American church boycott of Starbucks begins: The Church of England Newspaper, February 17, 2012, p 6.

First printed in The Church of England Newspaper.

The Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) has joined anti-gun activists and victim’s rights groups in calling for a boycott of the Starbucks chain of coffee shops in the U.S. to begin on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2012.

“While states have rightfully forbidden weapons inside taverns for decades, Starbucks is alone among major retail outlets in allowing customers to bring their gun(s) – open or concealed – into its coffee shops,” said the Rev. Jackie Lynn, EPF executive director.

For two years the Seattle-based chain of coffee shops has been the target of anti-gun activists after it refused to ban meetings of gun owners groups (with weapons) at the store’s California locations.  With over 17,000 stores in 55 countries, including over 12,500 in the United States, and over 700 in the United Kingdom as of 2010, Starbucks has sought to cultivate a progressive image and has advertised its support of green and fair-trade issues.

But the chain has declined to take a stand on gun control.  In a 2010 statement released after activists picketed the company’s Seattle headquarters, Starbucks stated that it recognized gun control aroused “significant and genuine passion” among its partisans, but added that it was unfortunate that “advocacy groups from both sides of this issue have chosen to use Starbucks as a way to draw attention to their positions.”

The company’s policy was that it complied “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.”

As the public debate continues, we are asking all interested parties to refrain from putting Starbucks or our partners into the middle of this divisive issue,” the company said.

The EPF found the company’s argument unpersuasive.  “We know guns and alcohol don’t mix. Why allow guns and caffeine? We stand with the National Gun Victims Action Council, the Fellowship of Reconciliation and many other groups working to reduce gun violence in the United States,” Ms. Lynn said.

The EPF said it would support the “multi-faith and secular boycott” until Starbucks “forbids weapons in their coffee shops noted now for a mellow ambiance within a favorite meet-up spot and casual web-surfing without the fear of saying the wrong thing to someone packing a Glock pistol who is at a neighboring table and finishing her third espresso.”