SHARK Update
Starbucks Continues to Tow the Rodeo Line
October 18, 2005
_____
Dear Friends,
By now I guess most of you who wrote to Starbucks about its giving
advertising money to the Rodeo Mafia have gotten the company's response,
such as it is. For those of you who did not get a response, here is the
company line that you are expected to swallow:
"Thank you for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.
Starbucks is deeply committed to our Mission Statement and Guiding
Principles. One of our six principles is "contributing positively to our
community" and one of the ways that we contribute is by supporting events
that are important to the local communities that we serve.
As a part of the Cheyenne, WY community, we wanted to show our support for
the Cheyenne Frontier Days celebration; a large event which includes art
shows, Native American cultural events, parades, amusement rides, a rodeo
and other activities. We showed our support by taking out taking out a $250
advertisement in a Cheyenne Frontier Days brochure, inviting those who
attended the festival to enjoy a Starbucks beverage at our local store
before or after the event.
We value and appreciate your feedback, and we will continue to look for
ways to support our local communities in a responsible way."
A terrified calf at the same rode that Starbucks supported and says is
"contributing positively to our communities."
more...
Their above statement says much about Starbucks Coffee. First it is obvious
that those of us who have for years felt good about buying from Starbucks
Coffee because they were a "progressive company" have been suckered
big-time. Here is a company that, upon looking at this situation, merely
needed to say something like this: "This should not have happened, and you
may rest assured that it will not happen again." A "progressive company"
would have recognized in a heartbeat that supporting animal abuse was in no
way a responsible way to support the local community.
If Starbucks wasn't educated about the rodeo issue when it shelled out
company dollars for ad support, that could have quickly and easily be
remedied by way of the Internet. On SHARK's RodeoCruelty.com site alone
Starbucks decision makers can view pictures and video clips. They would
have learned that no legitimate humane society condones rodeo because of
the abusive treatment of its nonhuman victims. In fact, the company would
have learned that many humane organizations worldwide have taken a strong
stand against rodeo animal abuse. Obviously Starbucks wasn't interested in
the facts.
An appropriate Starbucks response to a request for ad money from the
Frontier Days producers would be, "Starbucks would love to support your
affair. Please let us know when you have dropped the rodeo." Of course, the
rodeo is what the Cheyenne Frontier Days is all about. Everything else is
just window dressing. There are multiple rodeo events every day for over a
week. Injured and dead animals were regularly dragged off the arena floor.
Starbucks claims that the Frontier Days "festival" (that's the first time I
have ever heard it called that) "includes art shows, Native American
cultural events, parades, amusement rides, a rodeo and other activities."
The company makes it sound like the rodeo performances are a small part of
the whole. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and Starbucks knows it.
What's really a hoot is that when first contacted, the company insinuated
that SHARK's claim of an ad in a rodeo program was a work of fiction. After
all, this was the progressive and enlightened Starbucks! As it turns out,
we were right on the money, and now Starbucks is claiming it just doesn't
matter. After all, it was JUST two hundred fifty dollars, according to
Starbucks. Starbucks should be appalled that even one dollar from their
company goes to the pockets of an animal abusing industry. All the company
had to do was promise to not do it again, but it refused.
Starbucks is taking its customers for fools. I guess the company figures
that it has done such a great job of green-washing itself that none of you
will be sharp enough to see through that nonsensical statement it is
putting out. Starbucks' form E-mail tries to make its ad in the Cheyenne
rodeo program seem like a small matter, and when you really look at the
whole Starbucks picture, I guess it is. After all, Starbucks' true support
of rodeo, and its partners in crime in supporting the Rodeo Mafia makes the
ad in Cheyenne look like nothing at all!
Well, that's not exactly the way it is. Starbucks apparently forgot to
mention at least one other connection it has to rodeo, one that we just
discovered. Starbucks was a proud sponsor of an affair called Miss Rodeo
Washington. You can see that Starbucks is listed as a sponsor by going to
www.MissRodeoWashington.com/sponsors.htm
more. Not only was Starbucks a sponsor, but so was the Ellensburg Rodeo,
the Kitsap Stampede (a rodeo in Kitsap, Washington), the Colville Rodeo,
the Othello Rodeo, the Beard Rodeo Company, and last but certainly not
least, the Washington State Trappers Association. YEE (as they say) HA!
Here's the bottom line, folks. I know a lot of people like Starbucks
products. But some of your Starbucks money is going to the Rodeo Mafia. I
hope you will seriously consider this before spending another penny at
Starbucks--and then telling the company WHY.
What You Can Do:
-Unfortunately for them in this case, Starbucks are everywhere! We don't
have to trek all the way to their headquarters-they bring their businesses
to us. Some dedicated and creative advocates have already taken the
initiative to copy or download the photos
at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo, and have taken these images into their
local Starbucks to educate the management. This is something everyone can
do and Starbucks can't hide from it!
-If you have not already, please contact Starbucks. They have now been
caught supporting at least two rodeo-related events, and most likely more
than that. Please tell them that you will not be a Starbucks' customer as
long as one penny of their money goes towards animal abusing industries. As
one customer wrote, "I hate rodeos and animal cruelty more than I like soy
lattes."
Starbucks Retail Customer Relations
(800) 235-2883, Press 0
Mon - Fri 5 AM - 6 PM (PST), Sat - Sun 6 AM - 3 PM (PST)
Starbucks has a comment page on their website:
http://www.starbucks.com/customer/conta ct_forms.asp?nav=3f
Please stay tuned for news of upcoming Starbucks protest efforts. SHARK is
expanding our Starbucks site, which graphically exposes the cruelty with
which Starbucks is involved, to include more photos, footage, and updates.
Watch for BuckStarbucks.com to launch anyday! Until then, please continue
to tell your friends and family about RodeoCruelty.com
Thank you for all your efforts,
Steve Hindi and your SHARK Team
phone: 630-557-0176
web:
http://www.rodeocruelty.com/
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