Background
Far from being the socially conscious company they claim to be, Starbucks’ actions reveal they vigorously support the NRA’s lethal Pro-Gun Agenda. This agenda is significantly increasing everyone’s risk of being a gun violence victim and is responsible for the epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. If we had England’s sane gun laws we would expect 375 gun homicides per year—we have 12,000.
Why
Because the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda that Starbucks supports prevents sane gun laws from being passed. For example:
- Criminals and people with mental illness, who cannot legally buy guns, can purchase them at gun shows (or on-line as a private sale) where background checks are not required.
- Known terrorists on the terrorist watch list can legally buy guns.
- Laws that would make it harder for criminals to buy guns are blocked by the NRA to protect sales to the criminal market (accounts for 25% of annual gun sales).
- Guns are not registered, gun owners are not licensed and guns do not carry insurance.
The Goal of the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda
To maximize gun sales, the NRA’s goal is that guns be carried any place, any time, by anyone. It is advancing unchecked and with Starbucks stamp of approval. This is significantly increasing everyone’s risk of being a victim of gun violence. See Your Increasing Risk of Being a Victim of Gun Violence.
Starbucks Exposes Its Commitment to the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda
Starbucks commitment to the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda was exposed last year when members of the open carry movement began meeting in popular chains e.g., California Pizza Kitchen, Peets, IKEA, Disney and Starbucks (to name a few), openly carrying their handguns and assault rifles.
To protect their customers and employees, all of these chains—except Starbucks—banned guns from their stores. The Brady Campaign presented a petition to Starbucks with thousands of signatures asking they ban guns from their stores. The issue was raised at a shareholders meeting and directly with the Starbucks Board. Peaceful protests were held at Starbucks stores in many states.
Starbucks Board was given a report showing that many of the people who open carry guns have violent histories, are dangerous and had used their guns to commit murders and brutal assaults. (See Should these Hoosiers have been allowed to carry a gun in public?)
Starbucks could have used this report as a face saving way to reverse their policy allowing guns to be carried in their stores. They did not. (Note: 43 states allow open carry, 49 conceal and carry.)
Starbucks refused to change their policy despite the fact they have the legal right to ban guns— just as they have the legal right to require people to wear clothes.
Final Comment
That Starbucks has not changed its gun policy clearly exposes their strong commitment and support of the NRA’s lethal Pro-Gun Agenda. Starbucks embrace of open carry has allowed the open carry movement to thrive. Starbucks, they claim, is “proof” open carry is reasonable.
The Starbucks boycott will be launched on Valentine’s Day 2012.
It will not end until Starbucks rejects the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda by banning all guns from their stores and becoming an aggressive advocate for sane gun laws.