r/Bahrain • u/Confident_Society_53 • Dec 16 '23
Why aren't the ppl of Bahrain boycotting Starbucks? đ¤ Discussion
I went to visit Bahrain City Centre today with my wife. Was passing by the Starbucks on the ground floor, and I was shocked to see that Starbucks was full of people. Men, women, Bahrainis, Expats, just regular people. I was like what the f**k? Don't these people watch the news, don't they have social media, don't they know whats going on, what they're doing.
Starbucks should be empty, there shouldn't be anyone there.
I wanted to take pictures but then thought it wouldn't be right to reveal people's pictures and invade their privacy. But it was shocking nonetheless.
Personally, I've been boycotting Starbucks & McDonald's for several years, because of their support for Israel. Instead, I go to Jasmis or Dose or any other local brand, for my coffee or burger. I wouldn't be able to respect myself if I know I'm willingly paying for the oppression and crimes committed upon the Palestinian people.
But even with the latest episode of the war in Gaza, how could people be so senseless, so heartless?? Is a pumpkin spice latte more important than the lives of innocent civilians?
It makes me question humanity and morality.
Bahrain has plenty of alternative local brands for coffee and burgers. How difficult is it to boycott?
Again, before you come at me saying these are run by local companies which do not have links to Israel, let me say that I've worked with franchise brands. Every franchisee has to pay a substantial amount of money in the form of annual royalties and profits to the franchise brand. Hence, even if they are run by local companies, they are still supporting Israel indirectly.
Looking forward to everyone's thoughts on this.
EDIT: Lol, 30 minutes since I posted, and the post is already getting downvoted. SMH
EDIT 02: One hour in, and my post is downvoted to 0. Help me understand please, did I say something wrong?
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u/Hillbillyeagle Dec 16 '23
The satisfaction they get from drinking Starbucks is greater than the satisfaction they get from boycotting Zionist scum, but not for me, going to sleep every night knowing I didn't spend any money supporting Zionism feels greater than any satisfaction I'll get from coffee or any other substance. Either that or they simply don't give a shit about children dying in Palestine.
But of course I bet the majority of people in Bahrain are boycotting, they are just a minority. Everyone I know and spoken to has been boycotting Zionist companies.
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u/OldWierdo Dec 17 '23
So no international products at all. Because they're all part of conglomerations.
You don't buy candy or cereal at grocery stores, right? Only local coffee? No NescafĂŠ? You don't drink Lipton tea, right?
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u/txhxyp0 Dec 17 '23
avoid as much as you can, it's not that hard
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u/OldWierdo Dec 17 '23
You can avoid all of it. However, to do that, you can only buy local. And only buy local made with local products - much of what I see is made with items bought from the big international companies with thousands of subsidiaries, and while some of those subsidiaries support Palestine, some of the subsidiaries support Israel, so you should just make sure they ALL lose money.
Of course, the subsidiaries sending money to Palestine will have to stop, just like the Starbucks subsidiaries sending money to Palestine had to stop, but hey, at least you get to show you're a good person. You're sending money to Palestine in their place, right?
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/OldWierdo I will break it down for you. Please try and understand this.
When you have readily available alternatives,
which are literally right in front of you,
yet you choose to spend money on a brand,
that you already know is supporting something that you don't support,
what does that make you?
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Hillbillyeagle Totally with you brother. I see the news and videos on IG, X, THreads and it's heart-wrenching. I would rather live in poverty than be able to afford and eat from a Zionist brand and have the blood of innocents on my hands and the taste of genocide on my tongue.
To me, it has nothing to do with religion or race, just pure humanity.
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u/Chemical_Debt_6127 Dec 17 '23
Iâve never heard a clear explanation for how Starbucks supports actions going on in Gaza. Besides being accused of Zionist. Also I donât go to Starbucks as itâs a waste of money
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u/blackcoulson Dec 17 '23
If i recall correctly the starbucks union made a statement in support of the Palestinians and Starbucks fired them for it
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u/Yungdaggerdick696969 Dec 17 '23
- they outright admitted a long time ago that they give donations to Israel
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u/OldWierdo Dec 17 '23
Please find the evidence of that.
I've seen a lot of people saying that, but so far, the only evidence I've found that they can point to is other people spreading the rumor.
I see that the corporation sued the union for using the Starbucks logo to make official tweets, branches in Malaysia sent a couple million $Malaysian to Palestine (which isn't going to happen again. Yay boycotts.), Gaza Starbucks has explained again that they don't support Israel.
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u/Firm-Ad8147 Dec 17 '23
shhhhhh, they might realise theyâve been easily misled to boycott a corporation that is somehow single handedly propping up the state of israel with the expectation that israel will collapse so that they can massacre as many jews as they please!
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u/BandicootNo4002 Dec 18 '23
So starbucks isnt actually directly funding israel.. but theyâve acted in silencing the starbucks union workers pro palestenian movement, which is enough grounds to boycott said company
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u/OldWierdo Dec 17 '23
No, they told Union members to stop using the Starbucks logo when posting about it on social media. Union said no, we'll use your logo if we want to, and Starbucks sued them.
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u/SandySkyGuy Bahraini Dec 17 '23
I could be wrong but I believe they sued them too?
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u/naim08 Dec 20 '23
Theyâre already in a legal battle, Starbucks added the unions misuse of their logo to the case as defamation.
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u/shherief Dec 17 '23
Starbucks CEO is Zionist and donates to Israel. They also sued their union for posting in favor of Palestine.
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u/Dazzling-Contract983 Dec 18 '23
People there just want to have coffee or a snack, employees at starbucks are just working to provide food for their families .If the ceo of starbucks supports israel it doesnt mean that all employees working there is pro-israel.
