March 17, 2015

"Starbucks to encourage baristas to discuss race relations with customers."

"Beginning on Monday, Starbucks baristas will have the option as they serve customers to hand cups on which they’ve handwritten the words 'Race Together' and start a discussion about race."
The initiative follows several months of consultations with employees that started in December, in part as a result of protests that roiled several U.S. cities....

Cognizant of what a powder keg the issue of race is, Starbucks says its baristas will be under no obligation to engage with customers on the topic. The goal is simply to foster discussion and an exchange of ideas.

131 comments:

mccullough said...

The SNL skit writes itself.

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

What a completely asinine idea.

I'm sitting at a Starbucks right now and chuckling at the thought.

mccullough said...

I love the young men and women who work at the Starbucks in my neighborhood. They are interesting, friendly people who are always very nice to my kids.

But I'm sure if we started discussing race I would sound like Archie Bunker to them.

Jim Gust said...

Just one more reason for me to avoid Starbucks. Not that I needed another one.

Larry J said...

What could possibly go wrong? If I want some punk to lecture me on race, I'd go back to college.

Perhaps it's time to look at a coffee company that considers itself the "Anti-Starbucks." The company is Black Rifle Coffee and it was founded by veterans. Here's one of their commercials: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR9iFI7N9gU

Anonymous said...

Will baristas be allowed to handwrite the words 'Race Apart' if they prefer?

Shawn Levasseur said...

Is this for real?

Has Dunkin' Donuts planted someone in Starbucks' PR department?

TosaGuy said...

My favorite race during my track days was the 400 meter dash, followed by the 400 IM hurdles and the 200 meter dash.

I don't understand what that has to do with coffee and why Starbucks would be interested in that.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I'll betaking a powder... if you don't mind.

Phrase take a powder "scram, vanish," is from 1920; it was a common phrase as a doctor's instruction, so perhaps from the notion of taking a laxative medicine or a sleeping powder, with the result that one has to leave in a hurry (or, on another guess, from a magician's magical powder, which made things disappear). Powder blue (1650s) was smelt used in laundering; as a color name from 1894.

Sal said...

"each copy of USA Today...will have the first of a series of insert with information about race relations, including a variety of perspectives on race"

I hope they have one about how all races/cultures benefit from prioritizing the values of family, education, hard work and self-reliance. But I doubt that will be included.

wendybar said...

TosaGuy said...
My favorite race during my track days was the 400 meter dash, followed by the 400 IM hurdles and the 200 meter dash.

I don't understand what that has to do with coffee and why Starbucks would be interested in that.

3/17/15, 1:56 PM


You made me spit water out on my computer!! haha!!! YOU just made my day!!!

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I prefer Dunkin Donuts myself... Joe Biden turned me into a fan.

m stone said...

This is not the first "initiative" by Starbucks. Last year, baristas were encouraged to push some other issue about fairness or equal rights, employment--I can't recall.

I do recall, I had no interest, explaining my absence of memory. Anyone else remember?

Revenant said...

You know, I don't ask for much out of life. I just want to do good work when I'm on the job and be left alone when I'm not.

Now I can't even get coffee in peace? Meh.

David said...

Isn't their service slow enough already?

traditionalguy said...

Tell them you prefer Kenyan AA in hot water over undocumented Hawaiian Kona.

Ken B said...

In Michigan we have Biggby's, which is a splendid chain, with better coffee.

Brando said...

What's fascinating here is that the CEO at no point had any adviser tell him what a stupid idea this is (or they did and he didn't listen). If we learned nothing else from the "race" discussions of recent years--and we haven't!--it's that we can't have an open, respectful discussion. It gets down to everyone calling everyone else racist, telling others to check their privilege, downgrading opinions from those who aren't the right race (or are, but have "wrong" opinions) and ultimately leaving everyone angry and stupid. Why on earth would anyone want to get into that while getting their coffee?

Fortunately, this is voluntary, as only the dumbest barrista would choose to talk about a touchy topic with customers they may have to see every day. What's next--share your opinion on which religion is the correct one?

damikesc said...

