At the meeting yesterday a shareholder questioned the profitability of Starbucks marriage equality stance by bringing up a boycott being levied against the coffee company by the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), a group adamantly opposed to equal marriage rights.

The shareholder referred to NOMs boycott, and said: In the first full quarter after this boycott was announced, our sales and our earringsshall we say politelywere a bit disappointing.

CEO Howard Schultz replied that not every decision is an economic decision, and went on to suggest that if shareholders thought their return was not strong enough in the face of opposition for supporting such issues, they could sell their shares.

Mr Schultz said: If you feel, respectfully, that you can get a higher return than the 38% you got last year, its a free country. You can sell your shares of Starbucks and buy shares in another company.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/03/22/starbucks-ceo-defends-equal-marriage-backing-and-tells-unhappy-shareholder-to-sell-stock/

It's amazing that Starbucks can make that much return while there are so many other coffe shops/chains around the world competing with it. Job well done! Gay lifestyle and gay marriage will be accepted as norms of our society soon.

Thanks for the post...good for them

I really don't go to Starbucks but hurrah for Howard Schultz. Sounds like something I would say!

Ditto here boiworship!

(Methinks Saxby Chambliss won't be pickin' up a cup o' joe at Starbucks any time soon)