Starbucks Caves to Activist Pressure and Group Sets Sights on Hilary Duff
Friday May 12, 2006
It's a sad day when I have to report a success by the "Animal Rights" groups. Last month Starbucks decided to stop its outright sponsorship and advertisement of rodeo due to a massive response by several anti-rodeo groups (enter Starbucks and rodeo in search and you'll see what I mean). The next goal of a group known as SHARK is to intimidate Hilary Duff because of her past appearances at rodeos and a bullfighting arena in Spain.
They have launched a campaign called Dump Duff and recommend contacting her representatives and sponsors in an effort to intimidate the young star into accepting their position. Groups like these are quite effective at manipulating media and mobilizing their base to use propaganda and myth to further their position.
SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) uses video clips and photos to supposedly 'prove' rodeos cruelty. However several lawsuits brought by the group have either been dismissed or thrown out of court. They claim to be changing people's minds but it seems to me that it's a vocal minority that mounts tireless crusades that wears on corporations and individuals. Unfortunately it's often easier for companies and individuals to distance themselves from rodeo to make the controversy go away.
They have launched a campaign called Dump Duff and recommend contacting her representatives and sponsors in an effort to intimidate the young star into accepting their position. Groups like these are quite effective at manipulating media and mobilizing their base to use propaganda and myth to further their position.
SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) uses video clips and photos to supposedly 'prove' rodeos cruelty. However several lawsuits brought by the group have either been dismissed or thrown out of court. They claim to be changing people's minds but it seems to me that it's a vocal minority that mounts tireless crusades that wears on corporations and individuals. Unfortunately it's often easier for companies and individuals to distance themselves from rodeo to make the controversy go away.
Comments
In the near future I plan on making a comprehensive study of the animal rights movement. I will also dispell several of the myths they like to spread. Keep an eye out for it!
Guess I just quit going to Starbucks. I am for Rodeo and spend quite a bit of money at Starbucks. Will also have friends stop. Too bad it hurts both sides.
This is an old, old argument. A pity these people spend their energy on intimidation.
Rodeo, you might start with PETA. They’re still sending out brochures with the pictures of rabbits with weeping eyes from experiments. They neglect to tell you, those experiments were discontinued in the early 60’s.
Maybe we should be more vocal about the treatment of the atheletes in our favorite sports???
Tïnk
It is the duty of every rodeo fan, to boycott StarBucks. EMail them at their corperate website, and let them know why you are doing it. If you have a StarBucks near you, go and tell the manager. Who needs a $4 cup of coffee anyway?
I emailed Starbucks with this message:
I was so disappointed to hear that you caved into pressure from a radical terrorist group (SHARK) concerning your support and advertising in rodeo publications. This group is well-known for terrorist type of activities and radical extremism. They do not offer facts, they offer sensationalism. Rodeo represents the western way of life and supports have a true love for animals. As a customer of yours, I am disappointed and will not purchase products from Starbucks any longer. I am also contacting all family and friends to support me in this boycott. Please reconsider your position. Thank you.
I ask you to send an email to all of your friends and encourage them to get on board. We have to take a stand or we will lose our way of life. Look what happened when just one woman did not want prayer in school any longer!
Shame on Starbucks. I make my own coffee and don’t need them, so my not going there won’t hurt them much, but the message they are sending is ridiculous. How are the workers treated that pick the coffee beans that are sold to Star Bucks, huh?
I intend to boycott Starbucks, myself; they make louzy coffee, anyway. I am tired of political correctness; two can play at this game.
Great suggestions everyone!
To be completely fair to Starbucks, they have stopped their corporate sponsorship but will continue to allow local franchises to donate to community projects as they see fit (this includes rodeo).
The stink from SHARK came from Starbucks adverts in the program of the 2005 Cheyenne Frontier Days and money given to a Miss Rodeo program.
I totally agree that we need to take a stand. I’ve hoped for several years that this ‘animal rights’ thing had reached critical mass but with Hollywood on board the weak minded, weak willed, ‘do gooders’ are here to stay unfortunately. We can’t be silent any longer.
However, now more than ever there are people striking back, mostly on the net and sometimes in the press, exposing some of the ridiculous views and lies spread by PETA and all the rest.
My goal is to make a comprehensive resource on ABOUT RODEO to debunk all the arguments made by these people (yes every single issue of theirs can be debunked). We also need to start educating people about what these groups are really all about.
