Once again, everyone’s favorite coffee chain is the epicenter of another ridiculous controversy. In the wake of the presidential election, protests to varying degrees of peacefulness have been sweeping the nation, the vast majority of them in protest of President-Elect Trump. There is one however, that seems to be a protest of the protests of the President-Elect. It has swept the social media sphere known mainly as #TrumpCup.
Participation in this protest is easy: one must simply go to Starbucks, order a drink and say your name is “Trump”. The barista is then required by company policy to write or type the name Trump on your cup and call out that name when your drink is ready.
This has happened a couple times before, a few months ago Black Lives Matter supporters were doing the same thing for their movement. It has even been done with “blue lives matter” and the phrase “Merry Christmas”
So this idea is not unique to Trump supporters, or even conservatives in general. It has spanned many causes and political orientations, but with little long-term effect, these trends seem to die out usually within a few weeks or months of making it really big on social media. So why do people keep doing it?
The main idea behind this form of protest is that just by hearing the phrase “Black Lives Matter” or “Merry Christmas” or just the name “Trump”, awareness to a cause will be raised and thereby the message of the cause to be spread.
This is a sentiment more understandable (but still ultimately ineffectual) for movements like Black Lives Matter or people who think that Merry Christmas should be said more often. However, it’s a little confusing in reference to just the name “Trump”, a man who has had nothing but near-constant media coverage for the last year and a half.
Ultimately, the idea that having a barista call out the name “Trump” at Starbucks is going to create any kind of positive dialogue or change in society is a bit preposterous, just as it would be for any movement. In fact, some participants in this protest seem to just be doing it to get a reaction from the barista. Twitter user @bakedalaska tweeted:
“Operation #TrumpCup
- Go to Starbucks & tell them your name is Trump
- If they refuse take video
Pls share & spread the word”
(For more tweets and information on #TrumpCup check out this article: https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliareinstein/trump-cup?utm_term=.reG8VzgQd1#.ljyL13WkBA )
So, at best this protest is mildly confusing for the barista and ineffective as a whole and at worst it’s a smug jibe at sincere socio-political protests and perhaps even some kind of misdirected vengeance towards the left-wing protesters.
Additionally, subjects like “Black Lives Matter”, “Blue Lives Matter”, and even “Trump” are inherently controversial. In giving a Barista Trump’s name in place of your own, you are effectively forcing that barista to become part of a movement or political figure that they might not agree with. You put this employee in the awkward position of having to either shout the name of something they disagree with and take part in a protest they have no desire to be a part of, or to ignore company policy and not call out a name, which in addition to being against Starbucks procedure, could also irritate the protester, causing them to even take a video which would only serve to demonize the barista and garner shares on Facebook for the protester.
In short, please don’t do this.
There are ways to make a difference in the long run, no matter what cause you’re fighting for, but it has nothing to do with Starbucks cups. If there is a movement you feel strongly about, have a conversation with your friends, family and neighbors in a personal setting, organize rallies or marches, and most importantly, exercise your constitutional right to freedom of speech in a way that doesn’t get an innocent employee caught in the crossfire.
