The letters to the editor inbox at our South End News (Bay Windows’ sister publication) starting filling on Tuesday with calls to boycott Starbucks in protest of the company’s support of gay marriage legislation in their home state of Washington. People wanting to “Dump Starbucks” visited the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) web site and used the “letter to the editor” function. Many of the emails to South End News were from out of state; and several senders declined when I asked for their permission to publish the letter. “Why,” I asked one letter writer, "would you decline to have it published?” She told me she thought the letter was only going to her local paper. In fact, the web site collects the protester’s data and promises to forward the email “to the editor of your local newspaper.” Liars. Clearly not the worst thing we’ve learned about NOM since their secret documents were made public this week (see page 1). The emails, unlike Starbucks coffee, came in only two flavors:
Flavor #1: Gay Marriage with your coffee
Dear Editor,
We have just learned that the Starbucks Corporation has begun a public campaign to rewrite our marriage laws and to recognize same-sex marriage. We were shocked to hear of a major corporation willing to alienate such a large portion of their constituents in favor of a political agenda.
We have decided that we will no longer buy any products at Starbucks – there are plenty of community coffeehouses that both support our values and need our business. While there’s little that we can do alone to make Starbucks reconsider their position, together we can make a statement. There are many in our community, we know, who believe in marriage and would be deeply offended to know that a portion of every cup of Starbucks coffee they buy is being used to lobby in favor of same-sex marriage.
It’s time to dump the Starbucks habit, at least for my family. And we invite others to join me by learning more at DumpStarbucks.com.
Sincerely,
NAME
Flavor #2: Intolerance at Starbucks
Dear Editor,
I have just learned that the Starbucks Corporation has begun a public campaign to rewrite our marriage laws and to recognize same-sex marriage. I was shocked to hear of a major corporation willing to alienate such a large portion of their constituents in favor of a political agenda.
I have decided that I will no longer buy my coffee at Starbucks – there are plenty of community coffeehouses that both support my values and need my business. While there’s little that I can do alone to make Starbucks reconsider their position, together we can make a statement. There are many in our community, I know, who believe in marriage and would be deeply offended to know that a portion of every cup of Starbucks coffee they buy is being used to lobby in favor of same-sex marriage.
It’s time to dump the Starbucks habit, at least for my family. And I invite others to join me by learning more at DumpStarbucks.com.
Sincerely,
NAME
I had to fight the urge to reply with news that NOM was willing to start a race war in order to block marriage equality. But, luckily, the powers for good are trying to rally an electronic thank you card for Starbucks SumofUs.org is looking to send a thank you card to combat the nearly 20,000 NOM members who have pledged to protest Starbucks.
Taren Stinebrickner-Kauffman, executive director for SumofUs.org said, “Starbucks customers are speaking loud and clear: Being for equality is good for business. We’re seeing almost unprecedented levels of interest from our members in this campaign. NOM is soon going to have to face the truth that it’s losing the culture war it’s been waging against LGBT people.”
According to organizers, over 200,000 people have already signed on SumOfUs’ Thank You Card,
Sign the Card Here: http://sumofus.org/campaigns/thank-starbucks
It’s simple yet worth it.