"I'll have a mocha grande and a double dose of shut the hell up"

What could possibly go wrong? If I want some punk to lecture me on race, I'd go back to college.

As has been said elsewhere, only positive of this idea is that the baristas can finally use their gender and ethnic studies degrees.

Also, the Starbucks CEO deleted his email after getting criticized for this idea. Seems he wants a monologue, not a discussion.

I hope they have one about how all races/cultures benefit from prioritizing the values of family, education, hard work and self-reliance. But I doubt that will be included.

Too hard to show in graph form.

I love the idea of USA Today and Starbucks combining their intellectual heft to tackle this issue.

n.n said...

Discussing race relations encourages race divisions. You're a little off-color. So, what race are you?

This reminds me of a scene from CBS's promotion of "Fresh off the Boat", where a woman of Asian descent states she knows she has succeeded when a white woman serves her.

What a strange world these people occupy.

Matt Sablan said...

This is almost as bad as McDonald's Pay With Lovin' Campaign. Possibly worse.

George M. Spencer said...

Next grocery store clerks will talk to us about nutrition and gas station attendants will require us to listen to lectures on safe driving.

damikesc said...

I'd kill for an open discussion about race.

Non-whites REALLY don't tend to want one, though. They just want whites to feel guilty for being white and to kiss their asses.

Michael said...

I can't wait. I am going to suggest that White Privilege yield to an all-black barista brigade. There simply aren't enough. And no reason for it either with the legions of unemployed black youths standing by and ready to be trained to serve. Good insurance too.

Now that I think about it there are only a few blacks in the Starbucks I frequent, tokens really.

And in Seattle? At the mother ship? Lilly white up there, amigos, lilly white.

Gabriel said...

File under "What could possibly go wrong?"

Amichel said...

I always assumed that race and ethnic studies majors ended up as baristas. This just confirms it.

Brando said...

And what do they do when the customer says "the white race has been mongrelized by various mud races"? Smile and nod?

This is all obviously a gimmick to get attention for the company, and to signal to their largely left-leaning clientele that they're a "good" company (to remember next time they buy coffee beans from some slave state, or resist some new minimum wage hike). But surely there are smarter ways to do this? Sponsoring some fundraiser, or donating to some charity--but encouraging their employees to get into a potentially ugly confrontation with the customers?

tim maguire said...

Time to short Starbucks.

Nonapod said...

When it comes to having "discussions" (lectures) about things, like any sane person I dread hearing anything regarding abortion, gay marriage, atheism. But perhaps most of all, I dread any kind of discussion about race relations in America today. Oral surgery seems preferable. And at any rate, quite possibly the very last person I would want to have a discussion with about any of those topics would be an idiot barista who is probably under the age of 25.

Lyle Smith said...

I've got white privilege and so what.

traditionalguy said...

I know a lady who loves to say, "I like my coffee like I like my men...strong and black." That always gets a her second look.

Anonymous said...

So if one baristas practices her racial Schitck on another, somebody can sue SB for creating a "Hostile work environment"

great fun...

Anonymous said...


I predict this campaign will be good for Dunkin Donuts bottom line...

tim maguire said...

traditionalguy said...I know a lady who loves to say, "I like my coffee like I like my men...strong and black." That always gets a her second look.

Once upon a time, my line was "I like my coffee like I like my women. Black and bitter."

Anonymous said...

http://www.blackriflecoffee.com/coffee/

YoungHegelian said...

Isn't a discussion of coffee & race always going to segue into those old sexist/racist jokes about "I like my women like I like my coffee -- hot, sweet, & white". Or, "hot, sweet, & black".

Or, my personal favorite, "I like my women like I like my kiwi fruit --- sweet, tart, & covered in little brown hairs".

Ignorance is Bliss said...

I take my coffee black...

richard mcenroe said...

If the Barista wants to talk about race can I ask to talk about gun rights and offer to show them mine?

YoungHegelian said...

Dammit! Tradguy & Tim beat me to the jokes!

richard mcenroe said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

The senior vice president of @Starbucks global communications, Corey duBrowa, deleted his twitter to avoid talking about race #RaceTogether

chickelit said...

