Even after ‘racial bias training’ Starbucks still won’t let you use their bathroom

OPINION:

It’s hard to resist the schadenfreude layered into every juicy morsel of the Starbucks controversy involving a manager in one of the company’s Philadelphia stores calling the police to remove two African-American men for loitering. 

The incident allegedly occurred when the two men requested to use the bathroom and were told that they would have to purchase an over-priced, caffeinated beverage to receive the honor of relieving themselves in the relatively trendy lavatory. The gentlemen refused to do so and sat in the store claiming that they were waiting for a third party to join them for a professional meeting. 

At this point I’d like to pause for a Hannity-esque full disclosure opportunity. I, Larry O’Connor (columnist, radio host and bon vivante TV personality) have used multiple Starbucks bathrooms without purchasing a beverage or scone. I have also used the Starbucks facility for business purposes and participated in lengthy business and personal meetings without purchasing anything (members of my party did purchase items, if I recall) and I have never been evicted or arrested for these transgressions. I am also not African-American. 

However, if I was ever asked to make a purchase to justify my squatter status, I would gladly comply. Ultimately, the two men should have made the purchase when asked to do so. At the same time, the manager needlessly escalated the situation by calling the police. I know this because the first-hand, eyewitness accounts of the incident (which were caught on a now-viral video) show unanimous testimony that the two men were not doing anything disruptive or untoward. They were just sitting there. 

Now, back to the schadenfreude.

After years of virtue signaling and sanctimony from Starbucks they are now being hoisted on their own, social justice petard. And it’s more delicious than a caramel macchiato with whipped cream.  

So now, Starbucks has decided, according to their professionally placed story at the New York Times, to close 8,000 stores on May 29th for a barista re-education camp: 

Starbucks said on Tuesday that it would close its more than 8,000 stores in theUnited States for one day to conduct anti-bias training after two African-Americanmen were arrested at one of its stores last week, prompting outrage.

Starbucks will close the stores May 29 to offer the training to 175,000 employees.

“I’ve spent the last few days in Philadelphia with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it,”Kevin R. Johnson, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement announcing the training

An obvious PR stunt designed to assuage the outrage exhibited on MSNBC and, possibly, enrich the organizations who will now line-up to provide materials, and consultation for the training sessions scheduled six weeks from now. 

But Starbucks will have the same problem they had the day before this incident occurred. As long as their “buy or bye-bye” policy remains and as long as they enforce it in a completely arbitrary way, nothing will have changed. 

It’s the social justice perfect storm: Liberal company called racist by liberal activists. Company makes broad, sweeping and ultimately meaningless gesture to demonstrate that they care and are deeply remorseful for their transgression. After meaningless gesture, nothing changes. 

The big take-away:  Dunkin Donuts makes a great cup of Joe.