The New Hands Making Our Coffee

By: Ily Macpherson |Student Life Editor

February 15, 2017

In the past few weeks, one of the country’s favorite coffee shops has become the least favorite to some after a surprisingly political maneuver. Starbucks, after announcing its plan to hire 10,000 refugees in the next five years, is now being boycotted by primarily Trump-supportive customers. The CEO of Starbucks announced the plan in response to the executive order President Donald Trump had placed, barring immigrants from seven Muslim countries from entering the country.

Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, noted, “We are living in an unprecedented time, one in which we are witness to the conscience of our country, and the promise of the American Dream, being called into question.” Though Starbucks has its reasoning for the new initiative, many of its customers now refuse to visit the staple coffee shop. Many Starbucks customers are angered, claiming that the company should be hiring Americans. Yet what most customers don’t know is Starbucks actually has had plans to hire Americans including one designed to hire veterans and their spouses dating back to 2014.

Highly political in its intent, the Starbucks initiative has sparked many people to comment on social media accounts, attacking the coffee company incessantly. The upset has rolled through generations, sparking comments from customers and non-customers of all ages.

Senior Maya Fransz-Myers, a frequent Starbucks customer, claimed, “I think people need to consider the issue with refugees is a human rights issue, and how it’s not one that will infringe on American freedom. Foreigners and especially those in this situation like refugees should be treated the same way as US citizens, and we have to learn to understand that this is a human’s life and it’s our duty as a powerful country to utilize our power and help these people. Boycotting Starbucks because of their courage and generosity is boycotting human rights and valuable lives of others.”

Senior Samantha Dixon is also an avid coffee drinker, but not as frequent of a Starbucks customer. Yet when asked about the situation involving a boycott of the coffee company, she claimed, “It’s ridiculous for people to boycott a company for being inclusive. If Starbucks was being hateful and excluding demographics, I could understand the response.”

Though some are not as up-to-date with the news of Trump’s latest orders and the Starbucks boycott, the effect the new president has to reach audiences of all types is evident even in the cups of coffee they drink.