's decision to partake in Pride Month celebrations has reinvigorated their desire to give the chain some of the goodwill it had previously lost. However, not everyone's been feeling quite so charitable.
Elsewhere online, a handful of people are beginning to call for boycotts of the chain, decrying it as yet another beloved brand yielding to "wokeness" by acknowledging that LGBTQ+ people exist and might also like rocking chairs — simultaneously. Horrific, I know.
Wherever you stand on the matter (or sit or rock, I guess?), now is a good time to remember that rocking chairs, no matter how colorfully painted or stained, aren't going to change the company's corporate policies, its problematic past, or inherently spell doom for its future. Seeing as there are still more than 660 locations across the United States, mourning the "fall" of a restaurant chain that isn't going anywhere is probably the least productive way to spend your Friday. Maybe it's time for all of us to scoot back from our screens, take a deep breath, and remember that we're literally talking about porch furniture. Just let the chairs be gay. — Jesse Sparks, senior editor
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