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After posting an article about
Starbucks not being anti-US troops, Boycott Watch was sent several emails
claiming that Starbucks wrongly charged rescue workers at the World Trade
Center rescue for water or ice. The complaints all state that Starbucks should
not have charged anything to emergency service personnel for the retail
products.
Boycott Watch President Fred Taub
summarized our response as follows:
"I took personal
exception to the suggestion that an emergency responder was upset that a
company did not give something for free to a rescue worker. In addition to
running Boycott Watch, I am an Emergency Medical Technician who is part of a
hospital-based emergency response team. My team and I were on standby to
respond to the WTC attack, at which I may have arrived in a fire engine wearing
the fire gear that I store in the trunk of my car. I have been offered free
coffee and sometimes a discounted meal while in uniform or with a police
officer, but that was always at the decision of the restaurant. I have never
demanded it nor even asked for a discount, nor would I or any of my colleagues.
We professionally accept such thank you offers because we know that some people
may be insulted if we don't accept it. People appreciate what we do and we
appreciate the thank you offers. When I am in a uniform, I still always expect
to pay for every food item, and I thank people for a discount when I get one.
"If a store offers me
something, that is different than me demanding or even expecting something for
free. Expecting or demanding free food, coffee or even ice sounds un-American
in my eyes. No real rescue worker would ever demand or expect anything for
free. I know - I am a real rescue worker.
"I also
know that Starbucks coffee has been sent to soldiers as a thank-you for their
service to our great country for a long time. Relatively few companies are
actively engaged in sending items from home to our troops, and Starbucks as a
company and their employees should be applauded for their action.
"Therefore, when I read emails about Starbucks not
giving something for free to a rescue worker and a complaint about it via
email, I have to tell you that on a personal level that the claim is an insult
to police officers, fire fighters, EMT's and paramedics.
"Starbucks is a business, and they have every right
to charge people for their products. Whoever started that rumor was not a real
emergency service provider and should be ashamed for even claiming to be one."
Fred Taub
President,
Boycott Watch
Rather than worry about what Starbucks is or is not
doing, Boycott Watch asks people to take an active stance supporting our troops
in our new campaign to send items to soldiers.
Click Here for
more information. |
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