Starbucks has been the focus of a lot of pro- and anti-gun control kerfuffle lately. This after California supporters of “Open Carry” legislation—allowing licensed gun owners to carry weapons without a concealed carry permit—held rallies at local restaurants. When the media asked Starbucks whether or not they would institute a ban on firearms at their 11k-plus stores, which is well within their rights, the Seattle company demurred. This led to a media feeding frenzy, including a New York Times Op Ed (no less) and today’s sarcastic screed at the left-leaning Huffington Post. This morning, before left coasters could sip their first half-caff mocha soy latte with whip and a drizzle, the coffee chain issued a statement re-iterating its hands-off stance. “We comply with local laws and statutes in all the communities we serve. In this case, 43 of the 50 U.S. states have open carry weapon laws. Where these laws don’t exist, we comply with laws that prohibit the open carrying of weapons. The political, policy and legal debates around these issues belong in the legislatures and courts, not in our stores.” Crap. What am I going to talk about at my local Starbucks now?
