We have an announcement from the National Gun Control Victims Action Council, an umbrella group for the usual suspects, that they are going to boycott Starbucks on Valentine’s Day 2012, which is February 14th. I am going to declare February 14th Starbucks Appreciation Day, by encouraging gun owners to head to Starbucks to buy some of their fine coffee and pastry products. Bitter and I will certainly participate. I encourage everyone to follow through to the link to the official event to take a look at what they are encouraging folks to do, and do the same, only with a pro-gun or gun-neutral message. You can e-mail Starbucks here. and tell them you appreciate them not taking a position on this issue, and following state laws, and that you appreciate their products. Don’t use the gun control organization’s form, even though you can change the message. They will likely use that to present to Starbucks corporate and spin your name on the list as a supporter of Starbucks banning guns.
I can promise you we can more than offset whatever paltry decrease in sales the anti-gun people will cause. Nontheless, our opponents have once again brought this deceased equine out for a flogging, so we have to once again show Starbucks there are a lot more of us then there are of them.
Done.
I clicked through, and you can remove their stupid “we’re boycotting your company” message and replace it with one of your own.
I told Starbucks to get on the right side of freedom and support the second amendment!
You can, but your name is still going to get on a list, to which they will present to Starbucks to show grassroots support.
So then why are you providing a link to the boycott site? Your instructions are confusing.
I have hopefully just made them less confusing.
Thanks. That makes more sense. I sent email. And I told them I bought a bag of their coffee every week, which is the truth. And that on Feb. 14 I plan to buy five $5 Starbucks gift cards to give as gifts. Actually, since we have a blogshoot at the NRA Range on the 18th, that’ll be a good place to hand them out.
Then we fill the list with junk names full of evil historical figures.
I wouldn’t do that. Chances are whoever gets the list won’t bother to read down. You’d just be making it longer.
So, if we sent letters via USPS supporting gun control from Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mao, Chou-en-lai, Franco, Ceaucescu, etc., would that be mail fraud or protected political satirical commentary?
It would be acknowledging a historical fact. All the people you mentioned supported gun control.
Me too!
I’m in.
“I have heard that some Anti Gun group was calling for a Starbucks boycott on Valentines Day.
I want to tell you I will be buying more from your store on that day because you seem to side with law abiding licensed gun owners and leave us alone. My wife gets a no fat hot chocolate and bran muffin 5 days a week here at the Newtown Square Store. Once every 2 weeks she picks me up a bag of coffee. (I work from home)
I want you to continue to support, or if you choose, to ignore these anti gun zealots.
You keep making the best tasting coffee, I will keep buying it.
Thank you for appreciating the human rights of your customers.”
I hate filling out all those boxes on their web site, but some things are worth it. Glad I have zillions of e mail addresses.
Everyone should go here.
http://www.starbucks.com/customer-service/contact
Posted, tweeted, and stuck up on MN forums…I may just have to spring for the Mrs to get her latte that morning from SB as well!
Pat
I’ll be there 14Feb12, wearing my NRA Lifer hat! And this will be additional money in their pocket as I prefer my home-brewed coffee.
I guess I will be partaking of them for the first time.
I’ll be sure to buy something Feb 14.
I think we should mail our receipts to NGVAC or the Brady Bunch’s HQ just to rub their noses in it. Anybody else on board with that?
Maybe the gunbloggers would let us scan our receipts and post them?
I’ll do a post to that effect… and if you want to link receipts in the comments, feel free.
Here’s a thought. Can someone photoshop up a nice printable business card sized card that says something to the effect of “Gun Owners Support Starbucks for Honoring the Second Amendment”. That way when we pay on the 14th, we can leave the card with them. Ten or fifteen thousand or more cards left there on the 14th will say a lot to Starbucks management.
Well, I am not a graphic designer but I have made a quick thank you card. With Sebastians permission I will email it to him.
How about ‘Gun Owners Support Starbucks for Honoring Local Community Standards’? This way their not getting sucked into the gun debate, which the anti gun blobby ultimately wants.
Hate coffee, but I’ll buy a hot chocolate.
I guess now I’ll have to go Starbucks. Hell I don’t even like their coffee. Their pastries are pretty good though.
Email sent:
Sir/ma’am,
I am a regular Starbucks customer; I spend about $10 / day in your stores, my wife enjoys more than the occasional cuppa’ as well, and our kitchen is well stocked with your fine products. I have even been, in person, to the first Starbucks store in Seattle, WA, on multiple occasions.
In honor of Starbucks Appreciation Day (Feb 14, 2012), I would just like to say thank you for continuing to respect the rights of law abiding gun owners, by simply following applicable state and federal laws in the jurisdictions in which you operate.
I will continue to patronize Starbucks locations around the world, not only on this coming Valentine’s Day but every day, in appreciation of the fine example that you are setting for your fellow business leaders.
