Reflections on a racist Starbucks cup
In the last month there have been several instances of racism against Asian-Americans which have gained national headlines. We’re not talking about lynchings here but rather racial slurs finding their way into mundane economic exchanges. The most recent occurred when two men ordered drinks at an Atlanta Starbucks. Instead of putting their names on the cups to identify the customers, the barista instead simply drew eye slits (so-called “chinky eyes”). You can read more about the case here.
There are several things about this case that strike me.
1. Stupidity
How could the employee be this stupid to think that people wouldn’t notice a racist caricature like this?
2. Symbolism
Symbols are extraordinary things which wield great power. A simple cross with hooks on the end can conjure up the most horrifying scenes of death camp carnage. And two simple lines can be a slap in the face to two customers.
3. Ubiquity
Think about it. How many Starbucks baristas do not harbor some prejudices?
How many bristle, however slightly, when a loud group of Chinese or South Asians enter the store? When an obese person orders a venti-sized frappuccino how many wish they could ask “Why don’t you hae a tall skinny latte instead?” How many roll their eyes impatiently when the homeless man counts out his change for a cup of coffee? Of course the point is not about Starbucks baristas per se. Countless customers are thinking the same thing. The real problem is with the legion prejudices that pretty much everybody holds. The fact that a “Chinky eyes” caricature makes its way onto a cup is appalling. But it is no less appalling to think how many of our prejudices are written in invisible ink.
4. Power
Finally, I am struck by the extraordinary power possessed by a single corporate employee making 8 bucks an hour. Do you remember the public relations fiasco Denny’s suffered in the 1990s over the actions of some employees who expressed prejudicial attitudes toward certain African American customers? (Read about it here.) Denny’s ended up paying millions.
Now think about the repercussions that the actions of this single racist barista, the one stupid enough to draw his “Chinky eyes” in visible ink, will have on the entire corporation. Will there be a single lawsuit? A class-action suit encompassing thousands of disenfranchised Asian-American customers? A revision in the Barista 101 Training Manual to include a new section on racial sensitivity? It is hard to say. But it continues to amaze me how one foolish momentary act in a suburban Atlanta coffee shop can send out a ripple effect with potentially global implications.
Tags: racism, Starbucks
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The Atheist Missionary says:
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 8:57pm
I am struck by the extraordinary power possessed by a single corporate employee making 8 bucks an hour.
Only because the media is assinine.
randal says:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 4:12am
TAM, what does “the media” refer to in your statement? Does it include people who blog? Tweet? Democracy Now? CNN?
David P says:
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 11:31pm
Sometimes people go overboard with race identification.
The other day I was describing someone as “the black guy at the gym” and someone gave me grief about it. I don’t see the huge deal…it was the best way to identify him at the time. If the context was an NBA basketball team, then maybe “the short guy with the big nose” or “the guy with the red cap” or even “the really tall white guy” would have been effective. Is there a negative connotation in merely pointing out something for identification purposes?
(But I still think the chinky eyes thing was wrong. He could have asked for the name. There was no need to use that symbol.)
Ever feel uncomfortable when someone asks you “which girl from the party last night was Jenny” and all you can think of in reply is “the slightly overweight one.” Haha, come on…you’ve all been there.
randal says:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 4:29am
I think drawing a “slit eyes” symbol on an S-bux cup (especially when you identify other customers with proper names rather than ethnic features) is categorically different from identifying a “black” man at the gym. But I agree that concern over the former sometimes makes people absurdly skittish about acknowledging the latter.
One thing I’ve noticed is that impersonations of certain accents are fine (e.g. British) while impersonations of other accents are considered socially inappropriate (e.g. South Asian / East Indian). I suspect this is because the latter group(s) is viewed as a socially oppressed underclass and thus imitation of their accent is taken as a form of social marginalization. But it does create a bit of a socially precarious minefield.
chris says:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 7:10pm
Randal,
Great point !
One thing I’ve noticed is that impersonations of certain accents are fine (e.g. British) while impersonations of other accents are considered socially inappropriate (e.g. South Asian / East Indian).
Aaron says:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 8:10pm
From the abundance of the heart…..
Aaron says:
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 8:15pm
After a second look at the photo, presuming it’s the one of the real Sbucks cups, it appears as though the barista made one heckuva cupa joe.