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Apparently, a coalition of anti-gun groups has been boycotting Starbucks for a year. Just in case Starbucks forgot they were being boycotted, the coalition issued a reminder on Thursday in a renewed call for the coffee-shop chain to make its stores gun-free zones.
“Today, Valentine’s Day, marks the one-year anniversary of a boycott of Starbucks called by the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the National Gun Victims Action Council, and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship for the company’s refusal to ban firearms from its stores,” the statement reads.
In the open letter that follows, to be “hand-delivered to the C.E.O. of Starbucks this week,” the group asks that Starbucks “take the next logical step in corporate responsibility and join Disney, IKEA, Peet’s, California Pizza Kitchen and others in banning firearms in your stores.”
Anti-gun extremists posing as religious organizations and crime victim advocates have targeted Starbucks since the corporation refused demands to ban guns in their stores, saying in a 2010 policy statement that it follows state and local laws regarding open and concealed carry. If it is permitted by state and local law, then it is permitted in its stores.
If there’s any doubt about how ineffective the boycott has been, the coalition confirmed its irrelevance by noting last year’s boycott announcement spurred “thousands of NRA-supporting gun owners to visit your stores to say ‘Thank you, Starbucks’ for welcoming handguns and other firearms onto your premises.”
Sounds like the coalition could use a tall half-skinny half-1 percent extra hot split-shot cappuccino with sour grapes.
And, once again, thank you, Starbucks, for standing up for the Bill of Rights and not buckling under pressure.
For more, go to:
— A call to Starbucks to ban guns from its stores
— Brew NOT Bullets! Starbucks Boycott