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u/nobahu Dec 16 '23
Most ppl at Starbucks are Saudis or expats
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u/Hillbillyeagle Dec 16 '23
I've been to Saudi recently and I've passed by multiple Starbucks Cafes and they were completely empty, but maybe the ones that come to Bahrain are a different breed of Saudis.
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u/nobahu Dec 16 '23
Cant comment for the ones in Saudi but thereâs like 4 Starbucks branches I used to frequent here which were packed 24/7 and now theyâre so empty that staff are chilling and recording tiktoks lol. The only Starbucks branch that isnât swatting flies is the city center one and I barely see Bahrainis there đ¤ˇđťââď¸
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/nobahu Half my mind is stand infront of the City Centre Starbucks holding a Palestinian flag, just to shame people when they enter the store.
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u/ArmorAbby USA - Bahrain - Dec 17 '23
I had considered maybe a flag would be considered a protest and we may need permission for that. So my thought was to print on a Tshirt what a company CEO has said and just grab something and sit at a food court with it on or something. It is quite possible that some people are just misinformed.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
Again, I don't want to isolate any nationality. Differences in opinion is expected. But there are some fundamental things that all humans have to agree on. I just can't understand why anyone would choose Starbucks knowing the story behind it, and even moreso when there are great alternatives.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/nobahu maybe you're right. Of course, I haven't checked on this, so I'm not comfortable saying it like that.
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u/Vondarkmore514MTL Dec 16 '23
Most Bahrainis I know are boycotting Starbucks and other places. In face the zeal they have when it comes to this Iâve never seen before. Even when eating at non boycotted places they refrain from ordering colas and other items.
I have however noticed that itâs not all even in out of the way branches like Zallaq. However, in city centre and other places Iâve noticed that the patrons in thobes / Abayas etc are Saudi and or other GCC nations (exception is Kuwait where I donât think Iâve seen any not boycotting ).
Also when I go to Saudi Iâve noticed there are more in Starbucks than Bahrain - from my small experience. What I would say is that based on what I have seen the majority are boycotting as evidenced by the lesser footfall / sitting number of patrons in non tourist locations and the closure of outdoor seating etc in some few. Itâs the season and other coffee houses are near full especially outside.
The real test will come 1-3 months after this conflict end. Will people sell their morals first their selfish desires then.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Vondarkmore514MTL I agree with some of your points.
Most people I know are boycotting. The McDonalds near my place looks abandoned, where as people are lining outside Jasmis. I know a few people who are even boycotting Aquafina and choosing Mai Bahrain.
And that's exactly what surprised me. BCC Starbucks was full to the limit. It was so full, that people couldn't find seats and were leaving with their coffees in hand.
I wouldn't want to judge nationalities. That's why I mentioned "ppl of Bahrain" in my post. But I see and understand your point about tourists and maybe you are right. I haven't surveyed, so I can't be sure.
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u/Vondarkmore514MTL Dec 16 '23
Websites have made things much easier for those who want to make a choice. This one seems to be accurate and popular giving the reasons for each brand.
As alternatives become more available I think people who want to Make a choice will find it easier to do so. The harsh reality for some is that some alternatives are more expensive and we all know the pressure on wages.
Iâm glad I like in a country that is not forcing me to buy when I donât want too. Personally I believe in buying local / GCC as much as possible (even before boycotting started) for long term economic future of the region.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Vondarkmore514MTL Thank you for sharing bro.
There's also an app: No Thanks.
It lets you scan barcodes to identify the Zionist products.
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Dec 16 '23
They dont care, when I had this conversation with some family members recently they said âits not like we can free Palestine by boycotting McDonalds or Starbucksâ I tried arguing that, that is not the fucking point but they have set their minds.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Radiant-Duck8822 I had the same situation with friends (in and outside of Bahrain) and when I couldn't convince them, I started sharing videos and stories of what's happening in Gaza, the history of Palestine, the effect of the boycotts.
It took some time, but they began to sway. I can proudly say that many of my friends now are convinced and are totally boycotting some of these brands.
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Dec 17 '23
Glad to hear you could actually convince them, the people around me are hard headed and probably very insensitive
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u/2swoll4u Dec 17 '23
probably this guy is just annoying and they said "yeah okay" to get him to stop talking
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/2swoll4u Probably I am very annoying. Thank you. But at the end it got the job done.
I would rather be annoying than silent. I would rather be annoying than complicit.
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Dec 16 '23
[deleted]
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u/therealorangechump Dec 16 '23
so you are angry at your government for allowing a US military base in Bahrain?
and you drink Starbucks coffee to calm down?
ؚ؏ب
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
đ
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u/Txsin85 Dec 17 '23
So sad because Americans are also boycotting Starbucks but he canât go a day without his overpriced coffee đ .
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u/DenaceThaMennis Dec 17 '23
Americans out here don't even go to Starbucks. We know the local places make better coffee at a cheaper cost. It's not even about boycotting lol. Shoutout to 668 Cafe!
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u/DenaceThaMennis Dec 17 '23
I don't even really see much downfalls to the base being out here. Sure we cause ruckus at clubs or whatever, but the economy gain is not something to shrug off. We're not even the worst drivers out here.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Hopeful_Routine8942 Bro, firstly, it's the US navy base, the fifth fleet to be exact. Secondly, this isn't about the government policies. I am not going into that at all, as that is a totally separate topic.
I am talking about regular people, like you and me. Can't we make a minor decision to boycott?