How dare Starbucks wade into an already existing debate. And shame on them for wagging their judgmental middle finger at us. Their archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like their overpriced coffee. I shall never drink Starbucks ever again.

#Boycott✮$

richard mcenroe said...

Maybe I could just hand them a little card with a picture of it.

MadisonMan said...

When a conversation is in reality a lecture, I tend to tune out.

Bryan C said...

"Cognizant of what a powder keg the issue of race is..."

How about we all drop the Aren't I Edgy self-congratulatory pap and stop pretending the country is ruled by Orville Fabus. The "issue of race" is not a "powderkeg" in 2015. More like a big, smothering pillow held to the face.

gerry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Wherein Starbucks upper management confuse the fake call of government officials to have a conversation as a real desire for any such thing.

Idiots.

MadisonMan said...

In any event, I really only walk to coffee shops that are near me. That's Indie on Regent, and also Crescendo on Monroe. On Sunday I tried the Colectivo on Monroe at the absolute worst time: mid-morning Sunday. Yee Gods, everyone with a small child was there. Next time I'll try it at 6:30 AM. Colectivo looks like it has good baked goods, but the cookie I had disappointed. The closest Starbucks is on University -- or maybe the one on State Street. Too far, both of them, especially if I'm going to get a lecture with my Grande.

Crescendo, Indie and Colectivo all serve a far better coffee than Starbucks.

William said...

Well, it's a start. Perhaps they could issue dunce caps to those who voice regressive opinions. If such customers were made to stand outside the store for a couple of hours and the other patrons were allowed to spit on them, then perhaps it would serve to make America more tolerant and inclusive. We need an honest conversation about race, and those who say the wrong thing need to be punished.

Jane the Actuary said...

And how, exactly, does this work in practice?

"Here's your coffee, remember that hashtag Black Lives Matter."

or "yeah, I know there are four customers in line behind you, but what do you think of . . ."

mikesixes said...

Well, if you're looking for somebody with a graduate degree in African-American Studies, a Starbucks barista is probably your best bet.

MadisonMan said...

Everyone (two people) I've talked to agrees that the presence of Colectivo in Pasquals' old space will mean the death of Victor Allens just down the street.

Anonymous said...

We need to have an open, honest dialogue about race in this country.... so that we can hector white people about how they're the root of all evil.

eddie willers said...

Or, my personal favorite, "I like my women like I like my kiwi fruit --- sweet, tart, & covered in little brown hairs".

My favorite ...

"I like my coffee like I like my women."

"Black?"

"Instant."

I Callahan said...

Two words: Tim Horton's

I Callahan said...

How about we all drop the Aren't I Edgy self-congratulatory pap and stop pretending the country is ruled by Orville Fabus. The "issue of race" is not a "powderkeg" in 2015. More like a big, smothering pillow held to the face.

I nominate this for comment of the day.

gerry said...

Occasionally, I take a couple hours' vacation to sleep in, and on those days I stop at a little diner on the way to buy a large iced coffee.

With an iced coffee, I can't burn my lips and can't spill scalding liquid onto my lap, etc. They have a drive-up window so I can stay in my car. It costs $1.95 for a very large cup, and I always tip $1 because they're very nice, and they remember my name.

And they're not preachy. That hadn't occurred to me until this moment.

Is it Starbucks' management, or their clientele that produces the urge to preach?

Birches said...

White people problems...

Revenant said...

"I like my coffee like I like my women."

Hot, cheap, and convenient!

Misinforminimalism said...

You might not know it from the press coverage, but this was a collaborative effort by Starbucks and USAToday. I'm guessing in the cold light of morning, USAToday decided to let Starbucks get all the credit for this idea.

Anonymous said...

Great, another thing I won't understand the barista is trying to say due to my deafness. "Room?" they ask, to which I always reply, "What?" After a few attempts to be more clear I get it that they want to know if I want room for milk in my cup. People behind me in line suffer with me. A few times I've asked the barista how hard it would be for Starbucks to turn the register around to let me order my own coffee without the benefit of the person I'm talking to. I get a frightened confused look every time. This is what the CEO should be thinking about, not race.

