Now it doesn't take a genius to know that most Starbucks consumers are straight laced business types. So when Starbucks decided to push the envelope a bit and give their coffee drinkers a little something to read and ponder over while they sipped away, the image above is the idea that they came up with. Starbucks says it was hoping to inspire old-fashioned coffee-house conversations when it introduced a campaign this year featuring the words of notable Americans on its coffee cups, but at least a few of those words are sparking more discord than discussion. Case example, a national Christian women's organization is accusing the Seattle-based coffee maker of promoting a homosexual agenda because of a quote by author Armistead Maupin, whose "Tales of the City" chronicled San Francisco's homosexual community in the 1970s and 1980s. Maupin's quote is just one of several dozen in "The Way I See It" promotion. He says "My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don't make that mistake yourself. Life's too damn short." Alright, so now the way I see it...
Who cares if they put a famous quote like that on the back of your coffee cup? I probably wouldn't even notice it being there if I had the cup in my hand. People will always complain about something in life, so the big stink over this I can believe. To me, I give it as much thought and allow it affect my life about as much as the "Recycle - Save The Environment" words on cups. Yes, recycle but don't get off on some anti-green peace kick because a company printed those words on your coffee cup. Who cares? Whether you agree or disagree with me, the way I look at it is homosexuality is not a choice. I feel you are born that way, just like I was born straight. Some people are born with a great sense of humor, some are born with great athletic talent, some are born with the ability to sing without lessons, others are born intellectually gifted...on and on. You get the point.
I will say that yes I think it's silly that there are gay pride parades. I can understand you wanting to be open about who you are, but do you need to dance thru the streets screaming out "I'm here, I'm queer, get use to it" with rainbow flags and poster boards? I don't feel the need to join a straight parade and do that (not that one even exists). I'm just as open about my sexuality, so why the fuss over being gay and proud of it? I don't know. All I do know is that it doesn't really concern me or affect my life one way or the other. You are what you are and if you ask me, I kind of liked the quote on the back of that Starbucks cup. If you are a homophobe, then take the "gayness" out of the quote and view it as what I feel he really meant by it - that if you love someone, then love them and don't be afraid of what other people think about it. Perhaps some of the uptight, stuffy Starbucks patrons might want to sip on that thought next time they have a cup in their hand. Who knows, you may even feel like getting "extra cream" next time you go - ok, now THAT was gay.
***NOTE***
The title for this post was obviously a joke. I like white men too - kidding. Just give me a hot girl and some of that Starbucks whip cream and I'll make it thru the morning and into night just fine without any caffeine.
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