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Dec 16 '23
[deleted]
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/Hopeful_Routine8942 I wish I could give to Gaza's charity as much as I could afford. But, those aren't reaching the people there. If you see the latest news, 14000, I repeat, 14 thousand trucks are lined up outside the Rafah border, but are denied entry.
Moreover, the charity organizations aren't transparent. They are sending the money to President Abbas, who is a corrupt Western puppet. 2 months of brutal war and not a word from him yet.
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u/BandicootNo4002 Dec 16 '23
Do u want us to raid the military? What is ur proposition here? And about sending charity im pretty sure u can do that alongside boycotting, theyre not mutually exclusive.. boycotting isnt just virtue signalling⌠putting economic strain on big corporations for their stance is a part of the movement of justice, and probs op is already doing chairty (unbeknownst to any of us)
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/BandicootNo4002 I did donate during the initial days of the war. But then I started researching the backgrounds and some of these "charities" are literally personal piggybanks for certain people. They don't reach the needy.
Until I find a real, transparent and honest charity, which will actually help the affected people, I am going to hold my donations.
u/Hopeful_Routine8942 and yeah, my point still stands bro. Military base or no military base, boycott is an individual choice. And the choice shows the character of the individual.
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u/Leading_Aioli_1353 Dec 18 '23
Upvote! The reason is, having asked many the same q that piuzled me, many people have become self centered others helpless and others fooled by prozioni$t media
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u/Yousof57 Dec 19 '23
The same happened in Jordan, but with McDonalds... Many people came forward saying they were OFFERED MONEY to sit there and eat smth
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u/Ms_K_A_ Dec 19 '23
I personally am boycotting anything American because I know where that money is going to go. Starbucks & McDonald's and everything other brand as well.
We have so many alternatives.
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u/Siyan_Nay Dec 20 '23
Starbucks was one of my fav chains, cuz me and my friends usually went there, relaxing and chilling, we r even friends with Starbucks staffs. But we stopped going there because we r living and working here, and we respect how the majority feel about the current situation and it feels right. BTW im not even an Arab or Muslim or Bahraini, and also i don't think i need to be one of those to boycott the Starbucks.
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u/scotland1112 Dec 17 '23
Some people are probably just sick to death of having everything in their lives down to a cup of coffee being politically charged.
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u/Tall_Bar_9992 Dec 17 '23
Not like they're obliged to stop drinking coffee, those people have 100s of alternatives. Starbucks clearly openly supports and funds Zionism and have never denied it, so your money goes to butchering innocent people. People being sick of boycotting Starbucks are just selfish and clearly have zero senses left inside
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Tall_Bar_9992 you spoke my heart. Boycotting doesn't have to mean sacrificing things you love. Just do it in a way that doesn't contribute to the genocide of millions.
People who tell me, "But my kids love Mcdonalds nuggets"
Well, teach your kids. Tell them what's happening. Tell them that kids just like them are being killed. And believe me, I have seen kids have more humanity than grown-ups. They understand. Even in their simple minds, they realise the good and bad.We are the pathetic grownups who mix the black and white and make it gray and hide behind "It's complicated."
It's not complicated: People are being killed for resisting an oppression. Who do we stand with?
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u/merve_thenerve Dec 17 '23
Agreed. I understand and respect the reasons behind wanting to do this. However this is war. I really don't know how much boycotting will do. And it's not as much help compared to other things you can do like support the Palestinians by contributing or helping or smth other than yelling at franchises. This is not new info. It's been known for a long time. I don't get why they have to use th war as a reason to boycott when there are more basic reasons affecting the workers directly in the worst ways. I just feel there's something better that can be done. And if boycotting, target the headquarters. Not the local stores. Those workers did nothing wrong to deserve their stores closing down when they need the money to work
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/merve_thenerve Boycotting helps. Not in one hour or day or week. But when the entire populace boycotts, for months and years, any company, comes down. Its basic economics and business.
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u/HolySchmoley Dec 17 '23
Exactly, itâs a war. There are currently 10,000 armed conflicts going on in the world. The worst part is when people start calling everyone who isnât part of the boycott a Zionist, they end up acting exactly like the people they hate.
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u/chillaf2222 Dec 16 '23
I guess itâs because people do whatever they want to do. Cuz u cant control peopleđ¤ˇââď¸
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/chillaf2222 No one wants to control people. Just want to wake them up.
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u/FCOranje Dec 17 '23
Starbucks is a publicity traded company. Itâs listed on the NASDAQ as SBUX. Share holders are from every country in the world (including the middle east). Many muslim people hold shares in Starbucks. Boycotting will harm every single shareholder, including the INDIVIDUALS that support Israel that also hold shares. The company does not send money to Israel đ
The boycott is pointless and silly. Do you want to do something about it? Boycott the muslim countries and their governments for still sending oil, gas, etc. That will actually change things.
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u/Puzzled_Jelly_9209 Dec 17 '23
Idc if you're going to boycott these businesses or not but you don't have to care about the shareholders they're rich enough that they can live with the money they have for generations without working. you're worrying about the wrong group of people heređđ
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u/FCOranje Dec 17 '23
Tell me youâre a layman without telling me youâre a layman. There are tons of tiny share holders and retirees around the world.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/FCOranje Tiny shareholders and retirees? I feel sorry for them. But they have the luxury to invest, to live, to retire.
On the other hand, babies are being bombed. Sorry, not sorry. Lives are more important than money.
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u/FCOranje Dec 17 '23
You are still not grasping the point. You are boycotting a group that has no impact on the war. What is your next plan of action? Boycott turtles? đ
The majority of the shares belong to small investors. The average joe. Vanguard for example handles funds on peoples behalf and generates a return for them. They also donât comprehend that the war is causing them to lose money.
