I just saw a post by @robertchr about this whole Starbucks controversy we've been seeing in the news about the black gentlement who were arrested at the store.

I havn't been following this story super closely so maybe I'm missing some details but here's my take and my thoughts on the issue based upon the video I saw on @robertchr post.

So apparently these guys asked to use the bathroom but hadn't purchased a drink. Like many establishments, especially in bigger cities, most bathrooms are locked and you need a key. From what I can gather they said the bathrooms are for paying customers as well as the tables.

Again, I don't know the specifics of their situation but as a "white guy" I have encountered this same situation and my response was to buy some bullshit I didn't want or need so I could use the restroom.

Anyhow, the managers and/or employees ask them to leave and they refuse so they call the police. The police apparently ask them to leave and they refuse so they are arrested.

Again, I don't know the specifics but something that happens way too often is everyone thinks rules don't apply to them so they do what they want, ignore authority and then whine when they face consequences. Again I don't know all the details but assuming everything in the news story above is accurate, while it does seem like an overreaction, if you violate rules, refuse to leave when asked, and then refuse to leave when the cops show up, don't be surprised when you get arrested.

The Bigger Issue

Here is what I think is the larger issue at hand, and unfortunately we can't really know what the answer to this question is. My question is if a white guy in professional business attire came into Starbucks and sat down at a table without ordering a drink would he have been asked to leave?

I think an important piece of this puzzle is the asking to use the restroom. Had they just gone and sat down at a table maybe someone would have asked them to leave, maybe not, however when they asked to use the restroom they kind of brought themselves to the employees attention like...

Customer: Can I have the bathroom key?

Employee: I don't recall you buying anything, the bathroom is only for customers.

• At this point they pretty much brought themselves to the employees attention as being nonpaying customers.

We really have no way of knowing this but I have a feeling they probably wouldn't have been asked to leave and that's the bigger issue. Starbucks policy is bathrooms and tables are for paying customers, totally fair, that's actually a problem for coffee shops and why many close is people come sit, use their internet and don't buy anything, but the question is would they have asked a white guy to leave and/or would they have asked a white customer to leave as quickly as they would have the black customer and to that question we just can't possibly know the answer.

I think ultimately however whether were talking about cops shooting people or arresting people or anything else, if you feel you've been treated unfairly, don't fuckup your own life by causing a scene, being defiant, listen to authority and then go file a complaint with Starbucks corporate, call up the news media and tell your story, file a complaint with the police department, etc, etc, etc. This way your safe and don't have an arrest record and also get to share the story of how you were poorly treated.

I think this was probably handled poorly by all involved, however at the same time I do think racial profiling played some role. I've gone and sat at Starbucks for 5 or 10 minutes before waiting for whomever I was meeting to arrive so we could order our drinks and/or food together and I've never been told to leave.