Starbucks says that guns are no longer welcome at its coffee shops around the world - inside or at its outside seating areas. In an open letter Tuesday September 17, Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz said it is respectfully asking customers not to bring weapons into the 18,000 outlets it operates in 62 countries. The message was particularly aimed at U.S. customers. The coffee chain is a focal point of the debate over gun rights in the U.S., whose Constitution protects gun ownership.
An Open Letter from Howard Schultz, chairman, president and C.E.O. of Starbucks Coffee Company
Dear Fellow Americans,
Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.
We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.)
Our company’s approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement—not by Starbucks and our store partners.
Recently, however, the “open carry” debate has become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores.
For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.
I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.
I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.
Sincerely,
Howard Schultz
edited from Starbucks site
