Barista Livelihoods Matter

 
Why is the default always “racism”?

On Thursday, two men entered the Starbucks and asked to use to the bathroom. An employee told them it was only for paying customers. When they then sat in the store without ordering anything, the manager called the police, and the men were arrested for trespassing. No charges were filed.

Johnson has called the incident “reprehensible” and apologized publicly for it. He said on Monday that he wanted to apologize to the men in person.

“I’d like to have a dialogue with them so that I can ensure that we have opportunity to really understand the situation and show some compassion and empathy for the experience they went through,” he said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “Finally as we’re working to solve this, I’d like to invite them to join me in finding a constructive way to solve this issue.”

The company has also confirmed that the manager who called the police is no longer working at that store. Starbucks would not comment on other reports that she has left the company by mutual agreement. In his “Good Morning America” appearance, Johnson refused to say whether she had been disciplined, saying he didn’t want to “point blame.”

“My responsibility is to look not only at that individual but to look more broadly at the circumstances that set that up, to ensure that this never happens again,” he said in the interview.

Protesters gathered inside and outside the store throughout the day Monday. They chanted, “Starbucks coffee is anti-black.”

First off, Starbucks is a coward. It’s part of the problem. It’s a liberally-owned “woke” chain and the worst thing for a liberal is to be accused of racism.   Remember when Starbucks baristas were encouraged to start a conversation with customers on race?

The woman who videotaped and posted one small snippet of the whole “incident” and then remarked,

“The police were called because these men hadn’t ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why it’s never happened to us when we do the same thing.”

She later followed up in a tweet which said, “Ever since I posted this, I’ve had white strangers AND friends say ‘there must be something more to this story.’ That assumption is a big part of the problem. It does happen. All the time. Just not to you and me. Believe it and speak up.”

SHE is part of the problem. Fueling racism in this country.

Was the barista who asked the two men to purchase or leave the establishment consistent in enforcing store policy? We don’t know. Let’s just call her racist since it involves two black men.

Were the two men who refused to leave the establishment justified in not leaving? Were they at any point rude about it?

Were the police out of line? Have anything to apologize for? Doesn’t sound like it. Racist? Unlikely. Commissioner is black. Sergeant on site was black. If anyone was out of line it could have been the barista; but maybe not. The two men who it’s hard to describe as “customers” since they hadn’t purchased anything with the assumption that they were going to? Yes. They were out of line for not respecting the trespassing order.

White customers of Starbucks are leaving comments on forums talking about how they have been able to use restrooms at Starbucks or other establishments without being paying customers; or sit in at a Starbucks using free wi-fi services without paying.

It happens. Not all Starbucks are created equal. I think it depends on the local Starbucks and its employees. Some employees may turn the other cheek and avoid confronting people over walking in, using the restroom, and then walking out. Most patrons who head straight to the restroom usually then head to the back of the line to place an order.

Some Starbucks employees may allow people to come in and use their free wi-fi without making purchases; or to sit with their one purchase throughout the day. But is it because the person sitting there is white or not a PoC? I doubt it.

Situations like this do happen to white people. Only racism isn’t the default rationale.

Here’s how they’re receiving the story over at The Root:

This week, black America added “sitting at Starbucks waiting for a white friend” to the list of things that we cannot safely do without fear of police violence. Previous entries included sitting in your car, sitting in someone else’s car, standing on your front porch, standing on your back porch, surviving a car accident, asking for directions to school and, of course, breathing.

As a black man in America who has been harassed by police more times than I can count, I wasn’t surprised by the viral Starbucks video at all. However, my anger is directed not just at the cops but also at the cowardly Starbucks manager who made the call to the police to begin with. The men and women making these outrageous and unwarranted calls to police, which result in the harassment, unfair prosecution and even death of people of color, need to be found, publicly shamed and prosecuted to the full extent that the law allows.

There is racism in this country not only because some human beings in this world are racist; but also because some people see racism everywhere and in everything that happens. And you know what? It feeds and fuels into real racism.

But how is it that this story is an example of racism just because it happened to two men who happen to be black? Without knowing what’s in the heart and mind of the barista? Whether the local store’s policy is consistently enforced? Just because a SJW Twitter user claims it as such, drawing huge assumptions, herself? Again, people like her are part of the problem with keeping racism alive and well in this country.

A personal story of mine:

When I was still in college, I had part-time work as security in a retail store. At first I was uniformed, as a visible deterrent to shoplifters. I took my job seriously, and was good at preventing and catching shoplifters and would-be shoplifters. Because I paid attention to customers. ALL customers. Every single customer who walked into the store, I made a friendly greeting to, and would spend a moment observing their behavior. After a while, I’d only occasionally “check up” on customers who I determined gave me no cause for further scrutiny, initially. It was simple: act normal, and chances are I’d think you were there to shop. Pay more attention to me or the sales staff, roll merchandise up, check through a stack of clothing and pull out the one that doesn’t have a sensor tag, look around a lot, act nervous…..all these behavioral signs is what made me pay more attention to certain people.

On a couple of instances, I had customers who came into a store and IMMEDIATELY, paid attention to me. And they were black. I am sure that they have probably been unfairly followed around in stores, before. But the problem is, their experience has “contaminated” their shopping behavior, to where they are looking to be followed around. So they are looking for it. And if you’re looking shifty-eyed, angry, or paying attention to sales help and to security….that’s not normal behavior.

The two customers assumed I was watching them because they were black. I watched them because it was my job, and they drew my attention, because of how they acted. One of them, when I figured out why he was watching me, I had a chance to explain it to him. Shoplifters spend a lot of time watching what security and sales staff are doing. Whether or not they are paying attention. Normal shoppers spend time looking at merchandise, and only look at sales helpers when they have a question and need help. That seemed to clear the air. He realized that he was suspicious of me right away, because I was security. And was staring at me right away. The other person, I did not get that chance of explanation. I am sure, after the fact, that he was a normal shopper as well. But he left in a huff, and unfortunately, he probably had his own preconceived notions reinforced by his misperceived experience with me; and he probably went on to tell others, “yes, America’s a racist country! Why, I’ve been followed around and watched unfairly in stores….” without ever considering maybe it’s his own behavior…maybe a chip he carries on his shoulder, that makes him find validation and confirmation of racism where none is present.

Listen to the whole thing:

Hey, if you’re a PoC needing to pee really, really badly and are out and about in public, just head over to any establishment and use their restroom facilities without actually being a paying customer. Walk in with impunity because now is a great time to do so! Just dare any employee to say anything at all to you.