Howard Schultz to Anti-Gay-Marriage Starbucks Shareholder: 'You Can Sell Your Shares'

Forbes ^ | 3/22/13 | Frederick E. Allen

[SoFloFreeper]

At Starbucks’ annual meeting in Seattle on Wednesday a shareholder complained to the chief executive, Howard Schultz, that the company had lost customers because of its support for gay marriage...

“In the first full quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and our earnings, shall we say politely, were a bit disappointing,” said the shareholder, Tom Strobhar, whom the Huffington Post identifies at the founder of the anti-gay marriage Corporate Morality Action Center.

Was Schultz taken aback? Not in the least. He responded, “Not every decision is an economic decision. Despite the fact that you recite statistics that are narrow in time, we did provide a 38% shareholder return over the last year...we want to embrace diversity. Of all kinds.”

At that point the audience interrupted in cheers and applause. Then Schultz concluded, “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.” More cheers.

...it’s impressive to see a CEO think about more than the bottom line and get cheered by his shareholders for it.

[iopscusa]

I wonder if this lefty tool Tom Strobhar has ever turned his BS morality towards the overpriced, ‘slave’ Chinese labor produced Apple or NIKE products?

[SoFloFreeper]

I think he is more interested being sure that sodomy isn’t portrayed as normal, acceptable behavior—using the Judeo Christian ethic as a standard.

I’m certain there are others who are fighting the fight to stop Chinese slave labor...leading by example, by NOT using anything made in China. You, perhaps?

[iopscusa]

I prefer my crap not be imported from the Red Chinese and their slaves....don’t you?

[Bernard Marx]

You didn’t “fix” anything. Guess you’ve never heard of Chick-fil-A management’s opposition to homosexuality as opposed to Starbucks’ endorsement of it.

[SoFloFreeper]

Just want to be certain you’re not using anything made in China, as this is supposedly an important issue in your mind, even more important than not endorsing sodomy, apparently.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

His point is perfectly made.

I haven’t been to a starbucks in over 5 years.

And we work right next to one.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Here hear.

Saw a headline yesterday that China will pass us around the next election.

Not exports. Everything.

Wake up people.

[Ronald_Magnus]

There must be something the libs don’t like about Starbucks, because these two left leaning groups (WashPIRG and Public Citizen) want them to stop contributing to elections.

http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2020590404_starbucksrallyxml.html

[ScottfromNJ]

Staying clear of Starbuckth, coffee at my local deli is cheaper and better anyway.

[iopscusa]

SloFlo...I’m such a doofus, I completely misread and had perceived that the Whole Foods CEO was NOT supporting HOMO Marriage! So no I put Homo Marriage as worse than Chinese crap, both are bad juju though IMO.