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Would you like a discussion with that? Starbucks staff to talk to customers about racism

The Starbucks boss says the US needs to discuss racism more – so he’s starting with his baristas.

STARBUCKS CUSTOMERS CAN now add discussion about racism to their latte order.

In an initiative that has raised some eyebrows, the head of the US coffee shop chain has called on baristas in the United States to discuss the sensitive issue with customers.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz launched the Race Together programme, saying the United States needs a “new level of sensitivity, understanding around these issues.”

The plan comes after discussions on racism among staff at the company’s headquarters in Seattle, Washington, Schultz said in a video on the company’s website.

During those exchanges the idea emerged to continue the discussions with customers nationwide because “we have problems in this country with regard to race and racial inequality.”

Starbucks’ programme comes in the wake of protests across the US over racism and police use of force following a string of killings of unarmed black men.

Starbucks coffee cups will be inscribed with the Race Together phase and the company plans to advertise the programme in newspapers.

4wuSyn6r-640-640 Starbucks Starbucks

Schultz meets with shareholders tomorrow for an annual meeting where he is known for sparking debate on controversial issues, including a prohibition on guns in shops, and support for gay marriage.

The announcement prompted a surge of comment online today, with some people questioning whether an expensive coffee shop is the best place to start a discussion about race.

cjKBSZWw-640-640 Starbucks Starbucks

“Are Starbucks baristas paid enough to essentially serve as anti-racism educators while making lattes?” a post on the activist site Black Youth Project asked.

What do you make of it? Good idea? Bad idea? 


Poll Results:

Bad idea (1116)
Good idea (643)
Not sure (499)

- © AFP, 2015

Read: Police in Ferguson made a racist comment about Barack Obama > 

Read: Fraternity ordered off US college campus over ‘intolerable’ racist chant > 

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    Mute 829nza
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:39 PM

    RIP, can’t wait for 2016 to end ….

    246
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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:02 PM

    Legend. .R.I.P Rick… the opening rif to Caroline respect..

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:10 PM

    R.I.P Rick ..Rool Over Lay Down

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:15 PM

    RI.P.Rick ..Roll Over Lay Down

    42
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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:22 PM

    @829nza:R.I.P Rick ..Roll over Lay Down.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:24 PM

    @829nza: R.I.P Rick ..Roll Over Lay Down

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    Mute Gerry Fallon
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:41 PM

    Totally agree with you friend. It’s been truly awful. I loved the quo.

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    Mute Daisy Chai NSaw
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:43 PM

    @Steve Austin: One more song… One more song!

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:20 PM

    Sorry for multiple comments. .Journal App took a figaire

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    Mute sheridan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:54 PM

    Why cant a bunch of politicians be taken instead?

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    Mute Justin Gillespie
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:19 PM

    @829nza: Feck off 2016, just feck off why don’t you.

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    Mute jason stenson
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:48 PM

    “Rocking all over the world” adored that song,i think they opened up live aid in 1985 with that song. RIP another one gone

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    Mute The Magnificent Hog
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:39 PM

    Christ. Not another one. RIP

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    Mute Matt Donovan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:01 PM

    Ah here 2016 would you ever fukk off with yourself & do something useful & go after Beiber or Kanye.

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Dec 24th 2016, 7:18 PM

    I don’t get why people would wish others would die instead . Beiber is a young lad with his life ahead of him and kanye has a couple young kids . I don’t like either of them but I would wish them dead ..

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Dec 25th 2016, 2:41 AM

    *Wouldn’t *

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    Mute Asha
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Thoughts and prayers are with his family, another star gone from our sky’s tonight

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    Mute Etherman
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:10 PM

    Saw Status Quo at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Queen headlined with The Alarm and INXS also. They were great craic live and had us all head banging even though most of us there for Queen. Thanks for the great memories.

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    Mute Alan Marrinan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    Another victim of 2016…vicious. RIP

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    Mute Derek hutchings
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:41 PM

    He’s in the army with the great up above

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    Mute Brendan Walsh
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:58 PM

    RIP. His guitar intro to Caroline was always sensational and wrote some beautiful songs for Quo like Living on an Island. A true rocker.

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    Mute Geraldine Kelly
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    Dec 24th 2016, 3:57 PM

    R.I.P.

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:03 PM

    A true rock and roller, not like our two best known sanctimonious hypocrites.

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    Mute Tony Furlong
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:53 PM

    That’s no way to speak about Foster and Alan

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    Mute Patricia O Brien
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:31 PM

    Matt Donovan I couldn’t agree with you more.

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    Mute Jimmy Carter
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:31 PM

    The coke finaly took its toll .

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    Mute Neal, not Neil.
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:54 PM

    This is not the time or place to get on your high horse about sugary drinks.

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    Mute Pat Comer
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:24 PM

    Status Quo brought fun to Rock RIP Rick

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    Mute ScotsAmbassador2IRL
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:24 PM

    Very sad..

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    Mute Ken Pepper
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    Dec 24th 2016, 8:37 PM

    Prince might teach him a forth chord. RIP

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    Mute shouldweallbe
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    Dec 24th 2016, 9:12 PM

    His family were considering cremating him, but decided to bury him down, down, deeper and down.

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    Mute Patrick J. O'Rourke
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    Dec 24th 2016, 10:13 PM

    Gutted. If there is a heaven he’ll be seeing his little Heidi again. Her death at two years old in the swimming pool really knocked him. He was one of the nicest, gentlest, funniest guys in the business. God’s band is about to rock. RIP Rick. Let ‘em’ ave it.

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    Mute Tony Furlong
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:44 PM

    RIP to a legend. I loved Yellow Brick Road

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    Mute Daisy Chai NSaw
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:44 PM

    Eff you, 2016. Eff you in the A

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    Mute Eamon Mac Gowan
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    Dec 24th 2016, 5:04 PM

    @Daisy Chai NSaw: Pop stars are starting to enter old age, so 2017 will probably be just as bad.

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Dec 24th 2016, 6:04 PM

    @Eamon. You hit the nail on the head there. A lot of the rock stars of the 60s and 70s are getting old, many in there 70s now. It’s kind of inevitable that, because of the lives of excess they lived in their hay day, that it’s taking its toll now. RIP Rick, one of my favourite Status Quo songs is “Mystery Song” which has Rick on lead vocal. Just gave it a blast a few mins ago, still sounds great.

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    Mute Steve Austin
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    Dec 24th 2016, 4:06 PM

    R.I.P Rick… Rool Over Lay Down

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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    Dec 24th 2016, 7:48 PM

    2016 isn’t finished yet. Glad to see the back of it given the loss of so many legends. RIP Rick.

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    Mute Trevor Beale
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    Dec 24th 2016, 8:31 PM

    God, I think you got your take and not to take list mixed up.

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