Starbucks: A habit

worldnetdaily.com ^ | 8-10-05 | Meghan Kleppinger

[Houmatt]

It's been two weeks since my last Starbucks coffee.

Admittedly, I am one of those who don't think twice about dropping $4 for a cup of coffee that costs less than $.50 to make. I am a self-proclaimed coffee house junkie and need that wonderful yuppie, intellectual "atmosphere" and freshly brewed aroma as much as the caffeine.

When I moved to D.C. right out of college, I encountered my first Starbucks drink, or should I say "experience"? Growing up in a military family, I loved chain restaurants because of the sense of familiarity they offered in every new town we moved to. So, to be able to get the same type of specialty coffee – grande, iced, skim, sugar-free vanilla, latte – everywhere, was an addiction waiting to happen.

Fast forward four years, and about 800 lattes later – I'm a Starbucks addict!

When a report came out earlier this year showing that none of Starbucks' charitable contributions went to conservative causes, I didn't blink -- I bought a latte. When I walked by a liquor store in Northeast D.C. with a big advertisement for Starbucks liquor, I kept walking, stopped in at Starbucks and bought a latte! When I was at work a couple weeks ago, reading an e-alert from our California organization (yes, latte in hand), I finally had a wake-up call.

The alert described the annual "gay" pride events which are scheduled in San Diego each year:

San Diego's annual "Pride" events include dangerous "circuit" parties, a parade with sexual content and sponsors along the route, including one advertising anal lubricants, a festival with sexually oriented venues.

OK, yes, that is all pretty disturbing, but daily, I read, write about and edit papers dealing with the homosexual agenda, so I was not at all shocked that this was going on. I was a little upset when I read that Starbucks was a sponsor. I took a sip of my latte as I read on:

In addition, the "festival" includes a "Youth Hangout Space" and a "Children's Garden." Not only is there concern about young people being part of sexually oriented events and venues, but two members of San Diego's Gay Pride organization's volunteer staff have been exposed as registered sex offenders who committed sex crimes against children.

OK – STOP, WAIT A MINUTE AND PUT THAT CUP OF COFFEE DOWN!

Not only is Starbucks sponsoring "Pride" week, but an event that places innocent children in the middle of sexually explicit materials ... and registered child molesters will be there running the show? If Starbucks is doing this knowingly, it is blatant irresponsibility, and if they are doing it unknowingly, it is irresponsible of them not to have done their homework. I started pacing back-and-forth, and all I could think was "Starbucks hates children."

For the first time, I stepped away from my latte, faced my denial about this company and started to do some serious soul searching – I needed to find out what they really supported. Fortunately, I didn't have to search very long because I have the Internet at my fingertips and one of the nation's top experts, Robert Knight, just down the hall from me.

Less than 30 minutes of research revealed the following:

Robert Knight told me that about 10 years ago, Starbucks started sponsoring these types of events, but backed off when conservatives started putting on the pressure. He explained that it is apparent they are slowly working their way back into the "gay" movement.

Starbucks is listed on the Planned Parenthood website under this introduction:

The following companies all generously match employee donations to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. If your employer is on this list, then you can make your gift go as much as twice as far.

Seattle, Wash., held "Gay Pride" events last month where, according to the newspaper, Seattle Post Intelligence Reporter:

About 75 Starbucks employees will march in the parade and will wear T-shirts in rainbow colors with the word "PRIDE" on the front ... A van from the coffee company will follow them. On Capitol Hill tomorrow, Starbucks employees at the company's three stores there will pass out samples of Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino. The marketing director for Starbucks in Washington explained: "We're committed to supporting things that matter to our employees and our customers."

Several conservatives are upset already by Starbucks' fairly new "The way I see it campaign," which prints quotes from actors, artists, etc., on the outside of their paper cups. By visiting their website and reading some of the quotes, it's easy to see why there has been this big brouhaha – nearly all of them are liberal celebrities.

The list does go on, but in a nutshell – Starbucks has a corporate policy of supporting the homosexual agenda by sponsoring "Pride" events all over the country -- events where children will be exposed to sexually explicit materials and pedophiles as well as the extremely liberal and pro-abortion Planned Parenthood. This might be a good time to add that the owner of Starbucks made a large donation to a liberal candidate's campaign.

So what do I do now?

I am not a big fan of boycotts. A friend once told me if we boycotted everything we disagreed with, we would be naked and hungry. I've also heard something like, "It doesn't matter what's on the cup, but what's in it." I love Starbucks coffee and as I worked through this problem, I wasn't about to give up without a fight – and I didn't give up, but rather, I failed miserably.

I overestimated, but discovered that if I drink five grande lattes a week for a year, the total number of lattes would equal 260, coming to a total cost of $1,040. So, in my four post-college years, I could have contributed as much as $4,160 to a company that supports the volunteer work of child abusers, "Pride" events, abortionists, and do I really need to go on? Back to that marketing director's quote: "We're committed to supporting things that matter to our employees and our customers." Um ... HELLO, I am a customer, too!