A year or so ago they had a give a donation give somebody a job campaign, the results of which I never saw.

Darrell said...

Lefties usually try and throw "there is only one race--the human race" into the argument. Before they talk about the Palestinian and Hispanic races...

Paco Wové said...

"Is it Starbucks' management, or their clientele that produces the urge to preach?"

They both evolved from the same ancestral liberal form.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

They made you say Starbucks. Marketing 101.

Fernandinande said...

TosaGuy said...
My favorite race during my track days was the 400 meter dash, followed by the 400 IM hurdles and the 200 meter dash.


Ugh, those are the tough ones. My favorite race relation was related to the 100Y(M) dash, or anything over 5 miles.

JSD said...

The whole country has sustained a decade long economic decline. So now we are left to talk about the ways our newly diminished existence is actually an improvement. And then pay $4 for a cup of coffee.

Darrell said...

My race would only pay $1 for a large cup of coffee.

Brando said...

"I like my coffee like I like my women."

Powdered, and artificially sweetened!

Lewis Wetzel said...

The Starbucks near where I work should concentrate instead on competing with the grocery store next door to them. At the grocery store they will sell you a cup of coffee and a fresh baked roll for $2.
The only way I would choose Starbucks over the grocery store would be if Starbucks allowed me to enjoy and actual CIGARETTE with my morning coffee, and that ain't gonna happen.

Scott M said...

Are they cogent enough to understand longer lines?

DanTheMan said...

1) The Starbucks CEO is an idiot, and believes this is really a good idea.
or...
2) The Starbucks CEO is doing some positioning and brand promotion of Starbucks to his target market segment.

I'm going with 2.

Balfegor said...

Re: damikesc:

Non-whites REALLY don't tend to want one, though. They just want whites to feel guilty for being white and to kiss their asses.

Nnnn, I don't think that's necessarily true. African Americans and posh Whites seem to have little interest in frank and honest discussion about race relations, but in general, I think it's more that the people with the megaphones who are calling for "discussion" about race (many of whom are posh Whites) are terrified of frank discussion. Partly, I think, because they are dimly aware that the most important racial fault-lines today have nothing to do with Whites, but that if racial antagonism between Hispanics and Blacks, or Black prejudice against Koreans were acknowledged openly, the multicultural society would disintegrate and the country would become ungovernable. Safer to blame it all on middle-class Whites, who won't go burning Koreatown to the ground, and won't go ethnicly cleasing Black neighbourhoods, and whose ancestors did horrible things to minorities anyhow, so sins of the father, seventh generation, structural inequality blah blah blah.

Outside of English, though, my experience is that people are perfectly willing to have frank and open discussions about race, so frank and open that you absolutely could not say those things in English on US soil. In fact, that's something I occasionally tell people -- "you can't say that here in ENGLISH. Talk ________." In other languages, people still talk freely. For the time being.

DanTheMan said...

I see I agree with ARM. I must go check my stopped clock....

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

DanTheMan said...
I must go check my stopped clock....


Glad you recognize that it is your clock that is stopped.


mikeski said...

Dunkin' immediately retaliates with:

#GlazedTogether

Birches said...

Is it Starbucks' management, or their clientele that produces the urge to preach?"

They both evolved from the same ancestral liberal form.


Thread winner.

West Town said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sparrow said...

Sounds like a real business killer

West Town said...

Blogger mikeski said...
Dunkin' immediately retaliates with:

#GlazedTogether

That reminds me of a video...

Anonymous said...

I trust the baristas to know their clientele. SB isn't forcing them. If it's not the right neighborhood for it (and by that I mean not a college town where people are used to being called upon to opine as they go about their day), I doubt they'll participate.

traditionalguy said...

Our local Starbucks is full of 20 somethings with a lap top and books scattered out inside, but a nice patio outside.

Race is not an issue. Everybody sits next to one another and rubs elbows in the line and at the condiment table.

The only social skills they need is respect for their elders.

.

Louis said...

