Life in the age of offense
Adfreak finds another sad-if-it-weren’t-so-silly example of life in the age of offense:
When Starbucks started printing random quotes on its cups, as part of an initiative called “The Way I See It,†we found it awkward that they felt compelled to include a legal disclaimer that read, “This is the author’s opinion, not necessarily that of Starbucks.†It seems less silly now that one “national Christian women’s organization†is furious about the following quote from author Armistead Maupin: “My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don’t make that mistake yourself. Life’s too damn short.†The group, called Concerned Women for America, isn’t calling for a boycott but does think Starbucks should steer clear of associating itself with issues like gay rights, “so that they don’t offend conservatives and people of faith,†according to one rep. Starbucks says it is not taking a political stand with the program but merely wants to promote discourse.
Yes, over coffee. If we can’t talk, this isn’t America. So to hell with the church ladies.
: Speaking of which, I’m told that this from me was a quote of the day on the Freedom Forum calendar. I love being nuggetized!
We live in an age of offense. The cardinal sin today is to offend; the clearest badge of victimhood is to be offended.
August 30th, 2005 at 10:20 am
This is another issue where the liberal heart gets the donkey and wagon confused; it isn’t a matter of “how sad that Starbucks had to put a disclaimer on the cups, and then somebody actually complained!” This is apparently a matter of Starbucks trying to get away with using their cups for social and political activism, hoping that the disclaimer will be enough to keep people from complaining. Starbucks is not a radio station… if they don’t want to be responsible for controversial messages, then they shouldn’t print them on the merchandise in the first place.
(And, sorry, exhorting young people to pursue a homosexual lifestyle as quickly as possible is as controversial as pushing heterosexual youth to hurry up and get laid… I’m not even going to argue those positions, but it shouldn’t take a brain trust to understand that they are at least controversial)
They obviously wouldn’t have to have the disclaimer if they provided quotes on, oh, drinking java and indulging in creative activities that upscale coffeeshop drinkers like to indulge in. Writing advice from Gertrude Stein would draw no objections, for instance. Celebrating her sexuality, or perhaps even providing the recipe to Alice B Toklas’ brownies, probably would draw complaints… and people paying Starbucks’ bloated prices certainly have a right to complain if their overpriced cup is being used to press issues that they don’t agree with.
August 30th, 2005 at 11:00 am
I agree that the response is silly. But these are supposed to be non-political pearls of wisdom from the “thinkers” of our age.
Armistead Maupin’s comment basically says “It’s great to be gay! I just wish I’d started sooner!
It’s kind of sad when a man’s sense of self-worth revolves around his sexual preferences, so much so, that he can’t help but bring it up every chance he gets.
Imagine the fury from the Left if Starbucks printed a thinker proclaiming his dislike of homosexuality or love of God.
August 30th, 2005 at 11:23 am
Don’t “Concerned Women” know that only liberals are allowed to be offended? I’ll bet that a man put them up to it.
August 30th, 2005 at 12:52 pm
Jeff, you offer plenty of nugget fodder… my personal fav is “You can’t legislate morality, you have to live morally”.
What’s funny is that these ‘Church Ladies’ are upset despite the legal disclaimer that Starbucks had the foresight to print on their packaging.
August 30th, 2005 at 12:58 pm
Maupin’s comment means “I wish I hadn’t been bullied and scared into submission and secrecy by bigoted assholes” like Carson and kat and mumblix every other bible-thumping freak out there. He said “loving someone,” not “fucking someone.” But it would take a conservative to look for the peurile in everything.
Mumblix can you be more wrong?
…sad when a man’s sense of self-worth revolves around his sexual preferences..
Where the hell did you find that in his words? Really, try to show me. You can’t, and you know it. So you change the subject and argue about that. Typical winger behavior, surround yourself with straw men and red herrings. He was talking about love. Relationships, and the joy of life that is found in good ones. Sure, sex is involved, just like in hetero relationships. But it’s secondary. YOU and your fellow wingers are the ones that are obsessed with sex. Other people’s sex. Why? Not getting enough of your own? Getting tired of the old procreational missionary? Tell me, please, why do you care so much about other people’s genitals?
Imagine the fury from the Left if Starbucks printed a thinker proclaiming his dislike of homosexuality…
Ahh, again, you’re changing the subject… NOWHERE in the quote did Maupin talk about hating heterosexuals. And if he did, I’m sure Starbucks wouldn’t print it. So why would you make the leap to what a tyipcal winger would write? OF COURSE a statement about hating homos wouldn’t be printed.
Carson, you’re guilty as well.
