Starbucks sells out gun owners

[dennie]

Just saw on Fox News that Starbucks, whom once welcomed gun owners, are now telling us to not bring guns into their stores! Another company to stop supporting.
dennie

[Mdl53]

Not quite that bad, the CEO is just "asking" gun owners not to bring them in but they are still willing to follow whatever the law is at whichever Starbucks you happen to be at. Not to say that a ban isn't coming because I'm sure that his statement won't placate the Libs who can't hold their water and coffee if they happen to catch a glimpse of some evil gun. Starbucks is trying to have their cake and eat it too but since I don't buy their product we won't have any problems.

Ed

[J Miller]

Never been in a Starbucks, don't drink coffee, or that stuff they call coffee.

So I don't think I'll pay them a visit any time soon.

Playing the devils advocate, if we boycott every place that doesn't allow us to carry our guns there, I suspect we'd mostly stay home. Not a bad idea really.

Joe

[Streetstar]

Playing the devils advocate, if we boycott every place that doesn't allow us to carry our guns there, I suspect we'd mostly stay home. Not a bad idea really.

Joe

It's tough for companies now to try and tow the political line. I love Chick-fil-A's stance against inappropriate marriage but I'm also a member of an off-road riding forum and we were discussing that . I couldn't believe the amount of people who would choose to boycott Chick-fil-A ------what the heck is wrong with people, it's just a chicken sandwich.

I totally agree with you on staying home when I can know. There is nothing I like better than four or five continuous days where i don't even have to leave my property

[El Chivo]

They're a little tired of the activism, and being used by both sides. Specifically they mentioned they don't want gun-carrying "events" staged by 2A supporters. They're not trying to trample on anyone's rights, it's just the reverse.

[Pisgah]

I went in to a Starbuck's exactly one time. Ordered large coffee, black. Threw them in to a tizzy -- what do you want again, sir? Cost me as much as a meal at McD's, and was only so-so. They need not worry about me and my gun.

[FWiedner]

They're a little tired of the activism, and being used by both sides. Specifically they mentioned they don't want gun-carrying "events" staged by 2A supporters. They're not trying to trample on anyone's rights, it's just the reverse.

The truth.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have been in exactly one Starbucks in my life and that was with a friend who was buying me a cup.
I don`t plan to ever enter one again, especially now that this thing has surfaced.

Joe, I don`t remember EVER seeing a "no Guns" sign on any non government building in WA state.

[Old Ironsights]

They're a little tired of the activism, and being used by both sides. Specifically they mentioned they don't want gun-carrying "events" staged by 2A supporters. They're not trying to trample on anyone's rights, it's just the reverse.

The truth.

+2

It's not people carrying guns that is the problem, it's dumb-dung activists on both sides making it hard to sell coffee.

When you have an Idiot "pro-gun nut" who LAYS HIS SIDEARM ON THE TABLE rather than keeping it appropriately holstered just to "prove a point" and an equally psycho "anti-gun-mom" who goes out to make a stink about it...

I can't blame Starbucks at all... and won't... until they put up "no guns allowed" signs.

[J Miller]

I have been in exactly one Starbucks in my life and that was with a friend who was buying me a cup.
I don`t plan to ever enter one again, especially now that this thing has surfaced.

Joe, I don`t remember EVER seeing a "no Guns" sign on any non government building in WA state.

Chuck,

That's good. It's the same here. No anti-gun signs anywhere but the govt buildings. No need to cos we still can't carry here. The CCW laws are not yet up and running, at least not that I know of. And they will be so uber expensive I won't be able to afford the permit anyway.
({ I hope the above comment doesn't kick this thread into the politics section. })

Joe

[Chuck 100 yd]

Joe, our permit is $53 for the first one, good for 5 years and IIRC $40 to renew for 5 more years.
I hope your state don`t think this is reason to rob you. Washington is ran by a bunch of liberals,most of them live in King county (Seattle area). Most of the rest of the state is conservative.

[Model 52B]

They're a little tired of the activism, and being used by both sides. Specifically they mentioned they don't want gun-carrying "events" staged by 2A supporters. They're not trying to trample on anyone's rights, it's just the reverse.

The truth.

+2

It's not people carrying guns that is the problem, it's dumb-dung activists on both sides making it hard to sell coffee.

When you have an Idiot "pro-gun nut" who LAYS HIS SIDEARM ON THE TABLE rather than keeping it appropriately holstered just to "prove a point" and an equally psycho "anti-gun-mom" who goes out to make a stink about it...

I can't blame Starbucks at all... and won't... until they put up "no guns allowed" signs.

Absolutely. They've had to deal with 2A idiots sitting out front with AR-15s making BUTTS of themselves and casting all gun owners in a negative light - just to prove a point. A meaningless point that they can't even properly articulate in most cases.

The sad thing is that Starbucks was incredibly supporting of 2A rights, and a small percentage of morons had to use it as an opportunity to run around in public with a firearm, and it was carried to the extreme where it was offending other customers.

