Posted on 05/18/2007 7:26:57 PM PDT by Woodland
Java giant Starbucks finds itself entangled in yet another brewing controversy over its “The Way I See It” campaign. Starbucks has a history of placing liberal, pro-homosexual and anti-God statements submitted by customers, celebrities and other public figures on the side of its coffee cups for customers to contemplate while they wash down a muffin with a Frappe-Mocha-whatever.
Although the company has every right to do what it wants with its cups, one questions whether it makes good business sense to intentionally alienate a large percentage of the coffee drinking public with these inflammatory political musings. Many customers with traditional values find it quite offensive. Although the company has used some religion oriented statements in the past – such as one by Purpose Driven Life author Rick Warren – the preponderance of politically and spiritually themed quotes that make the “cup cut” seem to represent a hard-left ideology.
I know… it’s difficult to believe that a company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, would labor under such a leftist bent, but sadly, such is the case. Again, that’s the company’s prerogative. But come on guys. How about some open mindedness – a little balance?
Concerned Women for America (CWA) pulled the lid off Starbucks leftist corporate ideology a couple of years ago and stirred up controversy by pointing out that Starbucks had sponsored multiple “gay pride” events and had given monetary support to ultra-liberal abortion provider Planned Parenthood. For a while, the company seemed to back off a bit with the liberal activism, but they now appear to be warming things up again.
Here are just a few of the “The Way I See It” statements in controversy:
The Way I See It # 347 – “Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.” – Bill Schell, Starbucks customer from London, Ontario, Canada
The Way I See It # 230 – “Heaven is totally overrated. It seems boring. Clouds, listening to people play the harp. It should be somewhere you can’t wait to go, like a luxury hotel. Maybe blue skies and soft music were enough to keep people in line in the 17th century, but Heaven has to step it up a bit. They're basically getting by because they only have to be better than Hell” – Joel Stein, columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
The Way I See It # 43 – “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 d*mn short.” – Armistead Maupin, Homosexual Novelist
So, in the interest of equal time, I’ve submitted the following “The Way I See It” quote from a Christian conservative perspective for Starbucks to consider. Other conservatives should also be encouraged to visit Starbucks’ website to submit their own statements:
The Way I See It # ?? – “Why do so many in our fallen world revile God’s natural order when it comes to marriage, family and human sexuality? Why do we encourage wicked pride in a morally bankrupt, high-risk lifestyle that’s anything but “gay”? Why do we shake our fist with hate at perfect Love? Life is short – but it’s never too late for change.” – Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues, Concerned Women for America
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Matt Barber is one of the “like-minded men” with Concerned Women for America. He is an attorney concentrating in constitutional law and serves as CWA’s policy director for cultural issues.
Huh??? I have never seen any of these statements on the side of a coffee cup.
It is the price of indulging in coffee snobbery if the first thing that keeps me away from Starbucks not what is written on the cups.
Mercifully, most of these tendentious leftist yawners are covered by the insulating sleeve.
I can’t believe they would actually put those statements on their cups! I never saw those either.
“Mercifully, most of these tendentious leftist yawners are covered by the insulating sleeve.”
Right you are, and brilliant to say it!
You’ve really cheered me by you post.
Post 7 addendum: If you're a senior (55+), you can get McDonald's java for 40 cents.
The Way I See It #2 I couldn't’t imagine a better way to spend eternity than to sing the praise of our Lord and Creator to the sound of a harp.
McDonalds needs to make a Caramel Macchiato. Then I’ll convert.
I got #230 last week, about heaven being boring. What a gasp inducing, idiotic idea. I felt a little awkward running around my Christian household with it.
Probably like my mom feels eating an In N Out Burger with Revelation on her wrapper! She’s an atheist, sad to say.
Yeah, about all Mickey D’s coffee is good for is starting a lawsuit. I just moved here from WA state, and you could avoid Starbucks by visiting any one of a number of alternative espresso places on nearly any corner. Now I get out here to NY (Rockland County) and Starbucks is the only place I’ve found that sells espresso. If someone could enlighten me as to where else to get a good cup of great coffee, let me know!
I think Matt Barber should have phrased his statement in a way that actually would have made it onto a cup instead of sounding like a Bible-thumping preacher. Not that the lefties don’t sound like they’re promoting their own “religions” but Barber doesn’t have a chance with what he wrote. Maybe he should have gone the sarcasm route, which seems to confuse credulous libs and allow conservatives to sneak in places they otherwise would be persona non grata.
Target has a Mr. Coffee espresso machine with extras for $29.99 and I think I might just go get one this week.
Maybe they'll tap that dessert-coffee market. (It may not be the best way to complement Chicken McNuggets, though.)
Well, for 17th century people, heaven meant a release from a chancy existence, where one could never been sure of the next moment. Wealth and power might mask this, but reality kept breaking through. But isn't that all still true? And, anyway, what wass the vison of heaven that ther mystics showed us? It was to be within the presence of God and perfect certainty and god-like powers. Medieval theologians had a very different conception of the physical universe than we, so theirt imagination was more limited. I myself think of having the powers of, say. "Q" from Startrek, but without his childishness. That is, if I make it. Hell, would like like the equally fictional notion of a black hole.
LOL! Not 55, that would be hubby.
But Mikey D’s coffee is the worst! I still feel for that lady who won millions after being burned by it. I feel she was a fool to be ordering it in the first place!
The super hot apple pies are still good, but not as good as they used to be.
I'm on Long Island, and there is a NY-based Starbucks competitor opening a small coffee bar around the corner from me. I'm sure it's as wacko leftie as Starbucks, but it's a change at least.
here's the competitor: http://www.themudtruck.com/about.html
The way I see it #107199-”$4.00 is way too much money to spend on what is at the end of the day a mediocre cup of coffee at best.”
Here in the Twin Cities, we've got Dunn Brothers and Caribou as good alternatives to Starbucks.
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