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Tucson executive loses job after confronting Chick-fil-A worker

A Tuscon executive is out a job after recording his confrontation with a Chick-fil-A employee. Above, hundreds of customers line up at a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Laguna Niguel.
(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)
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Arizona resident Adam Smith thought he was doing good by taking a video of himself confronting a Chick-fil-A employee in the drive-thru lane Wednesday.

“Chick-fil-A is a hateful company,” Smith said to the employee in the video, which is still up on YouTube under multiple accounts.

But his employer, Tucson medical equipment manufacturer Vante, saw it differently. Vante has announced that Smith, formerly the chief financial officer and treasurer, no longer works there.

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“We respect the right of our employees and all Americans to hold and express their personal opinions,” said a statement from the company. “However, we also expect our company officers to behave in a manner commensurate with their position and in a respectful fashion that conveys these values of civility with others.”

The video shows the Chick-fil-A employee responding to Smith’s statements by saying, “I’m really uncomfortable that you’re video taping,” and, “It’s a pleasure to serve you, always.”

Smith said that by taking free water from the Chick-fil-A drive thru, he hoped he was taking money away from hate groups.

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“I don’t know how you stand it,” Smith said to the employee. “This is a horrible corporation with horrible values.”

After the employee wished Smith a nice day, he responded, “I will. I just did something really good. I feel purposeful.”

An account for Vante Chief Financial Officer Adam Smith is no longer available on professional networking site LinkedIn.

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