Despite that, Starbucks is STILL very supportive of 2A rights as they are simply "asking" people not to bring guns in the store. They are however not telling their staff to throw them out, they are not refusing to serve them, nor are they taking any other action unless they get disruptive. They are also not posting them as gun free areas.

So for those of us with concealed carry permits, it's a total non issue, as we are not going to alarm other customers and/or be made unwelcome. And for those people who may have a pistol on their hip in open carry and are not laying it on the table, waving it around, drawing attention to it, or using it as focal point to preach about their second amendment rights, Starbucks isn't going get concerned too much about them either.

----

What chaps my *** is that people talk about our God given rights as some sort of one way street. That's just not the way it is. EVERYONE needs to understand how it works - we ALL have rights, but each and every one of those rights is tied to the obligation to exercise that right responsibly, and further carries with it the responsibilities to exercise good judgement and recognize that your rights stop at the point where someone else's rights start.

In this case, people who are not gun fans should not have to feel uncomfortable in a Starbucks and Starbucks is just acknowledging that point and asking the 2A nut jobs out there to knock it off and let them sell coffee. Nothing more, nothing less.

-----

And let's be honest, some people who open carry make many of us who conceal carry nervous. I was in a Sheetz this weekend and a guy was open carrying. On first seeing him, my first thought was "possible nut", and my second thought was "why can't this guy get a concealed carry permit?" He sped those impressions along by being dressed in tactical shorts and a dirty tee shirt, with unkept hair and scraggly facial hair. On the positive side the pistol was in a holster, not stuck in his pants, his demeanor was fine and he was pleasant enough, but I still intentionally made sure he ended up in line in front of me rather than behind me. I was not the only person in the store he made nervous - and most of those people were not armed.

Guys like that open carrying and presenting that kind of image do not do our cause any good.

-----

Here is the actual letter:

[Griff]

I think the topic title overstates the action.

[grouse]

I like Starbucks. I buy there coffee beans I buy there brewed expresso. I'm always carrying some kind of handgun when I'm at Starbucks. They don't know that. I carry concealed. So I'm not seeing a problem.

[Streetstar]

http://practicaltacticalpodcast.com/starbucks/


another article I saw -- from facebook --- pics of goobers with AR's , drop leg holsters and shotguns -- This type of activity would cause me to do a double take too

CA was OC in some places, but evidently it got shut down because of shenanigans like this, --- mixed emotions on the whole deal myself , but I still hate to see grown men acting like fools

[Streetstar]

I went in to a Starbuck's exactly one time. Ordered large coffee, black. Threw them in to a tizzy -- what do you want again, sir? Cost me as much as a meal at McD's, and was only so-so. They need not worry about me and my gun.

I've been lucky myself --- I don't drink coffee daily, but like a jolt every once in a while . I usually get a triple shot of espresso with a splash of skim milk --- they usually charge me about a buck-fifty and I just make it 2 bucks even --- (again, regional prices and prices at other franchises may vary)
If I have to go there and order up a designer/boutique Venti iced caramel moccachino or something for my better half (like drinking dessert ) - then it costs more - a LOT more

I'm a little old fashioned in that I don't think my coffee should have more calories than my breakfast though

[Rusty]

What I heard on Tom Gresham's GUNTALK radio show was that the ones Starbucks has a problem with are the open carry folks. Personally, I'm with Starbucks. Those people make me nervous too.

[C. Cash]

Sorry I am not seeing the good intentions of Starbucks on this. It seems to me a chicken response to bring back and/or increase the number ofliberal coffee sippers in their stores. If they had a problem with open display then that is what they should have addressed. To further understand the politics guiding this organization look at their very public stance on gay marriage(what business is that of theirs?)....this happened well before Chick Filet, who got drug into that battle by those opposed to chick filet.

[tom deinek]

I saw a lengthy interview with the CEO/Pres or whatever on TV last night.

Like Old Ironsides says, Starbcks is tired of events from both sides being held in it's stores.

I can't fault them for that. They're in business to sell coffee, not politics.

Analogous to that woman ER doctor this week in DC. Hospital puts her on TV to explain what their facility is doing for injured but she goes on a tirade about gun control. I can't blame them for not wanting to get sucked into those discussons.

[dennie]

I guess I did overstate the title, and yes, I can see the no-win situation that Starbucks is in. And it seems like gun owners shot themselves in the foot again. I have always been pro gun, and do have my CCW. However, it would make me more than a little nervous to see anyone walking around town with an AR, or whatever, hanging around their neck, just because they can. So, I will continue to buy the bags of Starbucks at the store and will be carrying concealed when I do.
Thanx for all the response.
dennie

[Model 52B]

This a bit of a rant, but it seems to sum up the general sentiments I am hearing very nicely and he makes some great points about the idiocy that got us here:

http://practicaltacticalpodcast.com/starbucks/