Liberals, if Starbucks posted an anti-gay message...?

Question

on their cups "as part of an effort by the Seattle-based coffee giant to collect different viewpoints and spur discussion," would you STILL call it "free speech?" Or would you call it "hate speech?"

Sho-Nuff, may I remind you that Evangelical Christians (of which I am one) were directly instrumental in ending slavery in the U.S. and Great Britain?

Mel, I asked this question so we could put the entire issue into perspective. My guess is you'd be shocked and enraged if one person with an anti-gay message was quoted on a Starbucks' cup. Why can't you admit that?!?!

Answer 1

Well. This is really tough.

In the real world of free speech, setting OB markers and boundaries on what can and cannot be said can be a tricky business.

Having said that, for Starbucks to post such anti-gay messages would be detrimental to their profits, so I can't imagine them losing a share of their profits (gays are a sizeable minority, if we count in those that are closet gays) to their competitors.

Nonetheless, free speech is still free speech, and a free and liberal country who professes to practise the ideals of human rights and freedom should not punish a man needlessly even if his views deviate from the norm.

Should a person be persecuted for expressing his support for Hitler's Nazi thugs? Or how about someone who expresses an explicit love for some erstwhile dictator?

I emphatize with the gay's position. As an atheist, I too, am subjected to the same vermin dished out on gays. According to some surveys, atheists are the most hated of the minority groups, so I know where this is coming from.

But at the end of the day, its their right, and if businesses wish to contribute to gay hate, then the best we can do is boycott their products.

Answer 2

Are you serious? That last question about the Starbucks quote WASN'T anti-god! Calm the f*** down already. It wasn't promoting hatred or intolerance. It was simply a quote from someone who doesn't believe in god. A quote, from a single person. A quote a lot of people will agree with. Get some perspective!! GROW UP!!


you really don't get it. Anti-gay would be hate speech. What Starbucks printed WAS NOT HATE SPEECH, it simply provided another point of view. Is wasn't anti-anything. Are you able to walk straight with a sense of reality that is so skewed?

Answer 3

Corporations in the United States, just like people, have the right to post almost anything they want on their products.

And it is my right as a consumer if I feel insulted not to purchase their product or use their services.

If a company started to advocate with their product holocaust revisionism asking did the Holocaust really happen or maybe its just a big Zionist conspiracy.

I would be one of the first to advocate boycotting their product, but at the same time I would unconditionally defend their right to say it.

That is what free speach is.

Answer 4

hate speech.

That quote from the cup in another question, which read

"Why in moments of crisis do we ask God for strength and help? As cognitive beings, why would we ask something that may well be a figment of our imaginations for guidance? Why not search inside ourselves for the power to overcome? After all, we are strong enough to cause most of the catastrophes we need to endure."

was not against God, or against Christians. It was not hateful to either, nor was it saying there is no God. It was simply posing a question: what if we took more responsibility for our actions? It's a good question.

Answer 5

And what about you? We do not post anti-gay it is their acts of sin that we disapprove of. God disapproves of all sin that is why He sent His Son into the world to save the world through Him. God hates sin! He does not want anyone to perish but that all should come to the truth presented in Christ. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. The problem here is you thing that homosexuality is nothing wrong with it and that is just something that they are like being born with blonde hair or blue eyes of with five fingers on each hand. Homosexuality is a choice not a state.

Answer 6

I would call it foolish marketing! Starbucks would never do such a thing, so it's really a waste of time to consider it. A better question is what would any of us do if a friend, spouse spouted "hate speech"? What would we do if our job gently encouraged us to vote for a political candidate we know stands in opposition to our respective beliefs? Those things are more likely to happen. In fact, they happen all the time.

Answer 7

There is a difference between anti-something and simply not pro-something. The message regarding God was not anti-God. It just expressed a different view point. The author might have even been Christian but admitted we don't know and that we should try to fix our own problems. However, I would not feel an anti-religion message was okay, just as I wouldn't feel an anti-gay message was okay.

But they can print it all they want - I mean it just wouldn't be okay for me. I would continue to not get coffee there.

Answer 8

Depends on what the message was, but more than likely it would fall under hate speech... it would be the same thing as an anti-black or anti-woman message.

Answer 9

Any speech that supports squashing the rights of a minority based on one particular, illogical view is pushing the limits of "free speech" pretty darn far.

_()_

Answer 10

It would be free speech, and they would have the right to express that sentiment if they so chose. But I would disagree with it-I would call or write to Starbucks and express my displeasure. That would be my Free Speech.