We need to put it out there what this sport is all about and while I have a large audience via this website, the most effective way to do this is through the readers, those people passionate about this lifestyle.
So on that note if you see anything in your local paper or hear anything about the antics of these ‘activists’ please drop me an email at rodeo.guide@about.com.
The reality is… I’m tired, upset and I’m not taking it anymore. It’s time for the TRUTH!
Myself and family will stop going to Starbucks, there are many other coffee shops that can get our business!!
These radical groups will always find something to protest against and it’s a shame that Starbucks is so intimidated by them. It would be intetesting to know how many of them support abortion.
I stopped attending movies because I got tired of the Hollywood crowd trying to force issues thru their style of writing and performing….and don’t feel like I’ve missed anything. I won’t miss Starbuck’s either.
They just opened a Stabucks in Cookeville,Tn. and I am going to make sure my friends don’t buy there.They aren’t starting off too good now and we’ll make sure they end up leaving.
Starbucks is not the problem, they are only trying to keep the peace. It’s SHARK that needs to be on the endangered list. Any comments on how we can make life miserable for them?
You’re right I think it is more about SHARK. But what can we do? If we respond then we legitimize and if we ignore then they continue being the pain in the side.
I choose to educate people with facts not fiction about rodeo. Maybe we should start taking a friend to a rodeo or something?
starbucks is the problem,any company that bows down to threats and put one group ahead of another is wrong,lets start our own coffe shop and call it arbuckles
Thanks on the tip on starbucks, I have informed many friends and starbucks have several people who went there often. The people who want to stop rodeo are very well organized.
“The truth,” as someone put it, is partly to be found in our videotapes. More truth is that no one in the rodeo world can debate us publicly, because we have so much experience and evidence about what you all do. More truth is that you don’t have the guts to even release your injury reports, and that you have to edit your own tv shows so viewers don’t see “tie-down” victims being clotheslined. Gee — it used to be called calf roping. The truth is that you are afraid of being exposed for what you are.
An animal rights activist version of the truth? NO THANKS.
That’s like PETA’s version of ethical- 14,419 animals dead by PETA’s hands and counting.
I have no way to tell if this is really Mr. Hindi but I thought that I would take time to answer the statements made in the comment.
I plan to stop going to Star bucks. I will pass this information on to all my family friends. I live in Tahoe, NV. I have heard enough of protest aginst this and that. Suporters of (PETA, SHARK ect.) beleive what ther college professers tell them. They are 99.9% clueless of what there protesting about. I love rodeos.
lm
I am a bull rider and these animal groups do not have clue to want they are talking about,because the animals safety is well protected. So the animal group need to keep there mouth shut because the animals are taken care of and if you do not know what you are talking about do not open your mouth
Congratulations to SHARK for successfully pressuring Starbucks to stop supporting animal exploitation in the name of ‘culture’.
The question of whether the non-human animals forced to participate in rodeo events are well cared for is secondary to the more fundamental question of whether they should be forced at all to participate, solely for our recreation, in activities that are against their will and contrary to their own interests. The acts of cruelty documented in rodeo serve only to highlight the utter disregard some humans show for the interests of other sentient species no less capable of experiencing pain or fear.
And to suggest that animal-rights activists known nothing about animals is ridiculous: They’re intimately familiar with what it’s like to be an animal, because they are animals, just like the rest of the respondents here, even those who may refuse to admit it.
Welcome Brian to ABOUT RODEO and thanks for the points you make. Now let me set the record straight…although I doubt I can change your mind.
First of all let’s be clear about the whole thing. While it is a PR victory for SHARK, Starbucks will continue on a local level to donate time, product, etc. to causes they see fit.
This is why Starbucks remains on SHARK’S “Corporate Thugs” list.
You say “activities that are against their [animals] will and contrary to their own interests.”
So YOU know what an animal’s will and what is in their best interests? So I guess races horses don’t love to run? Is it in their best interests to win races? – They do and it is. If there were no horse racing the whole thoroughbred industry wouldn’t exist and neither would the horses.
Bucking horses and bulls don’t enjoy what they do? They do. I’ve known horses and bulls personally that love to compete. Some horses delight in tossing their rider to the dirt.
My own saddle horse loves to buck and crow hop when first saddled, he also loves to chase and rope cows when we get the chance. He also digs going to the river with me when I fish, there some sweet grass there.
