Starbucks brews backlash with debate on U.S. race relations

Reuters | 3/18/2015 | Lisa Bartelein, Bill Rigny

[Signalman]

Reuters) - Starbucks Corp Chief Executive Howard Schultz has deftly navigated thorny issues such as gay marriage, gun control and Congressional gridlock, but his move to weigh in on U.S. race relations has brewed up a social media backlash.

The world's biggest coffee chain kicked off the discussion when it published full-page ads in major U.S. newspapers earlier this week with the words "Shall We Overcome?" at center page and "RaceTogether" and the Starbucks logo near the bottom.

[Bryanw92]

>>Are we supposed to discuss this with the person behind us in line??? If I ever patronized $tarbuck$ and had my cup identified for a "discussion", I'd just whisper "White Power, b!tch" and walk out. It would be like that shot in an action movie where the guy walks away and triggers the explosion in the background .

[Fungi]

Just brew coffee and do it well, that should be your goal. Keep out of something you are not prepared for.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Starbucks Corp Chief Executive Howard Schultz has deftly navigated thorny issues such as gay marriage, gun control and Congressional gridlock, but his move to weigh in on U.S. race relations has brewed up a social media backlash.

If by "deft" the writer means "alienated half his potential customer base", then yeah, Schultz is "deft".

The rest of us just call him "moonbat liberal".

[Pearls Before Swine]

If they write political slogans on the rare cup of coffee I buy there, I will turn in my cup for a refund, and it will be the end of my occasional patronage.

[Bryanw92]

(HTML messed that up. Let me try again)

>>Are we supposed to discuss this with the person behind us in line???

If I ever patronized $tarbuck$ and had my cup identified for a “discussion”, I’d just whisper “White Power, b!tch” and walk out. It would be like that shot in an action movie where the guy walks away and triggers the explosion in the background (cue loud guitar music)

[Sasparilla]

I have never had one on their overpriced brews. McDonalds cupajoe is just fine. Have I missed anything?

[MasterGunner01]

I've always thought Sraebucks coffee was high priced sludge. Now, they want their baristas to engage customers on race relations? Are you a coffee company selling a product or a bunch of incompetent social workers? I resent being harangued by some PC indoctrinated skull full of mush over a cup of coffee. Starbucks, take your bilge water you call coffee and stuff it where the sun doesn't shine.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Simple. They will act like most Millennials: with smugness, and that air of intellectual superiority that you get from a lifetime spent in school but not quite paying your own bills yet.

I think the answer lies here. The first lecture I get from a Young Liberal will result in an answer along these lines: "If you're such an expert in race relations, how come you aren't running a non-profit instead of serving me coffee to pay off your worthless Gender Studies degree?"

[RebelBanker]

If some 20-year-old hipster with somewhat less practical life experience than my dog dares to try to lecture me on anything, my response will be unpleasant enough to get my wife upset with me. There are few things I find more irritating than a fool who knows nothing claiming superior knowledge or morals at someone old enough to be his parent (or grandparent). Was our generation this smug and self-righteous when we were young?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Why would anyone drink that swill anyway? Even McDonald’s coffee is much better. I make my own coffee at home.

[Paladin2]

LOL, it’s obviously a pack mentality thing...

[Chode]

ask the coffee boy or girl how it feels not being qualified to do anything more than pour overpriced coffee regardless of their color and see what they say?

[digger48]

Have I missed anything?

Only if you were looking for something to take asphalt off your car fenders or clean a clogged drain.

[Tenacious 1]

I forget, are we allowed to legally carry concealed weapons in Starbucks these days? I haven’t been in a while. But how about a race debate at starbucks scheduled between the Black Panthers and some die hard NRA members.

I’m sure that’s what Starbucks is looking for. They can get it all out in one bash.

[kinsman redeemer]

I went to a Starbucks today - hoping that the barista (I have no idea how to spell the word) would engage me in the discussion. I have a response for them.
They didn’t, so I didnt.

They did get $5 outta me,however. Maybe THAT’S their plan after all.

[Paladin2]

Daft, it’s a typo.

[tacticalogic]

I am confused. So are you supposed to hold up the line and discuss race relations with the coffee server/cashier workers? But what if they are trained to render the liberal view of Ferguson and race relations? Are those of us who are more conservative supposed to argue the points? Are we supposed to discuss this with the person behind us in line??? What the heck???

I'd just say "Sorry, I can't do race relations. Hell, I never would have guessed Elizabeth Warren was Native American."

[Excellence]

Condescension Fatigue

I like that turn of phrase.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I’m all for this if the “baristas” are wearing clown suits and make up and promise that they won’t give me a snide look and a long line of sh*t if I ask for some salt.

[Steve_Seattle]

If I were a Starbucks employee, I would really resent this policy, and if I had a choice, I would quit. Baristas and such should not be forced to be moderators of controversial social issues; they do not have the training or probably the desire to be thrust into that role.

Moreover, in their brief contact with each customer, what kind of a "dialogue" can they possibly initiate? Really! It is ridiculous.

What are they supposed to say? "Are you a racist?" "Do you think that racism is still a problem?" "Do you think police unfairly target minorities?" "Do you support affirmative action?" "Do you think blacks are lazy?" "Are Chinese smarter than everyone else?" "Why is the NBA 85% black?" "Why do blacks commit more crime than other groups on a per capita basis?" "Is opposition to illegal immigration racist?" "Are people who oppose Obama's policies racist?" Just what is the PROPER question to ask or the PROPER point to make?

What possible good can come from this? What sane employee would want to be thrust into that role? It is a minefield of potential lawsuits. All an employee needs to do is say one small thing wrong and they will be fired. All they need to do is say one small thing wrong and they will lose customers forever. All they need to do is say one small thing wrong and the company will be sued. For the employees, it's a lose/lose/lose proposition.