OT: Starbucks, Thought I'd stir things up a bit.... Options

[AlexO]

Starbucks

Recently Marines over in Iraq supporting this country in OIF wrote to
Starbucks because they wanted to let them know how much they liked
their coffee and try to score some free coffee grounds. Starbucks wrote
back telling the Marines thanks for their support in their business, but
that they don't support the War and anyone in it, and that they won't send
them the Coffee.

So as not to offend them we should not support in buying any
Starbucks products. As a War vet and writing to you patriots, I feel we
should
get this out in the open. I know this War might not be very popular with
some folks, but that doesn't mean we don't support the boys on the ground
fighting street to street and house to house for what they and I
believe is right. If you feel the same as I do, then pass this along, or
you
can discard it and I'll never know.

Thanks very much for your support to me, and I know you'll all be
there again soon when I deploy once more.

Semper Fidelis,

Sgt Howard C. Wright
1st Force Recon Co
1st Plt PLT RTO

[airsix]

I know you have good intentions posting this, but you've got to check the facts on this sort of thing. 99% of the time it's a hoax or missinformation. This story took me a single google query and one click to debunk.

from: http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_s...cks_marines.htm

Comments:   It's unclear whether Starbucks ever actually refused to donate coffee to U.S. Marines in Iraq who requested it, but if they did, it wasn't because, as the above email claims, "they don't support the war and anyone in it."

Marine Sgt. Howard C. Wright, who authored the email in May 2004, subsequently issued a mea culpa (currently being distributed by Starbucks in answer to queries) in which he said:

 

Almost 5 months ago I sent an email to you my faithful friends. I did a wrong thing that needs to be cleared up. I heard by word of mouth about how Starbucks said they didn't support the war and all. I was having enough of that kind of talk and didn't do my research properly like I should have. This is not true. Starbucks supports men and women in uniform. They have personally contacted me and I have been sent many copies of their company's policy on this issue. So I apologize for this quick and wrong letter that I sent out to you.  

In its own response to the email rumor, Starbucks explains that while the company has "the deepest respect and admiration for U.S. military personnel," corporate policy prohibits direct donations to U.S. troops because the military doesn't fall under the strict definition of a public charity. Individual employees are free to donate their weekly pounds of take-home coffee, however, and according to Starbucks' statement many have done so.

-Ben M. (doing my best to be impartial - I support our troops and don't have any loyalty to Starbucks)