Sometimes I can’t believe the stuff that shows up in the news. Starbucks has come out in support of gay marriage. This isn’t anything new, as last year they wrote an amicus brief to the Supreme Court asking them to overturn the DOMA. You can almost predict the reactions:
- Yay starbucks! Will be drinking you tomorrow!
- Starbucks shouldn’t be diving into political matters!
- What? They support homos? Not drinking there anymore.
- Starbucks is an international company–what will the Middle East say?!?!
For the record, if you have a problem with the gay community, I’m not really sure Starbucks is your scene in the first place.
HRC came out in support of Starbucks (no surprise). And NOM started a “Dump Starbucks” movement (lol).
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again–I think the debate and controversy over gay marriage is way blown out of proportion. There are bigger things to worry about, but it is a fight that needs to be fought. So be it.
But frankly, why isn’t anyone reminding us that hey–Starbucks isn’t the ethical supergiant we’re starting to portray it as. They’re known for mistreating workers, driving out local vendors, wasting enormous amounts of water, and ruining the financial security of coffee bean farmers, among other things. Like, it’s cool if you want to start supporting Starbucks because hey–they think it’s cool if two dudes want to marry. But I don’t give two shits–Starbucks could tell me I look pretty every morning and I’m still not going to prefer their coffee because they’re the most unethical brand on the market. Yeah, I buy their coffee when it’s the cheapest at Lunds–we’re not all perfect!
Starbucks is a corporation. And honestly, while they know they might lose a few customers, they know they will likely gain a few, and perhaps turn a few customers into regulars. Making statements about social issues isn’t remarkably political, and it’s more about branding.
Starbucks is a corporation. They do bad things. If you’re going to make decisions about where to buy your coffee off of things like this, you ought to consider everything Starbucks does and says.
In the end, this will end up as a win for the gay community. The conservative view of marriage is dropping in popularity because people are seeing it as petty. When a major anti-same sex marriage organization starts boycotting the morning coffee over the thought of two men being granted basic civil privileges, it becomes easier and easier to redefine petty. Go and read this conservatively-biased take on the issue. Tell me you didn’t roll your eyes. For fairness, here’s the liberal HuffPo take.
I’m a cynic and this all sorts of grinds my gears, but I can’t help but smirk knowing this will inevitably help our cause.