As I was searching the Internet, I saw a link to a site with words no Christian girl should repeat. I didn't have to enter to read this: "Folks, if Starbucks is 'too liberal' for you then don't buy their @#$# percent*# coffee."

Thanks for the tip! "Folks," what you do is up to you, but as for me and my habit, I will no longer support Starbucks.

Yes, I started as a Starbucks coffee snob, but I am very open-minded now – if you know any good coffee houses, please let me know!

[Sax]

Never too good for 'truck stop' coffee, but started looking into ordering & roasting my own green beans in an air-popcorn popper after a buddy gave me a bag of his own roasting.

Starbucks adopted homosexuals as a mascot because gay is chic now, a la 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.' Fine. Good for them. Come out with Old Dirt Road Brew for all I care. Not interested in foo-foo coffee anyway.

[joebuck]

"Starbucks coffee is typically stale, overpriced, and you're supporting liberal whackjobs"

Not to mention that Starbucks over roasts its beans, thus giving its coffee that slightly burnt taste. The coffee bar at my local Speedway gas station is much better.

[JRios1968]

Starbuck was the flim-flam man in a play called the Rainmaker.

Starbuck was also one of the main characters in the original Battlestar Galactica.

[diamond6]

bump

[NJ_gent]

Have you tried the strawberries and cream frappucino? It's like liquid strawberry shortcake. :-)

(It's also about 33 million calories, but who's counting?)

[Mr. Mojo]

But hey, why should a writer be able to match a subject and verb?

Perhaps being away from the "intellectual atmosphere" of her favorite coffee shop for two weeks is catching up with her.

[najida]

Adore coffee.

I mean ADORE it...but I don't like Starbucks (mebby it has to do with a date who got all freaky on the sidewalk...nevermind).

ANYHOW,
Make your own darlin', its much better.

[Sax]

Brig. Gen. Randall Starbuck, was the Commander of the 45th Space Wing right down the road at Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Station. I always got a kick out of that one.

[6AL-4V]

starbucks=charbucks. very much overroasted. If you brew your own try Intelligentsia.

[Mike Bates]

But if she's really concerned about Starbucks as a corporate entity, maybe she should consider that 96% of the HOOTERS corporate contributions go to the GOP. :o)

Thanks! I was looking for another reason to go there every day. . .

[Proud2BeRight]

Haven't been there since I read about their Dem donations.

[conservativeharleyguy]

You can e-mmail Starbucks' "Vice President of Asset Protection/Partner, Mr. Francis D'Addirio at fdaddari@starbucks.com (basically, he's their Security Manager), and let him know about your concerns.

I'd suggest you be careful with your language, and confine your discussion to the issue of children being placed in the care of known sexual offenders at a Starbucks sponsored event.

Among other things, he's responsible for ensuring that Starbucks doesn't do things that place it in a liable position.

[TexasBarak]

Craig Ferguson (CBS' Late Late Show)claims to have been trying to get the chairman of Starbucks on his show to explain
why some of their stores don't have bathrooms in them. It's a hoot to hear Craig go on about it- and then compare their coffee and prices to McDonald's coffee and prices (and bathrooms!)- so he said that he was going to invite the chairman of McDonalds on his show.
If you haven't watched Craig Ferguson yet, I recomend him. He's the first host in years to remind me of Johnny Carson in any way- not his humor, so much, as his laid back style, and not letting it get to him if his humor doesn't work (and then making a joke of that). I get up early, but the Late Late Show is on my DVR every day now!

[Loud Mime]

---....if she's really concerned about Starbucks as a corporate entity, maybe she should consider that 96% of the HOOTERS corporate contributions go to the GOP. :o)------

I could have used that excuse a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks

[Loud Mime]

Have you noticed that starbucks makes everything to-go? That way they get around food prep regulations and requirements. Maybe that's why they don't have to have bathrooms; or, in my local instance, only one for everybody.

[veronica]

So what. The owner of Starbucks is also a big supporter of Israel, at a time when it is under assault by the world. I will keep buying Green Tea Frappachinos, etc. :)

[Graybeard58]

But hey, why should a writer be able to match a subject and verb?

I is in complete agreement with you on that one.

[sharkhawk]

What amazes me is so many people who complain about the price of gas are more than willing to shuck out $4.00 a day for a cup of burnt coffee.

[Aggie Mama]

My husband and I used to go to Starbucks all the time. One month I ran Quicken to see just how much we were spending at Starbucks. After that shock, we went to Williams-Sonoma, purchased a decent espresso maker and discovered the Illy coffee beans. There is no need to go to Starbucks now when I can make my own iced latte for 1/8th of the cost and it always tastes perfect.

[conserv13]

$4 for a cup of coffee that costs less than $.50 to make

The author needs to take a small business class. Sure, the water, coffee and cup may not add up to $.50, but what about the lease on the building, lease of the equipment, the wage of the people working there, etc...?