80,000 Berenstain Bears Fans Urge HarperCollins to End Chick-fil-A Relationship

By Jason Boog 

80,000 readers signed a petition urging HarperCollins to stop providing books to be included in Chick-fil-A Kids’ meals. Representatives from CREDO Action, SumofUs.org and Faithful America delivered the signed petition to the publisher.

Last week, the Berenstain family responded to controversy over the CEO of Chick-fil-A’s stance on gay marriage. They told fans to contact HarperCollins, explaining: “The Berenstain family does not at this time have control over whether this program proceeds or not.”

SumOfUs.org founder Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman had this statement: “By partnering with Chick-fil-A, a company that actively bankrolls hatred and discrimination against the LGBT community, HarperCollins is undermining the lessons of the beloved Bear family. The Berenstains should follow the Muppets’ lead, and cut ties with Chick-fil-A. HarperCollins has a chance here to make a stand for equality and strike a blow against bigotry. The 80,000 Americans who signed this petition hope that they do!”

From left to right, the picture embedded above shows Zack Malitz of CREDO Action, Stinebrickner-Kauffman, Marguerite Pettit of SumOfUs.org and Claiborne Deming of SumOfUs.org outside the New York City offices of HarperCollins.