At least you can change jobs. I can’t change being black.

Very true. Because that involves a discussion which includes different perspectives from all kinds of backgrounds, beliefs and agendas. In this thread there is no need for discussion. It is an awful, unspeakable and senseless tragedy and I pray the perpetrators of this crime receive the death penalty and rot in hell. I pray that justice is served to the animals who felt it necessary to kill these policemen. I’m sure 100% of BGP feels the...

And again, I wish I had been there because there are conflicting reports on what happened, how it happened, what could or couldn’t have been avoided and by all accounts these conflicting reports are all coming from people who were there. Folks from the police perspective blame the black guys. Folks from the black guy’s perspective blames Starbucks. As I said earlier, I’ll never be convinced that their skin color isn’t the reason for their...

Shoooooot, you and me both. I’d probably still be using the Coloreds Only bathrooms if not for Rosa.

I wish I had been there to watch it all go down. I’d tell everyone exactly what happened. Funny part is that no one would believe me anyways. :lol2: :lol2:

I’ve read the commissioner’s comments that he walked back on and then apologized for. Smart man. Gotta be tough being a black police commissioner. It’s interesting how folks get their information. The information I have read and heard on various radio shows is that once the cops were called and the manager said she wanted them removed and arrested for trespassing that the police have to arrest them. I’ve never known that the police...

Sarcasm aside, can you provide a link for that? That’s the first I have heard about them talking crazy to the police. The cops apologized to the men also? But the men were mean to them.

Well thank God these officers weren’t like other officers would have beaten and killed them. They were playing with their lives talking disrespectful to those officers like that.

Ehhhh, I’m still making sure my kids have a good grasp on how they are viewed in today’s society.

They listened to the officers. They didn’t resist arrest. They complied and did what they were told to do and lived to be able to tell their side of the story. Many other blacks weren’t as fortunate.

You and me both!!!

Unless they went to every table of folks who hadn’t purchased something and made them leave then it is profiling and discriminatory. If I am not mistaken some of the witnesses said they hadn’t purchased anything and one claimed to have used the restroom. It is what it is though. Maybe one day it will get better maybe it won’t. It’d be nice to not have to worry about it but at least blacks are learning how to avoid death in these situations.

If I am waiting on someone I am more than likely going to purchase something once we are all there together. I was raised that the polite thing to do is to wait to order once everyone has arrived. If I have to purchase something to preserve the seat or keep from getting arrested or shot then I’ll probably pull out my wallet. Well, seeing as how black men are feared all across the country when we are unarmed it doesn’t matter if I am in...

You’d just turn around leave knowing that there isn’t any good reason for you to have to leave? I probably wouldn’t even question it but I’m black so I don’t want to get arrested or shot so I’d leave quickly.

I have a hard time believing that every person in this thread wouldn’t question the manager of an establishment if they were being asked to leave for no true reason while waiting to meet someone.

With the social media the way it is and with any and everyone dying for attention when they were wronged I’d be willing to bet that it doesn’t happen that often at all without good reason. You’ll have a hard time convincing me that there was a good reason to call the police on these two gentlemen when it appears they weren’t making a scene at all.

My wife loves it. Buys it at their restaurant and at the grocery store so she can have it at home and work.

And they were arrested?

I think the manager acted on impulse and mood which may or may not have had racist intent. Only the manager knows and none of us will ever know that truth. The manager had an eye on these two gentlemen for some reason and all we know is that if these two gentlemen weren’t going to buy anything then they needed to leave. It could be for a multitude of reasons and we’ll have our own beliefs. I think at the end of the day we all know that if it...

And to add to that, I’m pretty sure the woman who videotaped it, Elizabeth DePino, stated that there was at least one other white person on Starbucks, chilling, not buying anything, using the WiFi and the bathroom whenever they wanted to, without any issue from the 911 calling fired manager. I’m sure I saw this reported somewhere.

Of course. And they expect them to not make them look bad when using this discretion. If they make them look bad, bam, fired. Peace. Diversity training for everybody!!!!!

Is that a serious question? You already know the answer to the question.

Man, ain’t that the truth.

And as of now it is only speculation if the manager followed Starbucks policy, correct?

That’s fine. I just find it incredibly odd that two men were in a public restaurant waiting on someone and were told to leave for whatever reason.

I’m guessing racism.

FWIW, I’ve gone to many different restaurants many times and haven’t ordered a thing while waiting for someone to show up before ordering anything. I’ve never known that to be against the law. Also, not sure if it has been mentioned or not but didn’t the store manager get fired?

If crime is up in Colorado because of marijuana what does the data say about Alaska, Nevada, California, Maine, Washington, Oregon, Vermont, D.C. and Massachusetts? All of those states have also legalized recreational marijuana. Is crime up in those states? And yes, I read the CNN article where it says the data doesn’t support the belief that crime is up because of marijuana and that it is just a general belief amongst some influential...

This is one of the greatest posts I have ever read on BGP. I can’t begin to tell you how much this post means to me. I truly appreciate your thoughtful post.