Zheim
Member
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# Posted: 24 Jan 2007 18:17
Reply
(first of all sorry for my english!)
It's a long time I've been reading this board and here are my conclusions.
First, knowing the subject of this movie, knowing Starbucks concern on the subject, knowing Starbucks actions at the moment to make anything possible (including paying big disinformation campaign on the subject), it would be really really surprising to not see any Starbucks representant and defender here.
Second, knowing the bad reputation of Starbucks on this issue and taking into account that this movie is intented in majority for Starbucks opponents, it is clear that any person that would come on this board openly defending this compagny, would be completely discredited and that anything that would be said by him would be counter-productive to his cause
So now, given all of that what could be the startegy yo make his claim heard? First: not show it, and second: avoid the subject (as the case can not be defended) and scapegoat someone else.
I observed the poster called "zenu gebru": this poster seems to have a lot of concerns on the subject, but he does not come here to exchange, discuss the issue, no, the only things that matters in all of his posts is that "it's the ethiopian government that should be taken as responsible"
About this claim: first I will answer it below, and second that is quite ironical when I know this is EXACTLY the same kind of rhetoric used by a man with no name that anwered just a few minutes after I posted (on several occasions)on the starbucksgossip" webpage
You can read my answer here
http://starbucksgossip.typepad.com/_/2006/10/starb ucks_and_e.html
another example is that it was also the only defense left that the Economics found to defend starbucks, please read this article and the point of view of a marketting professor on the issue here
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
« Brand Hypocrisy at Starbucks "
A must-read analysis by Oxford Marketing Professor, Douglas B. Holt
http://poorfarmer.blogspot.com/
Now, to make things CLEAR, ONE MORE TIME:
It's is blatantly clear that the government of Meles Zenawi has lots of things to critize that the UNITED STATES DO NOT CRITICIZE. If Mr Zenu Gebru had anything to do with Ethiopia, he would know that the main opposition party, that the party whose leader are emprisonned by Zenawi himself, even THEM support the case of Ethiopia against Starbucks in this case. Personnaly it is even on a website of the opposition that I learnt this issue.
Now let me recall you something: when somalia was in chaos during more than 12 years, the united states supprted the warlords, when Meles Zenawi open fired on ethiopian crowds and kiled nearly 200 innocent people, the united states now called him "a friend of the US as he supports us against terrorism" (these are the exact words of a republican at the US congress in december), when Zenawi engaged himself in a blatant political diversion technic and possibly the worst disaster for peace in the region that was the ILLEGAL invasion of Somalia, the united states supported him. And now what! You have something to say about the fact that he is 'owing lands" but WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE FOLLING???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is that the Ethiopian governement that impose the price at which Starbucks buy its coffee to the Ethiopian farmers : OBVIOUSLY NO.
Has the Ethipian governement its word to say about the World Trade rules: No.
Is Ethiopia involved in the G8 or FMI decisions that gives the direction of the economic decision: No.
There are numerous things to denie to this governement and numerous to criticize (That the US DO NOT criticize!!), but it does NOT have ANYTHING TO DO with this affair!
It's Starbucks that impose its prices.
It's the United States that are at the center of the FMI.
It's Starbucks that blocks the NCA decisions.
It's Starbucks that wants to decide what is good or not for the ethiopian farmers and that it clearly the message of this affair.
Now if Starbucks or anyone else wants to continue to deny its responsabilities, well continue but don't try to scapegoat others or cry about the consequences.
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