What a great idea.

damikesc said...

Isn't a discussion of coffee & race always going to segue into those old sexist/racist jokes about "I like my women like I like my coffee -- hot, sweet, & white". Or, "hot, sweet, & black".

I had a friend who used to say "I like my women how I like my coffee...I don't."

He wasn't a pro-female gay man.

They made you say Starbucks. Marketing 101.

Don't know how "Man, Starbucks is fucking idiotic and I don't want to go there because of their idiocy" is good marketing.

But, hey, Burger King thought the Herb campaign was going to be great, too.

Nnnn, I don't think that's necessarily true. African Americans and posh Whites seem to have little interest in frank and honest discussion about race relations, but in general, I think it's more that the people with the megaphones who are calling for "discussion" about race (many of whom are posh Whites) are terrified of frank discussion.

Yeah, you're right. Shouldn't lump people in with their unelected leaders.

ACTIVISTS want to just shame whites. Most minorities don't really care all that much (ironically, most whites ALSO don't care all that much).

The biggest mistake we've made is humoring this unintellectual nonsense for years.

Outside of English, though, my experience is that people are perfectly willing to have frank and open discussions about race, so frank and open that you absolutely could not say those things in English on US soil. In fact, that's something I occasionally tell people -- "you can't say that here in ENGLISH. Talk ________." In other languages, people still talk freely. For the time being.

And it's sad because it KILLS racial healing.

If all I'm going to be told is "YOU are the problem", why the hell would I listen to anything they have to say beyond that? You can't have a dialogue where it begins with "Look at what you have done".

And, yes, they want to ignore the rather deep racial dissensions amongst groups and I don't think blacks and Hispanics are friendly now and I doubt that changes.

jr565 said...

"Starbucks to encourage baristas to discuss race relations with customers."

How very white liberal of them.

THank god I don't go to Starbucks.

Todd said...

The stupid, it burns!

Thorley Winston said...

There’s an opportunity for a rival coffee company to launch a marketing campaign along of the lines of “XYZ Coffee, where we serve good coffee and don’t preach at you.”

Tom said...

What makes Starbucks think I give a flying f**k what an overeducated barista thinks about race relations?

Time to stop visiting Starbucks until they get over their silly messianism.

bobby said...

This does, to some extent, prove Eric Holder correct.

I am afraid to enter into a discussion about race with a bunch of twenty-something pierced-septum coffee-store employees who are still working their way up to actually being trusted to pour the coffee.

These are the people who laughed at me when I told them that Lincoln was a Republican, fer gawd's sakes.

hawkeyedjb said...

I was house-hunting with my wife the other day. We both noticed the butt-ugly rough 70's stucco on a house as we drove up. She said, "Oh my God, who EVER thought that looked good???"

Now I know. It was the guy who went on to become a marketing dude at Starbucks.

Al from Chgo said...

Someone want to front me Five bucks I'll go have a detailed discussion about race with them: from the perspective of a white working class kid who attended a high school that was 80% black on the South side of Chicago in the 1950's

The person who fronts the money gets the coffee. Garage is also invited, I'll bring my son in law to talk with him..

the GI bill was very good to me...

DanTheMan said...

Bobby,
You obviously need to be educated...
Lincoln was a democrat. Bronze plaques never lie.

http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/15283/

khesanh0802 said...

Had to be the same advertising firm that put together the idea for the McDonald's freebie/do a stunt campaign. What drugs are they taking on Mad Ave?

The libs just can't let well enough alone. They have to involve themselves in everyone else's lives. I certainly hopes this nonsense bombs.

Sebastian said...

So classist of them to focus on race.

Scott said...

In my part of Union/Middlesex County NJ, most of the staff behind the counters at Starbucks seem to be white; and most of the staff behind the counters at Dunkin' Donuts are Indian or Filipino. I think that's because DD's are owned by incredibly hard working immigrants, and all of the Starbucks are owned by the main company in Seattle; and their staff reflect their hiring practices.

If Starbucks wants to improve race relations, they can become more like Dunkin' Donuts.

Mick said...

"Multiculturalism" is a lie.

traditionalguy said...

