No More Starbucks for me

[Carolina Coyote]

 
This kind of stuff really pisses me off. How dare they?    cc


Subject: FW: Guess I won't be drinking Starbucks !!!!
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>              Recently Marines in Iraq wrote to Starbucks because they wanted to let them
>>>>>>          know how much they liked their coffees and to request that they send
>>>>>>            some of it to the troops there.
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>        Starbucks replied, telling the Marines thank you for their support of their
>>>>>>          business, but that Starbucks does  not support the war, nor anyone
>>>>>>          in it, and that they would not send the troops their brand of  coffee.
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>        So as not to offend Starbucks, maybe we should not support them by buying
>>>>>>          any of their products!
>>>>>>        I feel we should get this out in the open. I know this war might not be very
>>>>>>          popular with  some  folks, but that doesn't mean we don't support the boys
>>>>>>          on the ground fighting! street -to-street and house-to-house.
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>          If you feel the same as I do then pass  this along, or you can discard it
>>>>>>          and no one will ever know.
>>>>>>            Thanks very much for your support.... I know you'll all be there again when
>>>>>>          I deploy once more.
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>          Semper Fidelis..
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>          Sgt. Howard C. Wright
>>>>>>            1st Force Recon Co 1st Plt
>>>>>>         
>>>>>>          PLEASE DON'T DELETE THIS.  ALLOW IT TO BE PASSED TO ALL IN MEMORY OF ALL
>>>>>>          THE TROOPS WHO HAVE DIED  SO THAT WE MAY HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE TO SUPPORT
>>>>>>          THEM OR NOT! ! !
>>>>>>         

[KySongDog]

According to Snopes.com  this email (around since 2004) is false.   

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/starbucks.asp

I find that most of the email chain letters I get are out right false or, at most, only partially true.  Most are designed to fan emotional flames and get a rumor started. 

[Carolina Coyote]

Sorry Guys,
I sent Starbucks a E-mail and got this very quick response, I plan to send them another and apologize  as you can see from their response they totally support our Troops. cc

Hello Carl,



Thank you for taking the time to contact Starbucks regarding coffee donations to those serving in our armed forces.



You may have heard a rumor concerning Starbucks lack of military personnel support. This is not true. In 2004, we replied to an e-mail circulating on the internet that contained misinformation about the Company. Starbucks contacted its author, a Marine Sergeant, who subsequently sent an e-mail to his original distribution list correcting his mistake, the text of which is:



"Dear Readers,



Almost 5 months ago I sent an e-mail to you my faithful friends.  I did a wrong thing that needs to be cleared up. I heard by word of mouth about how Starbucks said they didn't support the war and all.  I was having enough of that kind of talk and didn't do my research properly like I should have.  This is not true.  Starbucks supports men and women in uniform.  They have personally contacted me and I have been sent many copies of their company's policy on this issue.  So I apologize for this quick and wrong letter that I sent out to you.



Now I ask that you all pass this email around to everyone you passed the last one to.



Thank you very much for understanding about this.



Howard C. Wright

Sgt USMC

1st Force Rcon Co

1st Plt PLT RTO



dated: August 17, 2004 "



Starbucks, our customers, and our partners (employees) respect the efforts of the U.S. men and women who serve their country in the military. Starbucks and its partners (employees) have consistently demonstrated their support of military personnel in a number of ways.



A few examples of their generosity include:



·      Each week Starbucks partners (employees) receive one free pound of coffee. On an individual, grass roots level, many partners (employees) in the U. S. have collected their free coffee and shipped thousands of pounds of Starbucks coffee overseas.

·      Partners in our Atascadero, California store sent their personal weekly allotment of coffee to troops in Afghanistan so they would be able to enjoy a little taste of home.

·      Our customer relations department in Seattle donated hundreds of pounds of coffee to the sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier.



On Sept. 21, 2006, Starbucks was honored with the Freedom Award during a ceremony in Washington , D.C. The Freedom Award, the highest award bestowed by the Department of Defense in recognition of an employer, was created in 1996 by President Bill Clinton and Secretary of Defense William Perry to publicly recognize American employers who provide exceptional support to their employees who voluntarily serve the nation in the National Guard and Reserve.



Starbucks employs approximately 90 U.S. partners (employees) who serve in the military and are currently on active duty. In support of their efforts, Starbucks provides a supplement to make up the difference between their military pay and their pay level at Starbucks before they went on leave. The partner (employee) can continue health coverage, and family health coverage, if enrolled, for up to 18 months. Partners (employees) are guaranteed a position upon return from active duty, except in rare circumstances, as permitted under the Federal Military Leave Laws; additionally, tenure at Starbucks is also kept while on active duty.



To enhance our U.S. partners' efforts in support of U.S. military troops, Starbucks has partnered with the American Red Cross and the United Service Organizations (USO) in order to provide more coffee to relief efforts during times of conflict. Since 2005 Starbucks has donated more than 141,000 lbs of coffee to the American Red Cross and in 2009 Starbucks has provided over 71,000 lbs of coffee to the USO for distribution to those troops serving in Afghanistan , Iraq and Kuwait .



Additionally confirmation that this is an inaccurate rumor can be found at:

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11092004_2004110908.html

http://www.boycottwatch.org/misc/starbucks2.htm

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/starbucks-iraq.htm

http://www.amillionthanks.org

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/starbucks.asp

http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/rumor.asp



Thank you again for writing. We ask you to accept our deepest appreciation to servicemen and women and we hope that you will remain a valued Starbucks customer. If you have any additional feedback or would like to discuss this further, please feel free to contact us at (800) 235-2883 or email us at info@starbucks.com.



Sincerely,



Shawn H.

Customer Relations

Starbucks Coffee Company



If you would like to share your thoughts about your experience with Starbucks Customer Contact Center, please click on the link below to participate in a short survey.  Your comments will be used to ensure that any future experiences with Starbucks Customer Contact Center meet your highest expectations.



http://www.starbuckscontactcenter.com/?group=CR&template=CR051&CN={$Case ID}



----Original Message----
From: Carl Freeman
Sent: Nov 11 2009 8:44AM
To: Customer Relations
Subject: other

Message: I recently saw where StarBucks refused to sent their products to our Troops in Afghanistan but you are opposed to the War, WELL I AND EVERYONE I CAN TELL WILL NEVER BUY ANY PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOUSY COMPANY, AND I HOPE I LIVE TO SEE THE DAY YOU GO BELLY UP. =================================
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[FinsnFur]

 
They've probably been hit pretty hard from time to time concerning that rumor, so they've got a copy of that all ready to copy and paste.

[Carolina Coyote]

Yes I am sure they have that ready, they responded before I could shut my computer down.  cc

[vvarmitr]

Coffeeeeeee, coffeeeeeee, coffeeeee.
Remember Carl? 

Well, pour me another cup o'Java & we'll save the cough medicine til tonight!

[Carolina Coyote]

yea, vv I remember, got another jug of talk. cc