Starbucks Pisses Off The Religious Right

Religious activists have been busy at work boycotting Starbucks Corporation because of its progressive attitude towards diversity. Starbucks sponsors gay pride events in many cities, and proudly embraces its gay employees.
The Christian Examiner accuses Starbucks of "promoting the homosexual agenda" with quotes printed on coffee cups. (On a side note, what exactly is this 'homosexual agenda', and why haven't I received a copy of it?)

If you have been to Starbucks recently, you may have noticed different quotes printed on the side of your coffee cup.
One of these quotes, by Armistead Maupin has "sparked a firestorm of controversy" (in the cliché saturated parlance of our media moguls.)

The quote reads: "My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don't make that mistake yourself. Life's too damn short."

Baylor University actually went as far as to have 500 cups with the Maupin quote removed from the store.
Linda Ricks, Marketing Program Manager of Baylor Dining Services, said Baylor Dining Services agreed to get rid of the cups out of respect for "Baylor culture.""There are different view points on the Baylor campus, We pulled the cup to be sensitive to view points."

Ricks said Starbucks's headquarters supported the cup removal.

Beneath each quote is printed a cautious disclaimer: "Please note: The opinions put forth by contributors to “The Way I See It” do not necessarily reflect the views of Starbucks." The disclaimer has done little to shield the coffee giant from attacks by right-wing activist groups. Concerned Women For America, a Christian women's organization, which promotes itself as being the antithesis of the National Organization For Women complained that most of the quotes on the cups are liberal.

The group believes that the coffee chain has a responsibility to reflect the diversity of its customers by using a balanced approach in ad campaigns-- or by staying away from socially controversial topics completely.

Maureen Richardson, state director of Concerned Women for America of Washington, stated:
"Corporations have deeper pockets and therefore more influence than individuals do,"
"I think it's wiser for them to stay out of these issues so that they don't offend conservatives and people of faith."
To these companies, she says: "If you want my money, support some of my causes."

"The Way I See It" campaign does not set out to take a political stand but rather to encourage discourse, said Starbucks Spokesperson Audrey Lincoff.
"If you think back to the history of the old coffee houses, before the Internet, these were places to converse," she said. "That's part of what the coffee culture has been for a century or more."

Starbucks doesn't categorize the quotes printed on the cups as liberal or conservative; but rather as a diverse group of intellectuals, artists, musicians, educators and athletes.

"Embracing diversity and treating people with dignity is one of the guiding principles of our corporation," Lincoff said.

Starbucks will not be removing the Maupin quote, or any others from its "The Way I See It Promotion".

starbucks; gay; politics; maupin

Poop

I posted this on my other blog, but it really belongs here.



Don't get me wrong, I love dogs. I just hate it when people think that they are so important that the rules don't apply to them. I also hate that Starbucks "say yes" policy seems to trump the FDA.

So, management, in their infinate wisdom insists that it is acceptable for a person to bring a dog into Starbucks, as long as they are holding the dog in their arms.

The FDA disagrees.

"6-501.115 Prohibiting Animals.*

(A) Except as specified in ¶¶ (B) and (C) of this section, live
animals may not be allowed on the PREMISES of a FOOD
ESTABLISHMENT...
...(2) Patrol dogs accompanying police or security officers in
offices and dining, sales, and storage areas, and sentry dogs
running loose in outside fenced areas;
(3) In areas that are not used for FOOD preparation and that
are usually open for customers, such as dining and sales
areas, SERVICE ANIMALS that are controlled by the disabled
EMPLOYEE or PERSON, if a health or safety HAZARD will not
result from the presence or activities of the SERVICE ANIMAL; ...
...(5) In areas that are not used for FOOD preparation, storage,
sales, display, or dining, in which there are caged animals or
animals that are similarly confined, such as in a variety store
that sells pets or a tourist park that displays animals...


No where in that document does it read anything about carrying an animal.

You have so much to live for!

"...I'll do it... if I have to make one more frappuchino, I swear, I'll do it."

Favorite Customer Of The Day

This adorable little girl waited patiently in line and then approached the counter. I said hello and asked what I could get for her. She said "may I please have one kids hot chocolate?" She paid with her Starbuck's card. I think her name is Paige, and she is three years old.

New study shows...

I hate one out of every ten Starbucks customers.

Today some tragically daft young lady stood in front of my register for a good three minutes while sizing up the pastry case.
She turned and said to her equally daft friend "Do you think those muffins have carbs in them?" I bit my tongue. Her friend said: "I dunno, ask them." Daft girl #1 turned back to me, blinked and said: "Um...do those muffins, like, have any carbs in them?"
I paused for a moment, considered my response and said (with a straight face) "no... no carbs in those muffins." She ordered two.

Case in point:

This person is soooo important, they have to take up two parking spaces RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE STORE! God forbid somebody scratch his Beamer.

Sometimes...

I really hate people. Specifically the over privileged assholes who come into my store.

Anyway, what brought this on was the whole Katrina mess. We, at Starbucks, are able to take donations for the Red Cross at our registers by ringing it in as a transaction. Every penny of the donations go to the Katrina survivors.

Some six-figure-three-inch-dick-head made some comment, as loudly as he could, so that everyone in the store could hear him- "I wouldn't give a cent to those idiots. It's not like they didn't have any warning."

I just stood there stunned, looking at the guy. He had his money in his hand, and was ready to go, but I couldn't function immediately. I had to say something.

As politely as my surely-ass attitude would allow, I pointed out that many of the evacuees were single mothers with children. Most of the people living in the shelters had a median income of 11,000/year. That is next to nothing! How were these people, who were most likely living check to check anyway supposed to leave? Were they going to get a motel room? How were they going to pay for the gas to get there? How were they going to feed themselves after they left their 5/hr jobs?

Count your blessings, dick head.