As most heard on the news last week, a Starbucks in Philadelphia has caused a nationwide boycott of the chain due to accusations of racism. The boycott started after a manager at the Philadelphia location called the police on two black men who were sitting in the establishment waiting for a business partner. When the police showed up, the two men were arrested for loitering and trespassing. The manager and employees claimed the two men hadn't ordered anything and the lobby was for "paying customers only." If this were true at all locations, I would be thrown out of the Starbucks I'm currently writing this article in. I find it ironic to be writing this article in a Starbucks since I certainly don't agree with what happened.

Being half black, I have had my fair share of discrimination but never to this degree. From what I have seen of the incident, the two men were not being loud. They did not cause any kind of disturbance in the business. They were just sitting there, minding their own business, when they were escorted out by police. I have also discovered this is a common occurrence in the area surrounding the Starbucks in question. It is no surprise that discrimination and racism would occur in this area because it happens so often. I am disheartened to see this kind of blatant racism and prejudice behavior occurring today. I know it still happens. Of course it does. There will never be a time racial discrimination won't be happening. This time it was in a place of business over nothing more than the fact the manager was "scared" or "worried" about two black men in their establishment. The boycotts and the call for the shut down of the Philadelphia Starbucks are justified in my mind. There is no reason people should stand by while racial discrimination continues to happen. It is 2018 and that means it is time to speak up and stand up for what is right. No more sitting by and getting upset when this kind of thing happens. It is time for action.

Now Starbucks is trying to make amends for this instance by doing a bias training. While this is a start, this will in no way change the views of the manager. They will just be more careful about being so blatant next time. It's a nice idea to believe that enough training can change the way a person feels and believes, but the only way they will change is if they want to change. And as far as I can see - the only thing Starbucks wants to change is its now shattered reputation. With all that being said, I'm not sure it is fair to punish an entire corporation for the actions of one. Just because one manager and one establishment is racist and holds these ideas does not mean they all feel the same. Had it been a CEO or someone higher up who deals with multiple locations, I would feel very differently. It's one manager that we know of. If this continues to be a problem then, by all means, boycotting them all is justified. If you feel the need to boycott them all for this incident, that is up to you. I will not punish them all for the mistakes of one. That is almost the same as saying all black people are one way just because a few are or that all Muslims are terrorists because a few are radical. I don't believe that is right. I personally cannot discriminate to that extent based on the actions of one or a few.