It is becoming more obvious that progressives are staging events.
Sometimes events are so poorly choreographed that it is obvious to all but the most obtuse that everything was staged. This was the case at Starbucks, where two black men were arrested “for sitting in the coffee house waiting for a business colleague.” That’s right. They were arrested for sitting. Now is the time for the gnashing of teeth, the rending or garments, and the banging of spoons on high chairs. The police report must read “Offense: sitting.” This is a great opportunity for the socially enlightened to demonstrate their breathtaking virtue. Break out the pink hats and get ready to howl at the moon.
What would reasonable people do if they were waiting to meet someone in a restaurant? Even reasonable people who don’t like Starbucks would purchase a small drink. What would reasonable people do if they were asked to leave? They would leave and wait for their friend outside. What would reasonable people do if they were asked to leave by the police? It is not necessary to answer that question. The police reportedly asked them to leave three times. Now it is believed that white people can sit in Starbucks indefinitely without being asked to leave. If they are asked to leave, they don’t have to. If the police arrive and ask them to leave three times, they can ignore the police, and the police will go away. It’s white privilege, you know.
The timing of this incident could not have been better. Andrew Yaffe, the alleged real estate developer the pair were waiting for, arrived shortly after the police began cuffing the pair. Does Malissa dePino, the camerawoman, know Yaffe? That would not be surprising. The only improvement in this scenario would be if the pair were divinity students.
Businesses need to make a profit. Starbucks wants more than that. The CEO of Starbucks wants to be loved. Starbucks CEOs have been seeking this love for years. First they wanted their employees to engage their customers on race. Next they proclaimed their love of “refugees.” Their search has been a failure. Now they will publicize that their restrooms are open to the nonpaying public as well as their seating. Why pay for the internet? Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson announced, “Creating an environment that is both safe and welcoming for everyone is paramount for every store.”
Johnson will find that his policies do not work. The city of San Francisco is realizing that its compassion has a price: disturbing surveys find trash, needles, feces littering streets of San Francisco. There are barbarians out there who will not only not clean up after themselves, but actually vandalize Starbucks restrooms.
The mainstream media have done their best to portray this as a case of 21st-century racism. The Daily Kos reported, “The trauma of arrest was followed by isolation and imprisonment.” According to Time magazine, the pair was “afraid for their lives.” Robinson said he thought about his loved ones, and Nelson wondered if he’d make it home alive. The AP reported, “The black men arrived a few minutes early. Three police officers showed up not long after.” In other words, they were not there long before the police were called. According to the AP, they were there for only a few minutes when the police were called. The black police commissioner, Richard Ross, naturally defended his men, claiming that “Nelson and Robinson were disrespectful to his officers.”
In addition to the trauma, Donte Robinson appears to be racked with guilt. He wondered what he might have done to bring this on himself and his “brother.” “I’m trying to think of something I did wrong, to put not just me but my brother, my lifelong friend … in this situation.” In spite of the trauma and the guilt, they seem to be doing well. They are all smiles as they pose for a portrait in their attorney’s office.
John Dietrich is a freelance writer and the author of The Morgenthau Plan: Soviet Influence on American Postwar Policy (Algora Publishing). He has a Master of Arts degree in international relations from St. Mary’s University. He is retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