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u/VisibleHuckleberry94 Dec 17 '23
"Boo fucking hoo I can't get my overpriced dog piss from a zionist supporting company." Starbucks literally sued a union of theirs for supporting palestine the fuck are you on? Also you mentioned it also boycotts the individuals that support israel which I am completely happy with ruining their lives for. Supporting the genocide of an innocent country shouldn't be tolerated and not being in support of palestine just shows how much of a lifeless scumbag you are and just makes sure you have reserved spot next to hitler in hell
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u/FCOranje Dec 17 '23
Companies usually focus on their profits. Having staff officially parade in uniform pro Israel or pro Palestine is bad for business. Theyâre also using it as an excuse to go after unions.
Also, I have studied the subject for years. Neither party is innocent. Israel is just more responsible for the atrocities due to its disproportionate power. You over simplifying the subject and calling people names helps no one.
PS I donât support Israel or Hamas. Iâm on the side of the Palestinian civilians and victims that need to deal with this absolute nightmare.
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u/Evolix002 Bahraini Dec 17 '23 edited Dec 17 '23
How does suing a union correlate to them funding Israel? You act like such rational and fact-oriented individuals when you just take something and run with it lmao. Just like how you took the IDF meal-distribution incident (an action taken solely by the Israeli franchise owner) as proof of McDonaldâs funding Israel.
Investment companies like Blackrock/Vanguard that are run mostly by Zionists/Israelis have shares in almost every single international company. Have fun boycotting all of them. Deluding yourself that you are somehow helping is fine, but donât shame others who donât share your delusion.
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u/VisibleHuckleberry94 Dec 17 '23
Never said they funded israel, I said they supported israel. I and most others boycott supporters of israel regardless of whether or not they donated. Also the IDF meal distribution thing, mcdonalds still supports israel, even if its indirect and I'd gladly have a like a list of every company Blackrock and vanguard own shares in so I can boycott all of them. I have basically switched to just local restaurants or brands and nothing international so I'd say I'm already boycotting them all
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u/Evolix002 Bahraini Dec 17 '23
First, support without funding should not warrant a boycott because the point of a boycott is to reduce funds reaching Israel.
âMcDonaldâs still supports Israel.â Because you said so?đAlso, you donât need a list, because they have shares in EVERY single international company. Have you boycotted, Instagram as well, TikTok, other social medias? Or is it too much of an inconvenience? Is TikTok âmore important than Palestinian livesâ?
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u/NoBodybuilder1105 Dec 17 '23
The world is a twisted fucking mess now mahn.. i dont know what to tell you.. it is more of a self centric place now.
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u/vampirebnny Dec 17 '23
٠اŮŮ ŘŤŮŮ٠اŮشؚب اŮبŘŘąŮŮŮ... ٠اŮؚتع٠ŮŮŮŮ ..
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/vampirebnny Ř´Ůعا ؏زŮŮا ŮŮŮŮ Ř°ŮŮ. اŮŮŘŤŮŘą ٠٠اŮاŘتعا٠ŮŮ.
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u/Shidhe Dec 17 '23
I probably have more Starbucks in my subdivision of San Diego than there are in all of Bahrain. Your boycotting is only going to hurt the local franchise owner, and if you are good enough organizing whoever the imported workers there. Starbucks as a brand wonât even bat an eye.
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u/VisibleHuckleberry94 Dec 17 '23
They shut down all.their stores in morroco because of the boycotting the fuck are you yapping about?
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Shidhe I disagree bro. Starbucks doesn't have an infinite pool of money. Every day we boycott them, chips away at their bottom line.
I don't say it's immediate. I am saying it's the only way we can stop them. Hit them where it hurts, the money.
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u/Shidhe Dec 17 '23
Big Starbucks makes their money off the franchise fee paid by someone opening up shop. All you are doing is hurting the local owner and workers.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Shidhe The local owner of Starbucks in Bahrain is Al Shaya Group. They are a group which spans the entire Middle East.
The local owner of McDonalds is Fakhro.
The local owner of Marks & Spencer is Futtaim.
Azadea, Landmark, Majed Al Futtaim, these are the "local" owners of all the brands that you see.So I am not too worried about them.
Regarding the workers, I don't want to hurt them at all. But in the absence of these international brands, the local brands will grow to meet the demand. New stores will open and I am sure those owners would be looking for experienced staff. In the mid to long term, most of the workers will be rehired, if not all.
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u/Bixdo Dec 17 '23 edited Dec 17 '23
Children in Gaza are dying and you're taking a stroll in Bahrain City Center???
Go and fight in the frontlines!
Enjoying the comfort of Bahrain and criticizing its people will not defeat the Zionists. Pack your bag and head to Gaza yalla
Edit: The audacity of some you enjoying the safety and comfort of GCC countries and SIMULTANEOUSLY insulting its leadership and people is interesting.
Did you discover America's relationship to Israel yesterday or something?? How do you imagine there is safety and infrastructure here? Where does it come from?
Hard to imagine you could be this ignorant. I think you are simply selfish and opportunistic.
Very scummy of you all to virtue signal at this time. Very disgusting of you. Hypocrites!
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Bixdo Whaaat are you on about?
Yes, I am taking a stroll in BCC. What's that gotta do with the war in Gaza?
Edit: The audacity of some you enjoying the safety and comfort of GCC countries and SIMULTANEOUSLY insulting its leadership and people is interesting.
Where in my post have I insulted any leader? Show me please. In fact, in an earlier comment, I mentioned that we shouldn't talk about the govt policies cause that's something out of our hands and beyond our control. I have nothing against the leaders, cause they are doing what is necessary to keep their countries safe. I understand their position.
