Once Again, Please Contact Starbucks Coffee: Why? Because Starbucks Coffee Loves and Supports the Cruel Rodeo

Posted this a while back. But, please again contact them.

For proof of the cruelty behind the rodeo, and of Starbucks support
of the cruel rodeo visit: http://www.buckstarbucks.com

Starbucks Retail Customer Relations
(800) 235-2883
Mon - Fri 5 AM - 6 PM (PST)
Sat - Sun 6 AM - 3 PM (PST)

Contact Starbucks here:
http://www.starbucks.com/customer/contact_forms.asp?nav=3f



From: www.BuckStarbucks.com

Dear Friends,
We were all surprised. We expected more from a company that waves its
`progressive' and
`socially responsible' flag so high and so brightly.

When SHARK discovered that Starbucks had sponsored the Cheyenne Frontier
Days Rodeo
-one of the most appalling rodeos that SHARK has documented-we could
attribute it to a
momentary lack in judgment by the company's management. Boy, were we wrong.

The lies just keep coming. When SHARK initially contacted Starbucks about
the matter of
the Cheyenne Frontier Days' ad, Starbucks insinuated that we were
mistaken. They said
didn't know anything about such an ad, and that we were probably wrong.
Consumers
who called were told by Starbucks, "No, we don't sponsor sporting events."
So, SHARK
showed them the ad. After a bit of balking, Starbucks spun their story to
say they are
proud to support local "festivals" and that the ad only cost $250

While we all know there is nothing "sporting" about rodeo, Starbucks made
that misleading
statement to imply that they do not sponsor rodeo-related events without
specifically
stating that. They didn't want to get caught in a lie. Starbucks wanted
everyone to believe
that the Cheyenne Frontier Days support was an isolated incident. In fact,
when SHARK
further discovered that Starbucks is a sponsor of Miss Rodeo Washington,
Starbucks again
said they didn't know anything about it and refused comment.

Now, we are really seeing how deep the deception goes. SHARK learned this
week that
Starbucks was not only a Gold Spur Sponsor at the Belton Rodeo in Texas,
but also
sponsored last week's American Royal rodeo in Kansas City, Missouri.
Starbucks must
really be taking us for fools and is hanging tight to the belief that
their big green flag will
distract everyone.

The American Royal is a rodeo that SHARK has investigated and documented
for the last
two years. We have seen this event to be one of the most abusive and
malicious rodeos
around. How many more Starbucks rodeo sponsorships will we dig up? Who
knows--and
Starbucks isn't talking.

The Belton PRCA Rodeo in Texas gave a very telling `thank you' to all of
their sponsors,
including Starbucks, saying, "It is because of you that we are able to
continue this event
that impacts everyone's heart and pocket books in this community." Does
Starbucks dare
to claim that their company dollars are not subsidizing this
animal-abusing industry? Look
no further than the rodeos themselves, which say again in Belton, "Thank
you for your
continuous support in keeping the 80-year Rodeo tradition alive."

There it is folks, from the mouths of the Rodeo Mafia: their corporate
sponsors keep rodeo
alive. Dead steer. Dead calves. Dead horses. But, rodeo ALIVE.

Please, continue telling Starbucks to stop supporting the shameful rodeo
industry! If you
were one of those that have been lied to by Starbucks about their
involvement, call back
and demand to have these newly discovered sponsorships addressed. Let them
know that
people are no longer looking up at the pretty flag. We've seen the pile
of...crap at the
bottom of their flagpole.

Information to contact Starbucks, a downloadable flyer, and a petition
link, can all be
found at: www.BuckStarbucks.com.