Trump on the Starbucks "controversy".

[GMDino]

First: I have not met one person, read one post or seen one response from Christians OR non-Christians who think this is a real issue.

But leave it to the guy who thinks he's on a reality show that will name him President. And people are eating it up like he's serious.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/10/trump-if-become-president-were-all-going-to-be-saying-merry-christmas-again/

Quote:Trump: 'If I become president, we're all going to be saying "Merry Christmas" again'
Published November 10, 2015Associated Press


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Republican presidential contender Donald Trump is suggesting boycotting Starbucks over the minimalist design of its annual holiday cups.

"Did you read about Starbucks? No more Merry Christmas on Starbucks," Trump told a capacity crowd of thousands gathered to hear him speak at a pre-debate rally in Springfield, Illinois on Monday evening.

"Maybe we should boycott Starbucks. I don't know," he said. "Seriously, I don't care."

Some religious conservatives have expressed anger over the coffee company's annual holiday-time cups — a minimalist all-red design with no images aside from the company's green and white logo.

Previous years' cups have featured snowflakes, winter scenes and sometimes Christmas ornaments. But a small number of critics see the design choice as part of a larger movement away from exclusively Christian-themed holiday decorations. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump, who is working to win the support of evangelical and other conservative Christians in a crowded field, has often expressed frustrations over companies using the term "Happy Holidays" in place of "Merry Christmas."

He said on Monday that: "If I become president, we're all going to be saying, 'Merry Christmas' again. That I can tell you."

He added that Starbucks operates a store in one of his buildings and that "that's the end of that lease, but who cares?"

The rally comes on the eve of the next Republican presidential debate, which will be taking place Tuesday evening in Milwaukee.

Brian Oaks, general manager of the Prairie Capital Convention Center, said the billionaire businessman and reality television star had attracted a record-setting crowd for the convention center of 10,200 in downtown Springfield, a solidly Republican city in a Democratic-leaning state.

Trump did not mention the debate during his rally speech, but previewed some of the attack lines he may choose to use against rivals, including retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is now running neck-and-neck with him in several polls.

Trump expressed near-exasperation at Carson's continued popularity in the face of growing questions about discrepancies in his autobiography, "Gifted Hands," which included claims that he tried to hit his mother with a hammer and unsuccessfully tried to stab someone when he was an angry youth.

"With what's going on with this election? I've never seen anything like it," said Trump. He went on to mimic the back-and-forth between Carson and reporters trying to verify the story of his rise from poverty to acclaimed surgeon, including a claim by Carson that the person he'd tried to stab had been saved by his belt buckle.

"You stab somebody and the newspapers say, 'You didn't do it.' And you said, 'Yes I did, I did it!'" said Trump.

"This is the only election in history where you're better off if you stabbed somebody," he said. "What are we coming to?"

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

Quote:"This is the only election in history where you're better off if you stabbed somebody,"

At least that part was funny.

[fredtoast]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/starbucks-ceo-howard-schultz-announces-30-million-gift-for-us-troops/

Starbucks CEO announces $30 million gift for U.S. troops

NEW YORK -- Eleven years ago after U.S. forces thundered into Iraq at the start of a war that would last nearly nine years, the chairman of Starbucks is announcing a $30 million gift to help war vets. Howard Schultz told CBS News he fears that with the wind-down of Afghanistan, some Americans may forget too quickly about the needs of the 2.5 million who have served.

SCOTT PELLEY: Tell me about one thing that the $30 million is going to go to, that you think is really important.

HOWARD SCHULTZ: I think one thing that is necessary is a comprehensive mechanism for job training. But another is the fact that, depending on who you're talking to, 20, 30, 40 percent of the two million people who have served are coming back with some kind of brain trauma or PTS. So we're going to fund the opportunity for significant research and for medical practitioners and science to understand the disease and, ultimately, hopefully, come up with some -- a level of remedy.

[fredtoast]

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/11/10/starbucks-gives-military-families-a-free-college-shot

For Veterans, a College Double-Shot From Starbucks
The coffee company has broadened its offering of a free college education for employees.


Despite being embroiled in a cup-focused "War on Christmas" controversy that may not even really be one, coffee giant Starbucks is focusing much of its attention elsewhere.

With Veterans Day approaching on Wednesday, the Seattle-based company is extending its offer of a tuition-free college education to family members of employees who have served in the U.S. military.

Starbucks' old plan allowed employees who worked for the company 20 or more hours per week the opportunity to get a tuition-free undergraduate degree through Arizona State University’s online program.

Starbucks' holiday coffee cups are plain red without any festive decorations this year, much to the chagrin of some Christian groups who accuse the chain of trying to take Christ out of Christmas.

On Monday, that offer was extended so that a spouse or child of a current or former member of the military who works for Starbucks can also attend ASU online with tuition costs covered.

Along with that addendum to its offering, Starbucks said it also has hired more than 5,500 veterans and military spouses, with the goal of hiring 10,000 by 2018.