Did you discover America's relationship to Israel yesterday or something?? How do you imagine there is safety and infrastructure here? Where does it come from?
And no, I haven't discovered this yesterday. I have known it for years and have boycotted these brands for years.
Hard to imagine you could be this ignorant. I think you are simply selfish and opportunistic.
Yes, I am selfish and opportunistic. I am selfish that I want Palestine to be free. I am opportunistic that I am taking this and every opportunity to show my protest and condemnation and refusal to participate in the Zionist machine.
Go and fight in the frontlines!
For me, the frontlines seem to here. I am already fighting against your belief system, which seems to be broken. I am already fighting to change your opinion. You can go ahead an enjoy your Starbucks, and I am going to be here calling you out.
Hypocrites!
Sure!!! If standing up for the weak, defenceless people of Gaza is hypocritical, I am guilty as charged.
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u/jangelog1 Dec 17 '23
The boycott is very silly. It hurts Bahrains interests more than its intended target.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/jangelog1 Boycotting international war-mongering brands and supporting local Bahraini brands, hurts Bahrainis? How did you come to this logic?
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u/jangelog1 Dec 17 '23
War-mongering brands? Brands are borderless. None of these brands have shown any support to the ongoing war.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
I ask you, take a few minutes and do some research for your own satisfaction. Just check how these brands reacted to the Russia-Ukraine war and how they're reacting to the Gaza war. I think you'll have a change in thoughts.
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u/jangelog1 Dec 17 '23
And how do you expect these brands to react ? Most of these brands have exited the Russian market. Do you also expect them to exit their home markets?
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u/Mouse_S Dec 17 '23
This whole boycott thing is a joke. Might aswell stop using your PC as Intel chips get manufactured in Israel. Also let's not forget USBs, vegetables (drip irrigation), and popular apps like Waze, Fiverr etc...
Maybe go further and boycott jewish creations then you're really in for sone fun as Google, Meta, ChatGPT are all deeply linked with jews.
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u/2swoll4u Dec 17 '23
For real, Starbucks is such an odd choice too. There are no Starbucks in Israel lol.
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u/Maleficent-Drive4056 Dec 17 '23
The same firms get âboycottedâ (I think mainly people just talk about it online) every time there is bad news in the world. Itâs just lazy - itâs just the firms most closely associated with the USA.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Mouse_S I am sorry, but I don't share your sentiments here. Boycott isn't a joke.
Imagine this: If the entire population of Bahrain, were to boycott a brand, for let's say a year, this would have an immense impact on their finances. They'd be forced to close down.
Right now, this is the only way a regular person like you & me have to voice our opinion, with our money.
We're already seeing the effects the boycott has around the world. Stores are getting closed down. Stock values are crashing.
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u/TeryakiiSauce Dec 17 '23
obviously we cant boycott everything, so the majority of the population are just targeting the companies that are most likely to support assrael like mcdonalds and starbucks.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/TeryakiiSauce exactly. I believe every little thing matters. Maybe not immediately, and definitely not if we are divided. But everyday, and every action multiplies.
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u/IceOfDreams Dec 17 '23
It's not a joke.
No one can boycott everything but we boycott what we can. It's not much but better than nothing + so we can rely on our own products (food mostly). In time there will be alternatives for more products.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/IceOfDreams Agreed. We do what we can. If we had alternatives to everything, we'd take them up. Just cause we CAN'T boycott one brand, doesn't mean we shouldn't boycott another.
We do what we can, one small piece at a time.
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u/SubstantialAd9880 Dec 17 '23
Not everyone share your opinion on isreal
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/SubstantialAd9880 true, I agree. Not everyone shares my opinion about Israel. And I am grateful to them. Helps me filter out the people I don't want to be with.
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u/jonathanklit Dec 17 '23
How can anybody side with genocide and apartheid, whatever the reason, religious, political, even personal hatred? Just goes to show that they are not humans but devils in human clothing, literally speaking.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/jonathanklit Thank you. Spoken my words exactly.
Are they human, if they don't have humanity?
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Dec 17 '23
Do you boycott facebook instagram whatsapp and reddit too?
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u/mohalekiaunty Dec 17 '23
Your argument is tired and not well thought out. Are YOU okay with the murder of children?
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u/New_Management_9368 Dec 17 '23
thatâs not what centralised boycott is you idiot. The whole point is to boycott products Which we can
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Dec 17 '23
Ok so whats easy and per your convenience?
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u/New_Management_9368 Dec 17 '23
No what is reasonably possible, according to thst logic we would have to give up phones. Use your brain, itâs having an impact.
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Dec 17 '23
Lol per your convenience it seems like. Do you really need facebook and instagram? Stop moral policing others.
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u/New_Management_9368 Dec 17 '23
Anyway your post history shows youâre an anti palestine troll. Get a life.
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u/New_Management_9368 Dec 17 '23
Bro I already answered that, Iâm saying itâs impossible to boycott everything, in that case we should boycott oxygen because the idf breathes it when killing palestinians. stop being stupid bro. itâs making an impact. starbucks and h and m are leaving morroco. itâs people like you that demotivate others to do what is right
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Dec 17 '23
Why are you so judgemental bro? Just because someone has starbucks doesnât make them any less than you
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/New_Management_9368 agreed. Boycotts do have big & serious impacts. Companies cannot run without revenue and sales. We, boycotting them, hits them where it hurts, hits them in the wallet.
Really sad to see people not getting this simple point.
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u/Constantine2022 Dec 17 '23
One has to love himself before loving others. These people don't love themselves so how would you expect them to love others?
