Shocking Shoeshine by Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy on Black, Christian Hip-Hop Artist Lecrae

During a June 14 roundtable discussion about racism at Atlanta’s Passion City Church involving Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, Atlanta megachurch pastor Louie Giglio and black hip-hop musician Lecrae, Cathy stunningly whipped out a brush and began to shine the singer’s sneakers.

“I invite folks to put some words to action here,” said Cathy before approaching Lecrae. “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 have sandals on — but it really doesn’t matter.”

Cathy then knelt down to shine while Lecrae, appearing stunned, sat still.

Although intended as an act of repentance amid the national dialogue regarding racial diversity following the May 25 death of George Floyd in police custody, the 67-year-old CEO’s boneheaded move was flayed on social media. Among the appalled were African-American Republican congressional candidate Errol Webber, who voiced his revulsion on Twitter.

“As a black man, I implore white people to stop the insanity,” tweeted Webber, who is opposing incumbent Karen Bass in California’s 37th congressional district. {snip} Just treat me like a person, and I’ll do the same to you.”

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