Starbucks Joins Call for National Service and Asks, “Are You In?"

Subliminal well crafted. And its nice some of you are in it to help others, but why accept money for something you wanted to do to help out? Volunteer should not take money. Where do you think the tax came from? If the project hits? Who will be laid-off because volunteers are cheap and tax is deductible?

Though if its true that starbucks extorts coffee farmers ask yourself if you want to take part in such pratice. Even if it was a paid job.

Guess you guys mean well and not want to offend you. I'll hope it will stay by serving coffee. And that other story about 18-25 forced to take part in future wars as Afghanistan and the like will not happen to you.

[edit on 19-1-2009 by Stranded]

Nothing makes me want to go join the army like a double mochiado vanilla espresso shot!

haha...ridiculous...thats like TGIFridays giving you stock tips...

I wonder how many of the people on this thread that posted negative comments about this actually go out a volunteer on a regular basis?

reply to post by mrmonsoon

It's not the worst idea. If more people felt included in the civil process and were given a chance to take ownership for their communities they may not be so inclined to trash them. Read up on the Chicago Vice Lords sometime and see how that helped them to go from a street gang to a pretty powerful social institution. Crime rates plummet when people get a chance to actually correct problems they see that the government doesn't or can't address.

Not to mention that dealing face to face with your neighbors builds some pretty strong social obligations to your local businessmen that might keep your dollars in your own community instead of in Walmart's ravenous pocket. As disenfranchised as the entire public is right now against the government restoring a more constructive form of patriotism is a great idea. It mght even help to restore our world image if other countries see us helping ourselves for once instead of pointing the finger elsewhere.

reply to post by kozmo

He's not mandating compulsory service for the general public; he is requiring people asking for handouts actually earn them. High schools and colleges in our area already require volunteer service for many programs, it is not a radical change. Quite frankly, having watched my 78-year-old grandmother deteriorate rapidly in the past year since her boss died and she hasn't been able to find another job, I think giving seniors social opportunities is not a bad thing either though I would prefer to see them compensated. The Council on Aging can only do so much in its present form.

Mostly it may motivate people to work a little harder and spend a lot less on frivolous things to get what they want instead of begging. I know that surviving on less than $800 in unemployment for the past five months (which I haven't recieved at all in in the last six weeks or in October) with full car payments and credit card bills has permanently cured my spending addiction. It was a valuable lesson I really needed.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Even if Starschmucks has good intentions (which, granted, can be a little hard to swallow), the giving of some of your time to a productive interest/place/person other than your own interests is beneficial for your mind and soul, and it makes the recipients overjoyed as well.

And what is wrong with the president wanting people to volunteer their time to help others? America has become the land of "ME, ME, ME" and forgotten their roots of "WE, WE, We the people, ......"

Not enough people spend time in gardens planting new trees or providing natural, organic, non-hybridized fruits (with wonderful fragrances and ethers) or even Siberian-made Cedar Oil to their healthy fellow man or to an elderly person who's ill. Those are the medicines that will heal them.

Positive thoughts materialise themselves as Man's creations. And the opposite is also true. The country is falling apart because people only care about themselves and their individual lifestyle. As long as that immoral and inhumane ideal continues to propogate, the world is heading down a very dark road. People have forgotten how to love and share and live completely and freely from the land provided to us by this glorious planet (and whatever wonderful force created it).

I urge everyone to take 5 minutes and go outside where you can hear a slight breeze or animal sounds. If duting the day, soak up the sun and let it's gaze warm your face. Contemplate it all. Talk to the creator of all these natural wonders you see before you. Inhale the fresh fragrances of the grass, the bushes, the fruits and the trees. If at night, gaze high into the heavens and soak up the starlight. Allow it to carress you and calm you. Don't ask the creator what he can do for you, rather, ask the creator if planting a few saplings would be worthy of his honor. You will then feel the peace you should always be allowed to feel, and you can continue the cycle how ever often pleases you. Tell others to do the same so that they, too can feel the grace and warmth and joy when Man lays a tender hand upon the Earth.

[edit on 1/20/2009 by pjslug]

Some of the replies in this post tell me exactly what is wrong with the United States.

C'mon, Barack Obama asking its citizens to get involved in their communities and volunteer is not a BAD thing. How is helping paint a homeless shelter, or volunteering at a school, or volunteering in a Nursing home detrimental to our society? It isn't. It builds stronger families and communities. And you impact the lives of those who maybe thought they've been forgotten and maybe it gives them a reason to care and to make their own lives better.