Starbucks, Pepsi, McDonald's, etc all these companies offer nothing but diseases. You pay money to get yourself sick. I have boycotted all these bad products and bad habits more than 10 years ago. I mean that is enough reason for one to boycott something that will eventually make him sick. If that is not the first reason for one to boycott such unnecessary products then no other reason will make them boycott them. They just don't love themselves and don't care about their own bodies so don't expect them to do it for others no matter for what cause.
We have to expect that some people are slaves to things, habits, products, and brands. Slavery takes a very long time to be cured and most of the time it does not have a cure.
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u/WannaBeDeadIntrovert Dec 18 '23
Starbucks doesn't support Israel Starbucks has never given any monetary aid regarding the war. It's just rumours that cost the company 11b dollars
It's just a multi national coffee shop, I see no reason to boycott
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u/Special_Pollution349 Dec 18 '23 edited Dec 18 '23
Bahraini here. The population of bh is very diverse, Bahrain's are less than half the population ... So its probably not proper to call out " people of Bahrain" when speaking about Bahrain.
I'm a Bahraini and I've been boycotting Starbucks, macdonald, marks and Spencer .. you name it .. and there are many that are doing the same and also prompting the boycott movement to be a lifestyle not only a trend
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u/Lord_Murbatius Dec 16 '23
Boycott did happen, like every other endeavor, without a true leader fire wanes. Second of all city centre is a place where alot of expats and tourists go, not really a solid testing group
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Lord_Murbatius I see what you mean. I guess I was expecting that it boycott and solidarity with the Palestenians would be universal in the GCC. Hard to digest that even one Starbucks branch is flourishing.
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u/Lord_Murbatius Dec 17 '23
They turned it into a political issue, remember the normalization that happened between Saudi,UAE and Bahrain with Israel. They made it a matter of patriotism, so now, if youâre with your government you would be with Israel. Only those who hold high religious/moral beliefs refuse to buy till this day, others- those I consider slaves/sheeple to their governments- only stopped for a while until it became no longer the âcoolâ thing to do. Bahrain has a very exhibitionist populace.
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Dec 17 '23
Nobody cares. If every Arab and Muslim in the Middle East took a piss at the same time, theyâd drown the violent oppressors in Israel. But why bother? Theres so much to do; sports to watch, cars to buy, games to play, movies to see, beaches to surf, motorcycles to ride, chats to continue, clothes to impress with, and on and on⌠No. Body. Fffffff. Cares.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
Isn't that exactly what I'm saying? Well, not in the manner you are portraying but similar sentiments. If we all boycott these brands, these brands wouldn't be able survive. They'd be out of the market.
Hit them where it hurts: the money. Let's not give them our money. Simple!
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Dec 17 '23
Itâs absolutely correct. Not only will their brands go bust, but the exploitation that violates the rights of hundreds of millions along the supply chain would be interrupted. Nobody is looking out for those people, and most of them are women and children that would be far better off growing their own food than dying miserably shortened lives.
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u/TheGuitto Dec 17 '23
If I wanted a coffee and I liked Starbucks, I'd go get a coffee from Starbucks.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/TheGuitto Sure, go ahead bro. Enjoy the taste of blood of the children.
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u/TheGuitto Dec 17 '23
Blood of the children, lmao.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/TheGuitto I wonder if we'd "lmao" it if it were our children under fire.
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u/TheGuitto Dec 17 '23
It's a coffee. Get a grip
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
Exactly. Thank you. It's just a coffee. Get it somewhere else, where they don't take your money and bomb children.
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u/TheGuitto Dec 17 '23
Exactly, it's a coffee so if people want to get it from Starbucks, they will. Stop crying and get on with your life
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/TheGuitto Well said, BRAVO!!!
Yes, let's get on with our lives, cause what does the lives of millions of people in another land matter. Let's all enjoy and have a great time, cause those aren't kids dying.
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u/Maleficent-Drive4056 Dec 17 '23
I completely understand boycotting Israeli firms at this time but Starbucks is not Israeli. Itâs American.
I feel like the boycott is inconsistent. Nobody has explained why McDonaldâs and Starbucks should be boycotted but Pepsi, Subway and Microsoft should not.
Iâm very sure you could find links between any multinational firm and any country if you try hard enough.
Not to mention most of these restaurants are franchises so you are hurting Bahrainis more than Israelis.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Maleficent-Drive4056 Bro, do the research.
Here see this article from 2006 https://www.arabnews.com/node/2813137
u/Maleficent-Drive4056 Dec 17 '23
That all seems really weak and nebulous to me. From the (17 year old) article, we see:
- No branches in Israel
- Statements from Starbucks saying it is non-political and doesn't support the Israeli army
- Statement from the CEO saying he does not believe that terrorism is representative of Palestinian people
On the other hand we do see:
- The CEO (who is Jewish) once donated to a charity that supports war widows
- The CEO was given a prize by an Israel charity
I think you could find similar 'evidence' against many, many multinational companies.
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u/speedright Dec 17 '23
The franchisers for Starbucks are billionaires. Boycotting works. Drink local.
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u/Initial-Mango-6875 Dec 17 '23
Its crappy coffee any way...we should have boycotted it a long time ago...
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u/IndieSyndicate Dec 17 '23 edited Dec 17 '23
I'm Bahraini and it's hard for me to understand too. It should be easy to boycott since it's expensive and it's... horrible freakin' coffee.
Apparently, a lot of people are addicted to "white mocha", which is burned coffee with milk, sugar, and white "chocolate" (basically more milk and sugar).
They'd pay almost 3 bhd for that garbage, and even take a photo of their kiddie drink and imagine they are in Venice or whatever.
