Posted on 03/27/2013 4:54:30 AM PDT by IbJensen
SEATTLE, Washington, March 26, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - At the annual Starbucks shareholder's meeting in Seattle last week, company CEO Howard Shultz told a shareholder that he should buy stocks in other coffee businesses if he didn't like Starbucks endorsement of same-sex "marriage."
Shareholder Tom Strobhar had pointed to what he argued was a significant drop in sales following a boycott launched by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) protesting Starbucks support of homosexual "marriage" in Washington state.
"In the first full quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and our earnings, shall we say politely, were a bit disappointing," said Strobhar according to a ChristianNews.net report.
Strobhar questioned whether it was a prudent business move for Starbucks to risk share value by supporting gay "marriage."
According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, Schultz, after interrupting Strobhar twice by asking What is your question? told the shareholders, Not every decision is an economic decision.
Click "like" if you want to defend true marriage.
The lens we use to make decisions is the lens of our people. We want to embrace diversity, Schultz said. He then told Strobhar, If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, it's a free country. You can sell your shares in Starbucks and buy shares in another company. Thank you very much."
The National Organization for Marriage has urged customers to "Dump Starbucks," over its corporate-wide position that the definition of marriage between one man and one woman should be eliminated and that same-sex "marriage" should become equally "normal."
"As such, Starbucks has deeply offended at least half its US customers, and the vast majority of its international customers," the group states. The group also says, "In many areas of the world where Starbucks does business, the concept of 'gay marriage' is unheard of and deeply offensive to cultural, moral and religious values.
"In taking these actions, Starbucks has declared a culture war on all people of faith (and millions of others) who believe that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is worth preserving."
The boycott campaign's petition against Starbucks has been signed by over 57,000 individuals.
"Starbucks is using its resources to invalidate traditional marriage in the US and redefine the institution of marriage despite the strongly held views of so many of its customers, including me," the petition states. "Therefore, I will no longer purchase anything from Starbucks until you change your corporate values to be more reflective of my own."
The American Family Association (AFA) also encourages coffee drinkers to no longer support Starbucks but take their business elsewhere. They also asked customers to let Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz know they don't agree with his company's aggressive attempts to re-define marriage.
Gee, and isn’t it strange that the media pounded the owner of Chick-Filet -A as being a bigot for his conservative family values and Christian life?
Media has a one-tract pro-anus worshipping mindset. They have to be disciples of satan as they’re behind every evil thing that befalls this nation. As such they’re proven enemies of the Republic!
In a sense, he’s right. If you don’t like what the company is doing, sell your shares. I also agree that companies should not spend shareholder money on supporting certain causes but it happens all the time in less controversial areas. And, if somehow supporting gay marriage increased Starbucks sales, he has a justification for doing it.
As long as government pressure is not involved, this is a purely private matter and the market will decide whether this is a good idea or not. Personally, I’ve been to a Starbucks two or three times in my life and don’t plan on going back.
This is exactly why companies and public figures should stay out of politics. All they can accomplish is pissing off half of their shareholders / fans.
Can you imagine a CEO telling people not to invest in his company? Unbelievable. Liberalism > capitalism to that guy
Try Bustelo. You’ll love it.
Agree.
We buy it by the bag and grind if fresh.
Starbucks doesn’t want my money? Ok, I can live with that!
Homosexuals are a winnowing fork, maybe THE winnowing fork for the end times.
The wheat and chaff are being separated with this issue as the primary tool.
This is not just about his business, and he probably doesn’t even realize it.
Corporations are faceless, non-people when it comes to political donations. In fact, liberals believe such donations should be heavily restricted / shouldn’t be allowed to donate at all. (McCain-Feingold)
Of course, liberals are fine with companies taking a stand and actively encourage CEOs to do so as soon as a CEO supports a liberal cause.
See how the game is played?
Actually, I would say that if you don’t like their social policies, VOTE your shares.
Is Bustelo rich and bold? That’s what I like about Starbucks. I can’t even taste Maxwell House, Fulgers etc.
Dixie Chick um.
Starbucks or Starbutts?
Exactly.
Its just hipster coffee.
The ones I see walking around this building holding Starbucks coffee are the most pretentious individuals that work here thourghout the day.
Most people who drink the regular coffee from the coffemaker here keep their cup on their desk. The pretentious hipsters that drink Starbucks carry their cup around with them half the day. Sometimes its nearly empty and cold but they still carry it around. I don’t carry my plain white styrofaom cup around all day.
Starbutts is the worst smelling coffee. UGH.. makes my stomach hurt. I remember when I was The Del, in Coranado CA... getting ready for a walk to the spa, one early morning..looking for coffee.. and the coffee shop in the lobby area sells Startbutts. There was a woman in front of me, in line, who was very vocal about the horrible stink of Starbutts coffee. And I had to agree with her. We had the lady get us some coffee from Room Service instead of drink that garbage. YUCK!
Chick-fil-la enjoyed RECORD sales for weeks after standing behind traditional marriage.
Is this guy blind or something? I would fire him.
NO successful CEO.
NONE.
I mean NONE... NO CEO makes decisions based on emotion. Its never ever ever ever personal for a successful CEO. EVER.
Its strickly business. This guy’s days are numbered.
He shot himself in the foot, now he’s asking for more ammo for the other one.
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