Dear Friends,
The latest news is that Starbucks is telling callers
that the information about additional rodeos where
we have uncovered Starbucks sponsorships is false.
That's what the company first said when we
uncovered the initial Starbucks ad! I guess
Starbucks is following the Campbell Soup tactic --
Lie and Deny. Too bad it isn't going to work. Maybe
Starbucks should have asked the rodeos not to list
them as a sponsor on the rodeo websites!
Over the years of dealing with the Rodeo Mafia, one
thing has frustrated me no end. That is the
tendency of animal protectors spending considerable
time and effort protesting outside rodeos, and
not
bothering to videotape the cruelty inside, where the
action is. My argument is that a protest at a rodeo
is rarely covered, quickly forgotten, and
accomplishes little or nothing. In fact, the rodeo
people often get quite a kick out of taunting
protesters. The problem is that outside a rodeo you
are largely trying to appeal to people who lack a
heart, a brain, or most likely, both.
Video documentation and still pictures, on the other
hand, is evidence that can be used forever to
educate the public, change laws, and ward off
corporate sponsors who fund and enable rodeo
animal abuse. SHARK has been documenting rodeo
animal abuse for years, and we have an enormous
library of still pictures and videotape, which are now
available to use on rodeo sponsors
Now Starbucks Coffee -- that over-priced, green
washed phony, and rodeo animal abuse enabler, has
emerged as the perfect target for activists who want
to picket rodeos. This is where a protest makes
perfect sense, and will have a great and measurable
impact.
A valuable Starbucks insider has told us that
December 1st is an important date at all
Starbucks
stores. They apparently use it as a holiday
party for
customers and employees alike. That makes
December 1st a great date for us! Let’s use it to
bring the ugly truth about rodeos to Starbucks on
one of their busiest days! Plan to hit the streets
and
hand out flyers at your local Starbucks stores on
December 1st!
Throughout December the Tiger Truck will travel from
city to city, pursuing Starbucks locations and
eventually ending up in Seattle, Starbucks
headquarters. SHARK has already posted a
downloadable Buck Starbucks flyer on our
BuckStarbucks.com website. Please print these out
and educate the customers and employees at your
local Starbucks! Remember, the more Starbucks
employees (or “partners” as they are called) we have
joining us in our position, the better. When
telling
local Starbucks "partners" why you won’t be
patronizing their store anymore, or why you are
leafleting outside, be polite and respectfully
informative.
Starbucks needs to get a thorough outing by us.
This company needs to see compassionate
consumers leafleting outside of its stores in every
city. Many of us have been Starbucks customers,
and now we find that the company, along with other
corporate animal abusers like Coca-Cola and Campbell
Soup, has been giving some of our money to those
who abuse animals. And now that they have been
discovered, they are sticking by the animal abusers!