Even if he goes through with requiring public school children to serve their community for 50 hours, I'm for it. Hello? Public school is a government funded service, remember? Oh but maybe we should get rid of that socialist program as well. 50 hours in highschool is nothing. Kids spend more time talking on the phone in a week than they would be asked to spend helping better their communities in the whole four years they would be in highschool.

Asking the American people to help out in their communities is a far cry from the "brown shirts" in Nazi Germany. Although, if there is logical way to compare the two, I'd be open to hear it.

If anything, the past 8 years was the closest we EVER came to Nazi Germany...we blindly followed a leader who talked about "evildoers" and "axis of evil" and led us to wars based on some religious and patriotic ideology. We authorized torture (the most barbaric thing we could have done).

I scoff at the idea that our soon to be President asking us to volunteer in our communities is part of his Master Evil plan to turn the US into a communist state.



[edit on 20-1-2009 by its bologna]

Originally posted by Dr Love
It's pretty blatant conditioning if you ask me. They'd never ask us to volunteer for something that wasn't sweet and innocent......would they?

Note to all volunteers, make sure you read the fine print.

Peace

[edit on 19-1-2009 by Dr Love]

Conditioning for what? I see it as nothing more than a publicity stunt. A way to get people into there stores. Mabye buy a little extra coffee for a friend or family member while they're there.

While I dont go to starbucks because I think they charge to much for their coffee, I think its a noble way to get people in their stores.

help your community and we will give you a free cup of coffee.

Im trying to imagine just what encouraging others to volunteer, could condition people for...

Are you suggesting that starbucks is using this to somehow get us all hooked on their coffee and just when we all start craving our next cup they hold out on us, and we will be so desperate for that coffee that we will do anything they tell us? I can just see the president of Starbucks ordering us to destroy all dunkin donuts!

Seriously though, I see this as just a publicity stunt. During an economic crisis, places such as starbucks are suffering. people cant afford that morning cup of coffee anymore.

So what better way to get people in there store than to offer a free cup of coffee to anyone who helps out their community and fellow man for just 5 short hours?

Its a publicity stunt, and an honorable one at that. Its always good to see people being encouraged to help their fellow man

and as for reading the fine print; out of all the times in my life that I have volunteered, there has NEVER been any "fine print"

But in the future If there is I promise I will be sure to read it very carefully.



[edit on 20-1-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

Obama tries to make it seem like the idea of volunteering is one of his great ideas for CHANGE. We don't need him to tell us to volunteer our time. We've been doing it for years before he slimed his way upon the scene. It's a ploy to get his minions hopping around, thinking they are accomplishing something.

And his wife, who thinks she is the second coming of Jackie-O the way she dresses and wears her hair, should talk. She's a crook as bad as he is.

America has many volunteers who lend a helping hand without being paid to do so. Work for a globalist commercial company which rides on the hype is in my view another thing. Do you need Obama to realize becoming a volunteer?

If you need money why not get a job? Volunteers are great! They do not belong in commercial sector or so I thought. It might endanger the job for someone who isn't just a volunteer, but depended from keeping his/her work.

When a government is using tax money to create "volunteer" work at the stores like starbucks who is really making profit? I don't want to offend and surely you mean well by supporting your president and want to identify with him somehow.

Guess its just me looking from a distance with a sense of conspiracy. Hope that I'm wrong, but there are enough volunteers. Not for Starbucks though. Tell me if you would have signed up for this if it wasn't for Obama?

In the other topic I read about blind/handicapped people not getting their social security. Veterans being dropped on the streets with a turkey. And then I read this topic on serving coffee at starbucks. Its really something.

[edit on 20-1-2009 by Stranded]

To be honest, I think that most Americans are OFFENDED by the idea of a rich, greedy politician asking us to WORK for free while they live in luxury on our tax dollars with no budget to speak of! (170mil for Obama's inauguration/block party, anyone?)

It is those rich, greedy people that destroyed our economy. And quite honestly, a lot of Americans are suffering and finding it difficult to keep dinner on the table and make mortgage payments. A lot of people right now, are just having a hard time.

The idea of a bunch of rich elitists, in the 'land of the free', wanting me to get off my arse and clean my neighbourhood while they collect my taxes and evesdrop on my surfing habits and phone conversations, DOES OFFEND ME.

This feels incredibly offensive to me.

EDITED: to add more to my statement above...

[edit on 20-1-2009 by LostNemesis]

Originally posted by jsobecky
Obama tries to make it seem like the idea of volunteering is one of his great ideas for CHANGE.

We don't need him to tell us to volunteer our time. We've been doing it for years before he slimed his way upon the scene. It's a ploy to get his minions hopping around, thinking they are accomplishing something.

