Coffee talk: Race is a worthy subject, but with one’s barista?; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/18/15

Editorial Board, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Coffee talk: Race is a worthy subject, but with one’s barista?

"Now, Starbucks baristas are writing “Race Together” on their biodegradable cups and engaging customers in conversations about race.

It’s the Seattle-based chain’s latest effort to solve the world’s ills, this time racial tension at home. However well-intentioned, it seems destined for death by tweet, as social media responded with gleeful derision: “Some of my friends are black coffee” and “Despite our differences, left or right, black or white, can we agree this Starbucks race talk idea is really stupid?” The main problem is that eliminating bias is too big an order for small talk.