[fredtoast]

Yeah, let's all boycott Starbucks like Trump wants us to.

[JustWinBaby]

(11-11-2015, 01:13 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Yeah, let's all boycott Starbucks like Trump wants us to.

I've been boycotting them for years because their coffee sucks.

[BmorePat87]

I don't know anyone who is actually upset with this, but if you're that big on believing there's a "war on Christmas", why are you upset that a company that was commercializing Christmas for years is now downplaying the "commercial" Christmas (and by that I mean non religious aspects of Christmas)?

Shouldn't you have been upset with what aspects of Christmas they previously highlighted and their lack of references to Christ?

[GMDino]

(11-11-2015, 06:58 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: I've been boycotting them for years because their coffee sucks.

(11-11-2015, 07:51 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I don't know anyone who is actually upset with this, but if you're that big on believing there's a "war on Christmas", why are you upset that a company that was commercializing Christmas for years is now downplaying the "commercial" Christmas (and by that I mean non religious aspects of Christmas)?

Shouldn't you have been upset with what aspects of Christmas they previously highlighted and their lack of references to Christ?

This is what I wrote yesterday with tongue planted firmly in (my own) cheek:



Luckily my sarcasm did not go unnoticed...

[*michaelsean*]

So the cups aren't going to say "Merry Christmas" like they always haven't? Color me outraged.

[fredtoast]

(11-11-2015, 11:16 AM)michaelsean Wrote: So the cups aren't going to say "Merry Christmas" like they always haven't?  Color me outraged.

They never said "Merry Christmas".

Instead they used to have all the symbols from the Bible story like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

[Rotobeast]

Local coffee shops here have taken to offering to draw holiday scenes and Merry Christmas (with a sharpie) onto their everyday cups, upon request or spurred by comment concerning "the outrage".

[SteelCitySouth]

(11-11-2015, 11:16 AM)michaelsean Wrote: So the cups aren't going to say "Merry Christmas" like they always haven't?  Color me outraged.

(11-11-2015, 11:31 AM)fredtoast Wrote: They never said "Merry Christmas".

Instead they used to have all the symbols from the Bible story like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

I appreciate that this year they are using the color of the beast.  Really brings a whole old testament feel to the season.

[*michaelsean*]

(11-11-2015, 11:31 AM)fredtoast Wrote: They never said "Merry Christmas".

Instead they used to have all the symbols from the Bible story like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

I think you misread my intentionally awkward syntax.

[GodHatesBengals]

Even most right-wingers are sick of the "war on Christmas" nonsense.

[Rotobeast]

(11-11-2015, 01:12 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: I appreciate that this year they are using the color of the beast.  Really brings a whole old testament feel to the season.

But.... I don't wear red.
No, I never wore that dress you bought me.


But anywho....

I wonder anyone would get all butt hurt if we started a campaign thanking Starbucks for having the red cup, signifying The Blood of Christ ?

:hail:  

[jmccracky]

I made a war on Christian/Christmas thread and you guys ruined it. :angry:

But yeah, this is ridiculous nonsense. They took off snowflakes or something? I don't get it. If that is the case, then I guess if you are a Christian raised in the desert, then you are going to hell! What in the world does snowflakes have to do with Jesus?- "I'll stick up for any business that won't serve them gays, but I'd be damned if I support a business that does not have snowflakes on their cups!". Absolutely ridiculous. I guess people who live in "snowflakeless" parts of the world, don't know the correct way to get their Christian on.

I haven't had much time to read about this.....is this for real? All I've seen are some Facebook memes and then I come here and see a thread. I will actually read the thread though. Just had to vent for a minute.

[StLucieBengal]

I go to Dunkin donuts for coffee but I don't know why anyone cares what Starbucks does. I guess if you enjoy paying a lot for coffee then so be it .... As for their war on anything ..... Who cares.

Their whole racial conversation thing earlier this year was more absurd than this bs.

[fredtoast]

(11-11-2015, 09:21 PM)CharvelPlaya Wrote: I made a war on Christian/Christmas thread and you guys ruined it.  :angry:  

But yeah, this is ridiculous nonsense. They took off snowflakes or something? I don't get it. If that is the case, then I guess if you are a Christian raised in the desert, then you are going to hell! What in the world does snowflakes have to do with Jesus?- "I'll stick up for any business that won't serve them gays, but I'd be damned if I support a business that does not have snowflakes on their cups!". Absolutely ridiculous. I guess people who live in "snowflakeless" parts of the world, don't know the correct way to get their Christian on.

I haven't had much time to read about this.....is this for real? All I've seen are some Facebook memes and then I come here and see a thread. I will actually read the thread though. Just had to vent for a minute.

Hey, boy, don't make me whoop open a can of moral outrage on your ass.

[*michaelsean*]

Well anyone missing Christmas at Starbucks need only turn on the Bills Jets game.