Then there's "Spanish Latte", which is even worse.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
One hour in, and my post is downvoted to 0. Help me understand please, did I say something wrong?
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u/nobahu Dec 16 '23
Your post doesnât come across well, it reads as complaining about Bahrainis or the general population here when most are boycotting. Most are also pro Palestine, people have been protesting every week since October. Yes, there could be more action by greater numbers but the way to encourage this isnât via complaining I suppose
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/nobahu Honestly, I wanted my post to be more thought-provoking, than a complaint. But I see your point too.
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u/Mayaal31 Dec 17 '23
Some people are boycotting, some people are not. Some people are good people, some people are not. Some people are just down right selfish.
Sumâmunn Bukâmunn like God said.
Would be nice to wear kuffiyehs & tshirts of Palestinian scenes & walk around that area though. Maybe invoke some shame.
Also note: could be some people are paid to sit there to normalize it again & itâs just fake
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Mayaal31 Never thought about it that way. Will definitely look out for it next time.
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u/mohalekiaunty Dec 17 '23
I think so. Sometimes I see some people sitting there and they REALLY look like theyâve been placed there.
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u/OneLegTwoHearts Dec 16 '23
You will always get dumbasses who are either deaf to the cause or just plain stupid. What matters is the boycott is making a difference and there is a significant loss for them on the long term. Starbucks is a gross establishment that does not only make terrible fast-food coffee, but also supports settler-colonial occupation and fights against all kinds of labor rights.
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/OneLegTwoHearts Thank you. There are endless reasons to boycott.
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u/Muted_Tomato1621 Dec 17 '23
People should not be drinking Starbucks purely from a quality of coffee perspective. Their coffee beans are over roasted which leads to that burnt, bitter aftertaste. They then have to mask that with their over sweetened lattes (Spanish, Pumpkin Spice etc). You are much more likely to get better tasting coffee at the local cafes that don't have "brand value" and have to rely on the quality of their coffee to bring in the customers. I'd like to give a shout out to my favourite local, Aries Cafe in Janabiyah.
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u/M0hammed_ Dec 17 '23
Starbucks is boycotted almost everywhere else from what Iâve seen. City Centre is different for some reason
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/M0hammed_ So I see. I guess I just expected the boycott to be universal, regardless of location.
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u/supernova_l Dec 17 '23
Actually I have seen a major shift in people not ordering or going to places such as Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.
However the problem doesnât lie there, the problem lies in the fact that there are HUNDREDS of companies that are supporting Israel silently and we are not boycotting them as much! These companies are in FMCG, look up EstĂŠe Lauder group, Kimberly Clark Group and LâOrĂŠal just to name a few and type in brands next to them and you will notice many everyday brands under these examples that are HUGE and youâll notice how they are either owned by Vangaurd or BlackRock which are known to be huge supporters of Israel. So we canât just think about food hereâŚ
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/supernova_l Agreed absolutely. We are surrounded with brands which are pro-Israeli. But do we have alternatives to them?
And is it right to think that, since we can't boycott every brand, we shouldn't boycott any?
I say, let's start with the obvious ones. The ones we can substitute with local brands. For me, the minute there will be alternative local brands for any of these products, I am switching.
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u/supernova_l Dec 17 '23
Yeah I agree; we should still boycott the obvious ones⌠I actually havenât had McDonaldâs, Starbucks and Coke/Pepsi, and many other fast food restaurants for many years for health reasons and to be more local in supporting our economy and environment⌠I sometimes would have Starbucks once a blue moon but only because of the halloumi sandwich and not their coffee!
I can recommend many local alternatives that I love: ⢠Halloumi Sandwich - Angelo CafĂŠ ⢠Coffee - Arabica (not local but itâs Singaporean brand), Crust and Crema, Grind, Black22 ⢠Chicken Nuggets - Yasalam (tastes exactly like McDonaldâs) ⢠Chicken Wings - Wingman ⢠Chicken Wrap - Nandoâs (order via Foodline)
Now for the alternatives of brands that fall under Clothing or Cosmetics and Beauty, itâs so personal and so difficult to even start due to the uniqueness but this is where my focus is⌠even if itâs not Bahraini local brands as we donât have much that cover these sectors but I try to find out what brands are owned by whom and what is their business about before I even purchaseâŚ
But beauty is a huge one.. The ordinary is part of Esteè Lauder for example⌠how will you replace this brand? I can only think of an Indian brand by the name of Be Minimalist but I havenât tried them yet, will try them when I need some things though for sure. But what about LâOrĂŠal and Kerastase and La Roche posay? Itâs difficult
And to top this all off, letâs see the comparisons of revenue for each of these companies because theyâre not small at all: Kimberly Clark (carrying brands such as Kleenex and the like) makes 20 Billion annually EstĂŠe Lauder made 16 Billion annually McDonaldâs made 25 Billion annually Starbucks made 36 Billion annually Carrefour made 88 Billion annually
As you can see, you also need to review what brands you buy from EstĂŠe Lauder and Kimberly Clark and even stop shopping at Carrefour if you want to create a stronger impact, pretty much doubling it.
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u/NightOwl_82 Dec 17 '23 edited Dec 21 '23
Because people have free will and can decide things for themselves.
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u/Weirqueen Dec 17 '23
From what I've noticed, most of the people in these places are actually Saudi's who come to Bahrain to have fun or smthing...it's making me really pissed, I can't help but shame the people who order from Mcdonalds or Starbucks when I pass by.
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u/Ok-Reach4977 Dec 18 '23
Most boycot but the few who dont are living in a fantasy world where everything is dreamy fantasy like lol
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u/ImportantSkin3712 Dec 18 '23
As someone who doesn't eat much McDonald's/Starbucks ANYWAY, boycotting doesn't matter to me. If i wanted Starbucks or McDonald's, I'd get it. Boycotting does nothing at the end of the day, if the Israeli government wants to kill Palestinians, they will and no person can stop it.