…exhorting young people to pursue a homosexual lifestyle as quickly as possible…
Huh? I know you people refuse to admit it, but homosexuals ARE that way. Period. There is no “therapy”, no switching sides, no nothing. Why should a 15-year old homosexual have to be afraid to date, go to movies, etc., the same things a high-school het would do? Why shoudn’t he/she fall in love, get his/her heart broken, get back up again and try again, just like the rest of us? Why should they be beaten, bullied, ostracized, and persecuted by bigoted ignoramuses? Maupin is exhorting people to suck up their fear of the stupids, and get out there and love. And it’s an excellent message. Your fear will not rule my country, and it will not rule the lives of individual Americans.
Love is love. What people do with their genitalia is irrelevant.
August 30th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
It’s been sufficiently evident since I started reading this blog who is bigoted, intolerant and just plain rude: Angelos. People might be more willing to credit your point of view if wasn’t always laced with bile and slurs.
And you have a point here.
August 30th, 2005 at 2:45 pm
Starbucks should print the Ten Commandments on its cups. That would be controversial. even a caveman would be offended. Pass the mango salsa.
August 30th, 2005 at 4:02 pm
To all who seek something to be offended by.
“Lighten up, Francis.”
August 30th, 2005 at 4:46 pm
Boo-hoo. I don’t whine that the owner of Chik-Fil-A is shoving his fundamentalist Christian beliefs down my throat (instead of a tasty chicken sandwich) by giving his employees every Sunday off. If I felt strongly enough about not enabling his message, I’d eat elsewhere.
Let the market sort this out — if you think homosexuality is “icky”, maybe Starbucks ain’t for you.
BTW, Starbucks does include quotes from the other side of the fence: Michael Medved, Jonah Goldberg… hell, even Deepak Chopra, who is one of the few nonchristians to have embraced the theory of Intelligent Design.
August 31st, 2005 at 12:59 pm
I don’t think anyone has the right NOT to be offended. In fact, perhaps all of us should be offended more often.
September 22nd, 2005 at 9:46 pm
Jersey Exile,
You’re example of Chick Fil A is not even remotely the same. It’s not like he prints Bible verses on all of his cups. I get Sundays off at my job too. so do Fedex shipping places does that make them the same? No, not even remotely.
Why not try printing something great like the preamble or William Shakespeare. How many of you would be upset if they printed Bible Verses on starbucks cups???
October 12th, 2005 at 7:03 pm
This is to you Angelos: I’m no longer a homosexual and you or anyone else can tell me otherwise.
October 12th, 2005 at 7:04 pm
Correction:
This is to you Angelos: I’m no longer a homosexual and you or anyone else CANNOT tell me otherwise.
October 28th, 2005 at 4:24 pm
(I just received this email directly from a family member.)
Thursday night, October 27th after a long day of work/school and football practice, my two boys were cold and tired. I went home to cook dinner and sent my husband to Starbucks to get the boys a hot chocolate as a reward.
My 8 year old son loves to read, so to entertain himself on the way home, he begin reading the Starbucks cup he was drinking from.
He runs into the house hollering “Mom, mom, come read my cup…It talks about being gay and uses a curse word.”
To my deep displeasure I read his cup.
Starbucks is now putting controversial quotes on their cups to stir up thought provoking conversation. The one that was handed to my son read as follows:
#43 “My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don’t make that mistake yourself. Life’s too damn short.” –Armistead Maupin
Now as you can imagine my day and my husband’s day just got a lot longer. We had to have a conversation with our sons that was forced upon us. And, we had the pleasure of knowing we had just paid Starbucks about $3.00 a cup for the privilege of bringing this into our home. I am so offended and upset I’m having a hard time finding the words use in this email.
I love coffee and in the past I’ve been a big advocate of Starbucks, it was my favorite meeting place to catch up with friends or family. My favorite gift card was from Starbucks. I often brought Starbucks to the moms at football practice. But now I cannot. They went too far.
Please, please, please take a stand with me and help me tell Starbucks that this is not just totally inappropriate, but unacceptable.
Please choose another coffee vender and take the extra effort of stopping in, calling or emailing them so that they know why. http://www.starbucks.com/wayiseeit
It’s bad enough that I might have paid for this quote to be put on my cup, but it’s totally another when it’s handed over to our children.
October 31st, 2005 at 10:48 am
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November 2nd, 2005 at 5:34 am
Gay people have always been a part of society since the begining of time. We were not responsible for the aids virus. We did not invent it or create it. As for those who are worried about their children seeing, hearing, or learning something gay related from a coffee cup, are you going to be there to cover their eyes from every immoral foul image they see on television? Do you let them play video games which are also violent and immoral? Are you going to follow them around at school and cover their ears from curse words. It doesnt matter what it is, they are going to learn about it. They will leard about sex, they will learn about homosexuality whether you like it or not. Parents should teach their kids about these things in a good way before they learn about them in the bad way. Religious or conservative you can educate you kids about these things.
March 15th, 2006 at 12:03 am
im goithik but cant tell my parents thale be fucking parents thall be made i guss i could tell em im a crishten but i dont like being pretey and pink i war dark collors and all but i dont know ho w to tell my mom i need advise pls