Starbucks starts campaign to discuss racism

SEATTLE, March 17 (UPI) -- Starbucks has launched a campaign to start a conversation about racism in the United States.

The Race Together campaign, kicked off by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, will involve baristas at 12,000 locations writing the words "Race Together" on customers' cups to encourage a dialogue about race.

Despite raw emotion around racial unrest from Ferguson, Missouri to New York City to Oakland, "we at Starbucks should be willing to talk about these issues in America," Schultz told employees in Seattle. "Not to point fingers or to place blame, and not because we have answers, but because staying silent is not who we are."

Starbucks partnered with USA Today on the project which will publish a supplement March 20 featuring "conversation starters" including fill-in-the-blank sentences like "In the past year, I have been to the home of someone of a different race ___ times."

The campaign has generated a good amount of cynicism on social media with people using the #RaceTogether to tweet their criticisms.

And yes, some of my best friends drink black coffee. #RaceTogether

— Tamara (@LibertarianSass) March 17, 2015

Not sure what @Starbucks was thinking. I don't have time to explain 400 years of oppression to you & still make my train. #RaceTogether

— April (@ReignOfApril) March 17, 2015

Starbucks #RaceTogether : Making white people feel good about themselves for superficially talking about race since 2015

— King Bree (@BreeToniRose) March 17, 2015

They can't even call a "small" coffee a "small".

How the hell is Starbucks going to fix racism? #RaceTogether

— Josh Hogan (@HogansBeard) March 17, 2015

y'all realize there are no coloured hands in the press photos right @Starbucks #RaceTogether pic.twitter.com/Epd9knTYfz

— black power alt bro (@vidalwuu) March 17, 2015

Being a barista is hard enough. Having to talk #RaceTogether with a woman in Lululemon pants while pouring pumpkin spice is just cruel.

— Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) March 17, 2015

Starbucks pays Ethiopian farmers pennies for coffee beans. They turn around and charge $10 for grande latte. #ExploitTogether #RaceTogether

— Uber ObamaBot (@NewaHailu) March 17, 2015

Starbucks is the Trojan horse of gentrification. As soon as one opens up on the block you know your neigborhood is under siege #RaceTogether

— Darkskin Aunt Viv (@Shugnice) March 17, 2015