 |
Back in 2005, the giant coffee chain Starbucks kicked off a program, called The Way I See It, that invited patrons to submit favorite quotes for printing on its cups.
The point of the program is to spark conversation, Starbucks being a place where people relax and read the paper and talk.
That conversation also heads out the door with takeout orders, finding its way into offices and kitchens across America, which makes it an especially effective form of alternative media.
But sometimes the conversation gets heated. A recent quote from a customer named Bill Scheel in London, Ontario, had Christians from Ohio to Florida riled up, with one even threatening to boycott.
It read: “Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure.”
A woman in Dayton, Ohio, complained that the quote offended her as a Christian, and a man in Polk County, Fla., is organizing a boycott of the chain.
But despite the protests, Starbucks has no plans to make any changes.
“The intent is to promote thoughtful conversation, they’re not the opinions of the company in any way,” says Tricia Moriarty, communications manager for the Seattle-based company. “The program covers a broad range of topics and authors. Religion’s just one of the many that’s been covered.”
Homosexuality is another.
Back in 2005 when Starbucks first started the program, officials at Baylor University asked an on-campus store to remove cups featuring a quote from gay novelist Armistead Maupin, saying it promoted homosexuality.