And adding Open Carry would help oil the social interactions. This could work!

This could help ,re=start businesses in Ferguson, MO. The black teens in hoodies can sit and compare the relative features of a Glock 15 with the crew cut white boys carrying a Colt Pythons.

The Barristas can then demand bullet proof glass like they have for C-Store cashiers at night, with a rotating trey opening for the coffee.

Scott said...

DD owners obviously hire a lot of their family members and relatives. So how come Starbucks can't hire more *ahem* Persons of Color too? They're available. Are they afraid they would scare their clientele away?

Scott said...

oops that's customers not clients. smh time to go home.

jr565 said...

Barrista:"so would you like to have a discussion about race with your latte?"
Me: "Sure. SO, I'm kind of annoyed that the media ran with Hands up don't shoot when apparently he didn't hahve his hands up and the whole point was a lie. And I'm getting sick of the Sharptons of the world coming in and inciting racial tensions by always making every incident involving blacks shot by white cops into an indictiment of white police officrs. Sometimes, like in this case the officer was justified in shooting the black guy.
Barista:.......
ME: Anyway.. they did the same thing pushing the fake narrative with Trayvon Martin. LIed about his age, lied about the woudns received by Zimmerman; even made him out to be white Hispanic. First time I heard a Hispanic described that way.
Barista... Thank you for coming to Starbucks...
Me.... ANd of course our president has to weigh in and say If he had a son he would be like Trayvon. Then when the officer shot Michael Brown he immediately had to weigh in and take the side of the black kid shot, and not wait for the facts. He further aligns himself with Al Sharpton who is one of the prime instigators of this, again, Fake Narrative.
Barista: Please leave. I don't want to talk anymore...
ME: ANd then of course the Justice dept finds there is no merit in the case and don't charge him but then come out with a bogus report that indicts the whole police force, using completely bogus stats.
Barrista: God Help Me...
ME: What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

Unknown said...

"I like my coffee like I like my women."


Big cups and hot.

Unknown said...

A lot of minorities frequent Starbucks? Conversation between a couple of whites about race?

jr565 said...

Can white baristas talk about race, what with their white privilege and all?

Unknown said...

I actually have a better slogan: "Race from Starbucks!". If any of their baristas (known as coffee pourers at IHOP) try to discuss race relations with me, I will offer a two word response, the first word beginning with "F" and the second with "Y".

Unknown said...

I actually have a better slogan: "Race from Starbucks!". If any of their baristas (known as coffee pourers at IHOP) try to discuss race relations with me, I will offer a two word response, the first word beginning with "F" and the second with "Y".

Lewis Wetzel said...

"Say . . . do you think Sharpton knew that Zimmerman was a mixed-race kid before he accused him of murder?"

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Next up: barristas write "Let's Talk About Abortions" in big red marker on the cups.

jr565 said...

yeah starbucks, lets discuss race. Why are all the hands on the ad for Race Together white?

http://twitchy.com/2015/03/17/fail-some-people-notice-something-curiously-missing-from-starbucks-race-together-campaign-photo/

JAORE said...

jr565, you read my mind.

The baristas, the manager and many of the other patrons would have a case of the vapors.

As you leave say, see you tomorrow.

campy said...

I'd be happy to discuss race with them, but I sure wouldn't ingest anything they served me afterwards.

Bruce Hayden said...

And adding Open Carry would help oil the social interactions. This could work!

This could help ,re=start businesses in Ferguson, MO. The black teens in hoodies can sit and compare the relative features of a Glock 15 with the crew cut white boys carrying a Colt Pythons.

The Barristas can then demand bullet proof glass like they have for C-Store cashiers at night, with a rotating trey opening for the coffee.


Oh, that is going to work well - first time the cops come in, they will arrest the entire group of teens. He seems to have missed the can't buy handguns until 21 part of it.

And, what the heck is a Glock 15? If you Google it, pretty much all the hits are for 15 round Glock magazines. Next time, try this like first: Glock Products.