Thank you,
Nathan
I’m composing my email based on the NGVs email.
They say there are 14 million gun victims (families, survivors etc) a would like to counter with an adequate statistic that shows that a) this number is inflated and b) that we are many.
I’d also like to counter the ‘automatic weapon’ bit but am having a hard time phrasing it properly as I’m still relatively new to gun ownership and occasionally have trouble weeding out rhetoric vocabulary from fact on gun types.
Starbucks is listed as a sponsor to Planned Parenthood; are you going to order a coffee, and spill the foam?
I really am MYOB on abortion and guns but supporting an organization for anything other than their product is American
Everyone who goes to Starbucks on the 14th.
Save your receipt. Mail your receipt with a letter explaining you support Starbucks for following the law to their corporate offices.
Starbucks has said that they don’t wish to be involved in this debate. I encourage everyone not to make a scene at Starbucks and just show your support by buying something.
They have respected the law; let’s respect their wish not to be a stage for the debate.
Husband and I just made a date for Valentine’s Day. Our visit will be quiet, and we’ll not mention a thing about the 2nd Amendment or about firearms. Normally, we don’t go to Starbucks; it’s a little too pricey for folks who use teabags twice. But for this, we’ll splurge. :-)
Just a note:
“The Starbucks boycott will be launched on Valentine’s Day 2012.
It will not end until Starbucks rejects the NRA’s Pro-Gun Agenda by banning all guns from their stores and becoming an aggressive advocate for sane gun laws.”
In other words: it’s not just a single day.
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After I heard about this I emailed Starbucks. I went to thier website and sent an email to their customer service department. I thanked them for supporting local laws on firearms carry. Much to my surprise I received a responce from Starbucks. They stated that they understood that gun carry is sensitive subject and that they feel it is in their best interest to comply with local laws and they have no intention of changing their stance.
Being a Washington resident Starbucks is practically a household name out here and it is good to hear directly from them that they support the rights of their customers. I will defiantly being visiting my local Starbucks on the 14th. I will also be visiting more frequently after the 14th.
Also visit http://www.ilovegunsandcoffee.com to merchandise supporting this movement.
Scott
“An armed society is a polite society.”
I do not support the Valentine’s Day launch of a boycott against Starbucks. I will visit the Starbucks store near my house on Valentine’s day and I will buy my wife her favorite latte, get her a gift card and also tip the staff generously while on premise.
Thousands of people have petitioned, asked at your shareholder meeting, and appealed directly to your Board to ban guns in your stores. Your refusal is indicative of Starbucks support of inherent freedoms granted to all United States citizens and also clearly demonstrates your concern for the safety and well being of your patrons.
I am extremely pleased to learn that Starbucks is the socially conscious company that you promote. To live up to your claims as a socially conscious corporation, Starbucks is actively embracing the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution as well sane gun laws long established in states across the land and more recent Supreme Court rulings such as McDonald v. Chicago. This support is reflective of the attitudes of 48% of households in The US. 48% of the families in the US is an army of coffee drinkers ready to support a corporation that champions the rights our Founders saw as bestowed by our creator, the rule of law and public health and safety.
Your policy of welcoming guns of the types permitted by various states’ “shall carry” statutes that have shown significant crime reduction, specifically violence against women is not just welcome. It is admirable and a worthy standard for other nationwide retailers to implement. Starbucks has the legal right to choose whether to invite or ban guns. Please continue to embrace your policy which accepts the right of your customers to bear arms and reject any groups that pursue an agenda that limits US Citizen’s freedoms and ultimately yours.
A good way to support Starbucks and our troops is to buy 5, 10, 100 Starbucks gift cards, carry them when you travel and give them out to our men and women in uniform wherever you encounter them. I give them out in airports, with a handshake and a thank-you for their service. They are always received with a grateful smile. Viva la Starbucks!
My video about Starbucks: http://ed.cc/edonstarbucks
I created an event on facebook the day the anti’s did. Over 60,000 now invited and over 12000 participating now.
corrected link http://tiny.cc/edonstarbucks
Linked, Tweeted, Faced, etc… Wife and I will stop by on the way to the range.
Done and Done
When I went in today Steve was working the register and our conversations went like this…
Steve: “How it was going?”
BGU: “Pretty good! Today is the “buycott.”
Steve: “I saw that! The way I look at it, if it is concealed I’ll never know about it”
BGU: “Yep. And in North Carolina we have open carry so even that is permissable”
Steve: “That’s true. Have a great day.”
—
As an FYI, I have asked my readers to post the story of how there conversation went here.
I’ll be there X2
Made my visit. Long line and the clerks had no clue that the NGCAC boycott ever existed. NGCAC fail.
I have avoided them since the founder paid Bill Clinton’s legal bills. Maybe he has now been disabused.