DEAF JAM AT STARBUCKS

It's human nature to poke fun and make fun of things that aren't normal. What isn't human nature is being cruel to other human beings. That's what happened at two different Starbucks in New York City when some "cruel" employees mocked some deaf customers and refused to serve them, and now Starbucks is being sued. According to lawyer Eric Baum, who's suing on behalf of a dozen deaf customers, "They were ridiculed, laughed at and told they had to leave Starbucks." Jamie Riley, a spokeswoman for the mega-popular coffee chain, claims they were aware of the allegations and were investigating. She said, "Discrimination of any kind is unacceptable at Starbucks."

According to the lawsuit, one incident took place at 424 Park Ave South in August 2012, when a customer named Alan Roth said a barista laughed when he placed his order, telling him he sounded so funny, and then proceeded to ask him to continually repeat himself as she laughed harder each time until she was hysterically laughing. Who does this? And why is Starbucks hiring people like this? When Roth demanded to speak to a manager, the barista started screaming obscenities at him and had to be restrained by other Starbucks employees. Another employee told Roth to leave and never come back. I didn't realize these employees owned a public place where they can tell people to never come back, especially when he wasn't the one who did anything wrong. Roth says he's never before been so blatantly and maliciously discriminated against. 

The other incident happened at 13-25 Astor Place, which had been chosen as the monthly gathering place for an informal "Deaf Chat Coffee" social group. The lawsuit says the deaf customers were forced to leave and even had the police called on them another time. The police officers wound up apologizing to the group members and scolded the employees for having them called. When the officers left, one of the employees ordered the group to go and not return. Baum said that despite being barred by the employee, some of the group has since returned anyway because they feel that if they leave and never return; Starbucks wins. 

I have to be honest, I don't feel any of this should be blamed on Starbucks as a company, but I do feel that they need to seriously hire better employees. At some Starbucks, especially in Manhattan, they seem so lazy and bothered when you're ordering your drinks. Sometimes it makes you feel like apologizing for ordering. Hey, I have a message for you Starbucks baristas out there, "You work at Starbucks! And probably for minimum wage! You have no right to tell people if they can or can't stay!" For the most part, I find Starbucks' employees extremely friendly, which is why I am quite shocked by these allegations. Then again, these shops were in New York City. By the way, many of the deaf customers complained to Starbucks corporate headquarters in Seattle, and were given an apology and an offer of a gift card without any mention of disciplinary action being taken on the employees. The suit is actually seeking unspecified money damages, a court order barring discrimination against the deaf and better training for Starbucks employees. Does anyone else find it funny that Starbucks tried to make this right with a gift card?