Recent world tensions have trickled into a main focus of young social media users and some of our beloved brands have taken a side that many do not stand for. The conflict going on in the Gaza Strip has been going on since October of this year and sadly doesn’t show a stopping point anytime soon. The tensions started when Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, led surprise attacks on multiple locations in Israel including a music festival, towns, and even a military base. Since this, Israel has vowed to put an end to Hamas and will do anything necessary to reach this goal. Here is where the issue lies, they are using many tactics that some would feel unethical and very drastic. Israel has besieged Gaza and since launched a ground invasion and since there has been a back-and-forth bloodbath from both sides.
What has really taken the internet by storm was the lawsuit that Starbucks issued against one of its own workers unions. Starbucks Workers United shared a post on their social media depicting their support for the Palestinians during this tough time and Starbucks struck back with a lawsuit claiming that the group cannot use their name and a logo resembling their own. The union returned with a comment claiming that Starbucks is against Palestinian support. This caused outrage on both sides and in such has stirred up the younger adult online community, the majority of Starbucks customers.
Many college students and other young adults across social media have spoken out about their position against Israel and its inhumane use of military force and even calling the ground invasion and other attacks “genocide” of Palestinian people. The lawsuit and all the drama around Starbucks and other brands has sparked a boycott of certain companies that show support of Israel and that send funds to them, essentially supporting the war effort and encouraging and actively participating in the act of genocide. A student from Texas A&M University- Texarkana says, “ I think big corporations were at some point thinking about making money [over the conflict] so they went towards the money without thinking about the people and now they are realizing that their choice to make money is actually losing them money.” Currently, there hasn’t been too much buzz locally but knowing that some students may feel a certain way about the conflict and also having a Starbucks at the Patterson Student Center, may influence some to protest and boycott on campus.
Hopefully the conflict will end soon in the most humane and peaceful way, allowing both sides to come to an agreement and stopping the unneeded killing, but until that happens, will you be dining at Starbucks?