There is a saying that an armed society is a polite society (Heinlein?) I was following a discussion yesterday about whether you could afford to drink a single drink if you are carrying a legally concealed handgun. Most of the respondents were of the alcohol and guns don't go together. And, indeed, in most states, a misdemeanor DUI is sufficient to have your CCW permit revoked. And, yes, in most states, a BAC of > .08% is sufficient to temporarily invalidate your CCW permit. (Of course, you were talking about open carry - but I would suggest that the bulk of those who would avail themselves of open carry already have, or could qualify for, concealed carry permits).

Nancy Reyes said...

So presumably Starbucks thinks that their customers are white and need to "Think" correctly about race?

Presumably Asians and Hispanics are not part of the discussion...

Wince said...

Here's the discussion.

Customer: "Make my coffee, black."

Barista: "Who you calling' black, sucka!"

FullMoon said...

Yeah,
How come Starbucks employees are 92.4 percent white? It's all over the internet.

Chris N said...

I detect a burnt taste here, the odor of naive idealism, sanctimony, the grays, greens, and whites of Seattle.


A distinct aftertaste of collectivism and a possibly bad business decision.

jr565 said...

Rather than talking about race Id rather have a discussion about why if I'm spending five bucks for coffee does my coffee taste so damned burnt.
I used to work in coffee in college and we'd get coffee that taste Like That if no one cleaned the pots out wih cleaner for three days. It's dirty coffe pots. I'm serious.

Quayle said...

At long last, we see clearly the wisdom of Mormonism's prohibition on coffee.

Roughcoat said...

Re Al from Chicago "from the perspective of a white working class kid who attended a high school that was 80% black on the South side of Chicago in the 1950's":

Catholic or CPS?

Joe said...

Will part of this remind people that they are paying more than the poor for coffee?

Beldar said...

I don't often patronize Starbucks. But if a barista -- or anyone at any other business I'm patronizing -- asks me to check my white privilege, I'll turn on my heel and walk the hell out.

etbass said...

Professor, this has to be one of your least controversial posts. Hilarious comments and all throwing s**t at such a stupid idea.

kcom said...

"if a barista -- or anyone at any other business I'm patronizing -- asks me to check my white privilege, I'll turn on my heel and walk the hell out."

Pat your pockets, look confused, and tell 'em you think you might have left your white privilege at Dunkin' Donuts. And that you'll have to go check. Promise 'em you'll be right back (while rolling your eyes as you walk out the door).

southcentralpa said...

Well, fortunately, there's quite a bit of push-back, otherwise there would be yet another "workers of the world, unite" poster people would have to put up ...

Birches said...

Starbucks is promoting rape culture, #RACE TO GET HER!!

Freeman Hunt said...

The one thing my coffee has been missing is a honky sharing with me his deep thoughts on black people.

Clyde said...

Wait, let me guess: They'll only talk with the white people about race relations, since they're the only ones who need lecturing on the topic, right?

ilvuszq said...

I want my coffee black. Is that racist?

Known Unknown said...

Maybe it has something to do with the Mulatte™

kentuckyliz said...

I like my coffee like I like my men:

Ground up and in the freezer.

RonF said...

Oh, THIS should be fun. I don't even drink coffee, but I may have to go to a Starbucks for the perfect excuse to offer my opinions to someone who likely has spent their education in a liberal bubble.

RonF said...

Tom:

"What makes Starbucks think I give a flying f**k what an overeducated barista thinks about race relations?"

They're overcredentialed. They're very likely undereducated.

jr565 said...

Clyde wrote:
Wait, let me guess: They'll only talk with the white people about race relations, since they're the only ones who need lecturing on the topic, right?


Good point. Lets have a white barista confront a black customer who came in to get a coffee and have a discussion about how hands up don't shoot was a lie?
The only discussion that would possibly be had is one pushing the hands up dont shoot narrative. or ones that reinforce the liberal White privilige mantra.
Does anyone forsee a barista asking a black person about the astronomical crime rate in the black community relative to their population? Are they ALL racist political frame ups?
I'd imagine if any barista broached THAT subject he'd get a latte in his face.
what starbucks wants is not a discussion but a monologue.