Racism: glorified hyperbole in America

[deep]

Starbucks Baristas to Talk Race Relations with Customers as Part of New Campaign : News : Headlines & Global News

[corianderstem]

I'm going to leave this here as my official "No Comment."

[KhanadaRhodes]

cori, are they forcing you guys to also talk race relations with people? other employees, following people on the street to their homes, whatever.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

How about they start with getting my name and order right and then move on to fixing race relations.

[PhilsFan]

Originally Posted by deep

Starbucks Baristas to Talk Race Relations with Customers as Part of New Campaign : News : Headlines & Global News

Originally Posted by corianderstem

I'm going to leave this here as my official "No Comment."

My favorite part of the story is that when people of color started to ask critical questions of the senior VP on Twitter who was talking about this campaign, he deleted his Twitter account. Yet he expects baristas to engage in the conversation he won't engage in?

[Hewson]

So if you order a black coffee at Starbucks expect a lecture.

[corianderstem]

Originally Posted by KhanadaRhodes

cori, are they forcing you guys to also talk race relations with people? other employees, following people on the street to their homes, whatever.

Even worse - they're making us make citizens arrests if we see racism in action!

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

My favorite part of the story is that when people of color started to ask critical questions of the senior VP on Twitter who was talking about this campaign, he deleted his Twitter account. Yet he expects baristas to engage in the conversation he won't engage in?

Holy shit, I know. Shockingly, they did not mention that at the shareholders' meeting today.

Originally Posted by Hewson

So if you order a black coffee at Starbucks expect a lecture.

Seriously, though, I have many mixed emotions about this. I mean, call me a Kool-Aid drinker or whatever (OH YEAH!), but I do love that I work for a company that does positive stuff, or even tries to do positive stuff ....

... although holy cow, I don't really know that this is the right way to go about it, for a multitude of reasons.

My emotions, they are mixed. My feels, they are many.

[corianderstem]

Also, I'd like to thank our health care provider's massive data breach yesterday for taking my attention off the "Let's Talk About Race, Baby" thing.

[AEON]

Truth is - in America - white people who talk about "race" are walking on egg shells. Just about anything they say or do will be held against them.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by AEON

Truth is - in America - white people who talk about "race" are walking on egg shells. Just about anything they say or do will be held against them.

What exactly does this mean? That's a broad general stroke, so white people should shut up and not do a thing?


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[AEON]

Originally Posted by BVS

so white people should shut up and not do a thing?


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If you want to avoid a tsunami of negative responses - yes.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by AEON

If you want to avoid a tsunami of negative responses - yes.

I'm not following your logic at all. Why would I expect a "tsunami of negative responses" if I spoke about race if I weren't speaking in a racist tongue?


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[RaisedByWolves]

$4.25 for the coffee but the lecture is free.

[deep]

Starbucks ends writing about race on cups


that was a stupid idea from the start


this next phase has more merit

Despite the early difficulties, Starbucks plans to move forward with "a number of planned Race Together activities in the weeks and months to come," Schultz said in the letter. Among the planned activities are: Three more special sections co-produced with USA TODAY; plans to expand its store footprint in urban communities; and plans to hire 10,000 "opportunity youth" over the next three years, Schultz said.

[corianderstem]

The insert that was in USA Today was, I thought, very interesting.

I mean, in general it's not the best idea Uncle Howie has ever had, but it might not have gone over like quite the lead balloon had it been rolled out differently. (i.e., not starting with "Hey, we're going to write this on your cups and you have to talk to us!")

[deep]

Most Starbucks are busy
people just want to get their coffee and get out.

I can't stand it when customers are making small talk with employees and making me wait. WTF is wrong with people. Oh the CEO told them to do it.

“Here’s your macchiato!” wrote writer Daniel Jose Older, tweeting a picture of a white barista. “Let’s discuss the historic disenfranchisement of your people that has allowed me to prosper.”

[corianderstem]

I feel the need to point out that none of this was mandatory for anyone.

[deep]

Just an odd concept to give an employee permission to chat with some gabby customer while others are waiting.

[corianderstem]

Baristas having conversations with the customers is not a new concept. But yes, talking about race is quite different and time-consuming than having a little small talk over the bar.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally Posted by AEON

Truth is - in America - white people who talk about "race" are walking on egg shells. Just about anything they say or do will be held against them.

The truth is that anytime someone tries to have an actual real conversation about race, it inevitability becomes racist, because the wrong people are having the conversation.