It’s what you THINK/ASSUME is in their best interest that makes you think the way you do. The problem is you’ve got no experience to even make that determination.
You said: “The acts of cruelty documented in rodeo serve only to highlight the utter disregard some humans show for the interests of other sentient species no less capable of experiencing pain or fear.”
Cruelty is defined as “deliberately causing pain or suffering.” Without going into the anatomy of the bovine and equine species (which I can - can you?), I challenge that sentiment completely. I will admit that rodeo is highly physical and rough but it doesn’t deliberately cause pain or suffering. In fact the emotions present at a rodeo run the gamut among all participants, both animal and human, just as in life.
In FACT: the ranching chores that rodeo has evolved from were developed to REDUCE damage, pain and stress to the livestock. A damaged animal was and is not economically feasible.
It is common sense (which animal righters have such a problem with) that:
A broken animal -will not perform
A stressed animal - will not perform
A hurt animal – will not perform
So it is in the rodeos interest, above all else, to have healthy animals. Go figure.
You said that animals experience pain and fear. You’re right. They also experience comfort, joy, excitement, and the rush of contest and hunt. Just like we do.
You said: “And to suggest that animal-rights activists known nothing about animals is ridiculous: They’re intimately familiar with what it’s like to be an animal, because they are animals, just like the rest of the respondents here, even those who may refuse to admit it.”
Here is where you step in it big time. I personally agree with you that we are part of the animal kingdom, and as such, equal rules apply right?
Then why are we not allowed to exploit other species to our purpose?
Every other animal species on earth does – lions hunt, whales eat plankton - I could go on and on. But instead you want humanity - of all the species - to modify an inborn nature?
Your philosophy just doesn’t hold up in my opinion.
I think we have a responsibility to animals as a higher species (which we are, all the self-hatred aside) to be good stewards.
And I don’t think my point about ‘animal rights groups’ lack of animal knowledge is ridiculous at all. “I am an animal so I feel your pain.” That’s what ridiculous. You say it’s cruel, veterinarians say it’s not, and who should we believe?
Lets be honest - the whole animal rights thing is more about the philosophy than real facts – why would PETA euthanize so many dogs and cats otherwise?
With all due respect, you know nothing of the experience of the animals on my ranch. The in and out, day to day reality of what it’s like to make your living with animals. The connectedness of the species is more apparent in the lives of cowboys, ranchers, farmers – than those of your philosophy in Chicago, New York, Ontario, wherever.
Your experience with animals is what you think, feel, infer. A cowboys experience is what he knows. Plain and simple.
I appreciate the passion of your argument but I resent the way in which it is presented.
If the argument is so sound, why so many lies against rodeo? The flank strap wraps around the testicles, etc. – even the SHARK website says this isn’t true, but look at all the other ‘rights websites’ and tell me it’s above board.
So while I’m sure you think that your reasoning is sound, you’re making judgments about things that you know very little if anything about. Go with those who know, that’s what I say.
Animal welfare, not animal rights is the common sense way head into the future. Leave the silly philosophies, and weak-minded agendas out of it.
Horses like to buck and race sure…on their own terms. People like to be outside right? And garden? So why was it deemed unjust to use African slaves to harvest crops?
It’s just unethical to exploit any living being to carry out a task which causes pain and suffering. You cannot tell me the horses and bulls do not suffer when you strap something around their goin causing them to buck wildly.
And as for calf roping…people who do this are cowardly. A baby calf running in terror and i have seen firsthand how men in rodeos slam them to the ground and bind their feet. Out in the field perhaps real cowboys needed to be able to lasso in loose steer and such, but the rodeos today are simply sport.
Stop trying to justify rodeos, the firsthand sight of one is evidence enough, what else do we need? You act like Peta members have no idea what happens in a rodeo….there are plenty of highly educated Peta members who can figure out what it is they believe in.
Nicole –
You said, “Horses like to buck and race sure…on their own terms. People like to be outside right? And garden? So why was it deemed unjust to use African slaves to harvest crops?”
Are you really going to use that argument to justify your position?
Not only does it not make any sense it is borderline offensive and just plain sick.
African Americans are not animals – they are human beings so your point is just ridiculous.
I know why you said it, (I have way too much experience with your way of thinking) it’s the typical ‘animals are like slaves argument’ put out there by PeTA and other groups.
Specie-ists – is what I think they call anyone who holds humans higher than animals? Right? You tell me…
But let me give you a little advice – it would be wise to drop that particular line of propaganda when speaking to rational individuals.