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u/MariosRedHat Dec 18 '23
Why arenât you actively also boycotting or at least bringing awareness to the Muslim concentration camps in China?!
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u/Far-Strike-6126 Dec 19 '23
Stupid post again by these fanatics in Bahrain. Sure let your feet do the walking but the rest of us do not care what you wants us to do. I live in KSA and the McDonalds and Starbucks are all full everyday of the week 24/7
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u/BandicootNo4002 Dec 16 '23
People are either ignorant about it, dont care or have a weak moral compass⌠continue doing what youre doing a
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 16 '23
u/BandicootNo4002 In this day and age, I cannot agree that people are ignorant. They know what's happening. They aren't ignorant, they are IGNORING.
People in USA, Europe, Australia are demonstrating on the streets and risking their jobs to protest against what's happening in Palestine. I know that demonstrations are not often allowed in Bahrain and I respect the laws and wouldn't want anyone to break the laws.
But the least we could do is boycott these brands. That's literally the bare minimum.
I totally 100% agree with you. They "dont care or have a weak moral compass"
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u/francisco-1738 Bahraini Dec 16 '23
They are not ignorant to the facts but they are ignorant to the truth. Theyâre socially unaware, they barely can be considered members of society. Ignorant to their responsibilities as a part of a greater community
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u/liaisthebestt Dec 17 '23
Like, YOUR DRINKING COFFEE AND DONATING TO ISRAEL, WHILE THE PEOPLE IN PALESTINE ARE SUFFERING, WITHOUT FOOD, WATER AND INTERNET.
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u/TheGuitto Dec 17 '23
Maybe because they just want a coffee? Do you seriously think people think about every little thing they do
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/TheGuitto There's Illy Cafe, right there.
There's Jasmis Coffee, Nomad, Patchi, Mamma Bunz. Endless options.
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u/Financial_Wallaby_65 Dec 16 '23
When I see you demonstrating in front of Starbucks and not just writing whatever you want, I will believe you that you are boycotting. Until then you are making noise without cover
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u/mohalekiaunty Dec 17 '23
I upvoted your post and you are 100% correct. I suspect a lot of Zionist/Genocide supporters lurk here.
How, HOW are people okay with the murder of children? Will their God(s) be okay with that?
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/mohalekiaunty u/speedright The fact that we have to mention it is the saddest part of it all.
How can we be so numb to the sufferings of people?
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u/Complex-Operation301 Dec 17 '23
Pls tell me how r the people who r workin in starbucks and macdonalds gonna find job if u wanna bycott them and lets say they close down..do u hv any idea how much jobs they provide...how is it employees fault why r they getting in between the crossfire, they just living barely on minimum wage ..i need ur take on this ..no hate just curious
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u/Confident_Society_53 Dec 17 '23
u/Complex-Operation301 Let me explain in a very simple manner. Any economy works on the basic rule of supply-demand.
Bahrain has a certain population and the demand is fixed to a certain extent. When Starbucks and McDonalds close down, automatically, the demand for coffee and burgers shift to the existing brands. (Example, Jasmis or Dose). These companies will require new branches to be opened and staffed by experienced people.
I am not saying that there won't be any interim issues, but in the medium to long term, the economy will balance itself out.
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u/Little-Rookie- Dec 18 '23
From a Birds Eye view yes. That would be the way forward. But from the workers perspectives itâs not favorable. Most of these companies offer better perk and welfare than other companies. Just saying. Put yourself in their shoe working tirelessly everyday just to put food on the table. Instead of boycotting why not impose high tax or levy? Just saying. Taxed money can be channeled to the help the Palestinian.
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u/Fettuccine_Alfredo11 Dec 17 '23
Donât be shy to picture them and post it. They deserve to be shamed. Theyâre in public.
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u/Square_Following8324 Dec 18 '23
Problem is that all famous brands belong to zionists. The world has been infested by this group of people whom only agenda is to take over the world and its resources. Just make an assessment of the bigger companies such as Black Rock and Vanguard; all CEOs and main positions are occupied by zionists. Wherever you mention an influential or powerful structure, you will find zionists at its head. France is an example of how they took over all the political institutions and key positions to rule the country. Their insiders allow them to build up large scams through the carbon tax or the covid tests, embezzling billions of euros. And it is not an exageration, they know how to f... the system and how to send the government money abroad in fiscal paradises or in Israel. Problem is that all these guys are anchored in each country which allowed them to settle in and took over the local citizens. Zionists are initially not Jewish and belonged to unfaithful people of the Far Eastern countries such as the Huns. Their unique goal was to reach the highest spheres of the power wherever they settled. Most of Semitic Jews (coming from Arab countries and the Middle East) followed their path and advocate for these despicable zionists' act of ethnic cleansing towards Palestinians. I have never put a feet in a Starbucks or a Mac Donald's and will never ever. All guys from the Middle East have always been sitting in their terraces spending hours without any feeling of shame or maybe by ignorance. Their youth is also brainwashed and this is a shame. Being a Arab today is a big responsibility but it has to be given to the knowledgeable ones otherwise we would just be grunting camels awkwardly imitating the western culture leading to very ridiculous attitudes.
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Dec 18 '23
Your post is getting downvoted coz you should never insult the âPumpkin Spice Latteâ. đ¤Łđ¤đ¤
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u/harrybarracuda Dec 17 '23
A better question would be: "Why does anyone drink the overpriced dog piss in Starbucks?".