Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Coffee weird way to show support

I will never understand some things about coffee.

I don't get how people will want to throw elected officials out of office when gasoline hits $3 a gallon, but think nothing of letting the engine idle while buying a $4 latte.

I don't get how people think they save instantly using K-Cups when they just paid $100 for the machine that brews them.

My most recent confusion? How people think buying coffee sends a clear message.

Enter Operation #Trumpcup. A prominent Twitter user told supporters of President-Elect Donald Trump to order a drink at Starbucks, tell the barista the name on the cup is "Trump," and film any barista who refuses to follow the directions.

In an open letter to Starbucks, the Tweeter said the media was incorrectly labeling the operation a protest, and in fact hoped Starbucks made a lot of money. The operation was, "an example as how we want to make America great again and show respect for our president and our country."

My first thought was, "I wonder how many of the people seeking to show respect for the president and the country still have 'Nobama' bumper stickers on their cars."

My second thought was that I couldn't totally fault people for thinking #Trumpcup was a protest. It was only a year ago Christian huckster Joshua Feuerstein led a revolution against Starbucks for daring to release a plain red cup for the Christmas season.

Feuerstein bragged he tricked a Starbucks barista into saying "Merry Christmas" by using that as his name. Because when you want to show a corporation who's boss while standing up for Godly values, you buy their product and make the employee least responsible for your grievance jump through hoops for your enjoyment.

Checkmate, heathens.

Maybe Starbucks will make it easier to make a statement by ginning up a tumbler with "Trump" already written on it. "Show respect all the time, only $19.99."

At least we're not back in 2003, protesting France by renaming French fries (no financial impact on France) and buying French wine and pouring it down the drain (positive financial impact on France).

We're aware there are Trump voters out there, just as we're aware there are Clinton voters. The person next to you likely voted for one of them.

But if you'd still like to make a statement, and we're nowhere near a Starbucks, I'm willing to help you out. Come up to me and say, "Operation #Trumpcup." I'll write "Trump" down on something and then say, "Trump."

I won't have any coffee for you. But I'll only charge $3.

Kevin Wilson is managing editor for the Clovis office of The Eastern New Mexico News. Contact him at:

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