You said, “It’s just unethical to exploit any living being to carry out a task which causes pain and suffering. You cannot tell me the horses and bulls do not suffer when you strap something around their goin causing them to buck wildly.”
WRONG! At least get your propaganda straight and in order before you post.
Like I said before – even SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) a hate-rodeo group, (one of your own kind!) states on their website that the flank strap DOES NOT wrap around the animals groin.
It’s just a plain fact, (even some of your fellow animal rights people acknowledge it) whether YOU choose to believe it or not. The flank strap doesn’t CAUSE an animal to buck, it makes them buck more efficiently – they’d buck even without the flank.
If you watch closely to any rodeo you will notice that many of the bulls or horses stop bucking when the RIDER is off of their back while the flank strap is still on them. The flank strap is an aid, not a cause for bucking. If you had any experience with livestock you’d would know this. Open your eyes.
And I know I cannot tell you anything because you choose not to listen. You THINK the flank strap causes pain and suffering – the FACT is that it doesn’t. Veterinarians don’t think it’s cruel so who should we believe? And don’t try to tell me that PeTA has vets that say it is cruel (it’s the same 3 people used on almost every Animal Rights website to try and give your weak argument some weight). I’m talking about real, working vets not payroll vets with an agenda.
As for the calf-ropers being cowardly, let’s be honest and admit that you really don’t know what you’re talking about do you? I love it when you say baby calves (a calf is a baby) running in terror, it just completely highlights your lack of knowledge about animals. Can you tell me the minimum weight that these calves have to be?
I’ve known animal righters who thought a horse was in terror when it was getting shod (that’s having horse shoes put on for all you PeTA members). You need to stop reading your own ideas and emotions into the animals you see.
I think it’s cowardly to be a hypocrite like the Vice-President of PeTA taking diabetes medicine developed from animals or PeTA euthanizing tens of thousands of dogs and cats while the shelter down the street adopted most of their strays out, or PeTA buying stock in companies like Wal-Mart and other stores rather than using the money to actually help animals, or proposing ridiculous solutions that even PeTA itself wouldn’t be able to live up to.
Shame on them all…
It’s also cowardly to make up lies in an attempt to get people to adopt a twisted philosophy.
You said, “Stop trying to justify rodeos, the firsthand sight of one is evidence enough, what else we need?”
I don’t need to justify rodeo…It is YOU who need to justify your position. I’m not the one telling you to eat beef, wear fur, or ride bulls. It’s YOU who is telling ME to change MY way of life.
I personally don’t care how you live but I also expect the same in return. I won’t let someone who has zero experience and zero knowledge about animals come and tell me what I should do on MY ranch. If you don’t like rodeo then don’t go, but leave those that do alone…
If the firsthand sight of rodeo is so bad then why has bull riding been one of the fastest growing sports over the last few years? These aren’t my numbers these are independent numbers from the Sports Business Journal and other sports publications…look them up for yourself.
PeTA’s greatest ally is ignorance- they count on people only taking a surface look and then supporting them. They recruit celebrity in the hopes that fame and fortune will dazzle people and trump any solid or meaningful opposition.
Those days are over… the rodeo community, scientific community, and those PeTA have attacked will no longer let them get away with it.
You said, “You act like Peta members have no idea what happens in a rodeo….there are plenty of highly educated Peta members who can figure out what it is they believe in.”
I don’t ACT like PeTA members have no idea about rodeo – THEY DON’T. They then come on this sight and compose comments that prove my point.
I don’t care how many PhD’s you have, how many scholarships you’ve won, or how intelligent you think you are… it doesn’t mean you can milk a cow. Or is that cruel too, to steal milk for our own consumption?
My statistics show that the vast majority of people who support animal rights causes are white, urban females, hardly the group most in touch with rural, husbandry or agricultural concerns.
I would like to say that I do appreciate you posting here as it allows me to address some of the common patterns of thought of the animal rights agenda.
Like I’ve stated before – I feel this whole movement is more anti-human than animal rights, for some reason they feel they need to inject themselves into a situation in which they know very little about. Philosophically and intellectually I’m sure they feel justified but in a practical situation their positions or solutions have very little, if not any, value.
Thank you.
Oh and by the way… the minimum weight for a calf is 220 lbs. Which is just a hair over what I weigh and I’m a big guy.