And his wife, who thinks she is the second coming of Jackie-O the way she dresses and wears her hair, should talk. She's a crook as bad as he is.

Actually, as odd as it may sound coming from me, if this is one of Obama's ideas for change then id have to agree with you, because people have been volunteering for ages and it hasnt really "changed" much of anything. The world is STILL one hell of a crazy place. despite all the "world changing " volunteering.

Dont get me wrong. I thin volunteering is great and all, but if this is what Obama has in mind, I dont think much will get accomplished.

Some how or another I completley missed the first part of the article explaing that this was starbucks attempt to get people to join in obamas plan.

For what it's worth even im getting tired of the MSM making him out to be the next Lincoln or FDR. He hasnt even done anything yet! He isnt even in office and they are acting like he is the second coming of christ or something. Its starting to bug me.

Also, ive heard people refer to Michelle Obama as a crook before but ive never actually heard just what she did illegally. What exactly did she do?Wait, actually I think I might know, are you referring to her getting that ridiculously huge raise(it doubled her salary) after obama earmarked 1 million dollars of tax payer money for the hospital she worked at?

Oh my goodness, I just reread my post and I sound like a conservative republican

Who would have thought? Alot of this post is influenced by my being sick of the MSM making him out to be the second coming of christ.

I would prefer to reserve my judgement of the man (good bad or otherwise) untill he has actually been in office and has doen a few things.

But I digress.

That said, How have you been jsobecky? Havent seen you in the boards in a while.

reply to post by Dr Love

Wow, I can't believe that anyone would be for forced community service for everyone. Things work when people volunteer but when they are voluntold that is a different story. First step toward the USSA next we'll have forced military service, occupations will be assigned by the government, and we'll have the government choosing our doctors.

All in all, it's just another brick in the wall.

Originally posted by withpride09
Oh look, Starbucks is helping Obama look like a Saint.
Keep the tactics to yourselves starbucks

yes ... and the press just looooooves to take pictures of him with FAKE HALOs around his head. It's comical.

- Obama says he's going to 'change' the world.

- Obama gets in and now says ... uh ... I uh .. mean that .. uh ... you all have to ... uh ... do the actual work.

- In 2012 if the world is not full of rainbows and unicorns then he can point to his minions and say that it's their fault because they didn't work hard enough.

- In 2012 if the world is all sugary sweet and roses then he'll use more of his typical self-messianic language and claim that he should be reelected for doing such a good job.

:shk:

reply to post by Dr Love


Yup its official, USA< is now USInc.

Originally posted by its bologna
Even if he goes through with requiring public school children to serve their community for 50 hours, I'm for it. Hello? Public school is a government funded service, remember? Oh but maybe we should get rid of that socialist program as well. 50 hours in highschool is nothing. Kids spend more time talking on the phone in a week than they would be asked to spend helping better their communities in the whole four years they would be in highschool.

BULLPIES! If the government ever starts taking the attitude that my kids are getting some sort of free ride in the public school system, then they by God had better refund me every damn cent they've taken from my paycheck in taxes supposedly earmarked for education funding because clearly it hasn't been used for what it was supposed to be used for or else they can't take that stance. Let us parents decide where our kids should be spending their time outside of the traditional school day, not the damned government! They won't be doing this because I have no intention of buying them cell phones, but if I decide to allow my kids to spend every waking hour outside of school chatting on a phone, then that's between my wife, my kid, and myself... not Jesus H. Obama and his service squad archetects.

Originally posted by LostNemesis
they live in luxury on our tax dollars with no budget to speak of! (170mil for Obama's inauguration/block party, anyone?)

FYI: The inauguration was not paid for by our tax dollars.

I still think it is a ridiculous amount so spend, regardless of how it was paid for!

Wow . Starbuck is taking a low shot here. Volunteer and get free coffee. Don’t you think they would have free coffee where you’re going to volunteer at, not mention maybe free lunch. Why go to Starbucks anyway? This is a new low for Corporate America. All they want from you is your money for overpriced coffee. I’m sure in the near future we will all see more of this from Corporate America . Then One day when you least expect it. You walk into Starbucks for that free coffee, and you find out you’ve been signed up for free volunteer work at Starbucks.

Originally posted by craig732
I wonder how many of the people on this thread that posted negative comments about this actually go out a volunteer on a regular basis?

We care for four medically-fragile foster kids, sponsor a kid in Africa, have adopted an abandoned dog and rescued four starving/neglected cats from Mexico. I typically buy bulk socks, hats and gloves for donation to our local shelter. But, I guess I'm still just a cynical a-hole for blowing raspberries at StarOfDavidBucks' "volunteer" PR stunt.

Whatever . . . .