Marie Antoinette's alleged answer of "let them eat cake" to the question of how to feed starving peasants during the French Revolution may have sped her journey to the guillotine.  But that was most probably due to the fact that there was no cake to eat.

Starbucks on the other hand is open for business and serving gun owners without discrimination, unlike some other commercial outfits like Peet's Coffee & Tea.  Recently in California when hand gun carriers were told "no room at the Inn" by Pete's, they headed to Starbucks, causing anti-gun outfits to demand Starbucks' discriminate against lawful gun owners.

The rest of the article can be read at Examiner.com.

Starbucks' replies?

Starbucks' replies?

"Starbucks supports the federal, state and local laws of the communities in which we do business," 

&

"Starbucks does not have a corporate policy regarding customers and weapons; we defer to federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding this issue." 

In "shock," the Brady Campaign and other anti-gun rights propaganda organizations have pretty much flipped their sippy cups over the idea that a mainstream progressive commercial icon appears to be pro-gun - "more and more gun owners have been gathering at restaurants and coffee shops like Starbucks with guns strapped to their hips, intimidating fellow patrons," chortled the Brady Camapign. Another anti-gun rights group screamed of a growing "open carry hangun cult threatening public safety." 

These histrionic statements are reminiscent of that scene in the 1942 movie Casablanca where Vichy French Captain Renault walks into Rick's American Café and announces "I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!" 

Here's a hint as to what's really going on:  that corporation called Starbucks is just a little piece of paper in some state secretary of state's file drawer full of incorporation filings.. And that corporation's managers have a legal duty to both (1) maximize profits for their shareholders and (2) meet employee payroll every week - so its no surprise that they do business with all lawful and peaceful paying comers.  Most other American corporations will do as well, just ask Best Buy, Inc., the computer retailer giant: 

"Best Buy does . . . not restrict our customers who are legally entitled to carry a firearm." 

The National Rifle Association has already struck back with today's email alert to its millions of members entitled Maybe Brady Campaign Should Switch To Decaf urging NRA memebrs to thank Starbucks by email at this link. 

And the Seattle Weekly blogged today that pro-gun policies like Starbucks' arise from marketplace realities of the "the growing popularity of the Open Carry movement. It is legal in 43 states, including Washington, for gun owners to carry a handgun without having to conceal it."  Which goes to show you, money talks. 

So if you are a gun owner, the next time you need a cup a joe, drink at Starbucks.  And its OK if you are not open carrying a holstered handgun, but do try to wear some pro-gun paraphernalia like an NRA hat or a "Guns Save Lives" button.  And as you saddle up to the cash register to get that latte, just look that barista in the eye and nicely say:  "Thanks . . . and thanks for supporting the Second Amendment too."

The wink is optional ;)