社評0715 星巴克關店之感想

小市民的心聲

星巴克關店之感想

十六家位於不同城市的星巴克咖啡店即將打烊關店，他們的理由是由于治安敗壞及吸毒者之不斷增加。

關店之城市包括西雅圖、洛杉磯、波特蘭及費城，該公司在一項聲明中表示，關店之原因純粹是治安問題，他們的員工面臨許多無業遊民之困擾及日愈增加之吸毒者，並可能考慮把廁所對外開放。

這條消息真的震撼了我的心，早在九十年代，我們在西雅圖創辦《西雅圖新聞》時，我曾住在這個山明水秀的城市兩年多，每天早晨起床後會到當年星巴克之原始老店叫上一杯拉鐵，開始我一天的工作，由于顧客甚多，都要排上十分鐘之隊伍，我也並不在意，因為這家店就面對大海，让人有心矌神怡之感。

生活在西雅圖的那段日子，星巴克成了我生活中的一部份，隨著經濟之快速成長，星巴克遂漸走向全美甚至全世界，在我走過的世界城市，從歐洲巴黎、馬德里，一直到拉丁美洲及亞洲的台北、北京、東京都成了美國文化之名片。

今天美國之治安不斷敗坏，從星巴克之關店得到了非常好的印証。

雖然疫情是社會経濟冋題之罪魁禍首。但是國民道德之逐漸敗坏，槍支氾濫也是主要原因，生活在貧窮線下之小市民，真是無語問青天。

Feeling Sad About Starbucks Closing Stores

Sixteen Starbucks coffee stores in different cities are about to close. The reasons for the closings are due to poor security and increasing crime near the stores.

The cities where the stores will be closed include Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, the company said. In a statement, the company stated that the reason for the closings was purely a public security problem. Their employees have faced trouble from homeless people and a large number of drug users. They even had previously considered closing the restrooms of the stores.

This news really shocked my heart. I remembered in the early 90’s when I started the Seattle Chinese News, I lived in Seattle for two years. Every morning when I got up, I would go to the original Starbucks store to order a cup of coffee and start my day’s work. Sometimes I would have to wait in line, but the store was located near the ocean and there was a beautiful view.

During that time, Starbucks became a part of my life. This small coffee shop gradually went on to open stores all over the nation and the world. I have traveled to many countries around the world and I always find a Starbucks to have a cup of fresh coffee. Actually, Starbucks has become the “business card” of American culture.

Today public security and the pandemic have become major issues in our community. The low morals and flood of guns and the divided political parties have really made people all over the country suffer. The closings of so many Starbucks stores is really a sign of the deteriorated safety issue in America.