Starbucks Somehow Finds Itself In A Gun Debate

Even though Starbucks is just a coffee chain, they sure are getting involved in some political debates. After endorsing gay marriage last month, USA Christian Ministries decided to boycott the coffee shop.

Now, the National Gun Victims Action Council (NGVAC) is boycotting the megachain with the catchy slogan, "BREW not BULLETS: Say no to Starbucks Boycott."

Starbucks somehow got dragged into the debate because they have deferred to local laws and served customers carrying registered firearms when the law allowed it.

"Starbucks respects the views of our customers and recognizes that there is significant and genuine passion surrounding this issue... As the public debate around this issue continues, we encourage customers and advocacy groups from both sides to share their input with their public officials," the company said in an official statement.

In the meantime, the NGVAC thinks that "allowing guns to be carried in thousands of their stores significantly increases everyone's risk of being a victim of gun violence," Elliot Fineman, CEO of the NGVAC, said.

Of course, there's now a backlash against the boycott, with gun owners creating "I love guns and coffee" shirts, and vowing to visit Starbucks today to show their support.

"Gun owners NATIONWIDE should support their local Starbucks and thank them for serving great drinks and not getting involved in the gun debate," the Facebook group says.

In the meantime, MSN reports that Starbucks shares have been fairly flat, meaning investors don't think this one-day boycott will affect anything. 

The Daily Byte is a regular column dedicated to covering interesting food news and trends across the country. Click here for previous columns.