社评0715 星巴克关店之感想

小市民的心声

星巴克关店之感想

十六家位於不同城市的星巴克咖啡店即将打烊关店， 他们的理由是由于治安败坏及吸毒者之不断增加。

关店之城市包括西雅图、 洛杉磯、 波特兰及费城，该公司在一项声明中表示， 关店之原因纯粹是治安问题 ，他们的员工面临许多无业游民之困扰及日愈增加之吸毒者， 并可能考虑把厕所对外开放。

这条消息真的震撼了我的心 ，早在九十年代，我们在西雅图创办《西雅图新闻》时， 我曾住在这个山明水秀的城市两年多， 每天早晨起床后会到当年星巴克之原始老店叫上一杯拉铁， 开始我一天的工作， 由于顾客甚多， 都要排上十分鐘之队伍， 我也并不在意， 因為这家店就面对大海 ，让人有心 矌神怡之感。

生活在西雅图的那段日子， 星巴克成了我生活中的一部份， 随着经济之快速成长， 星巴克遂渐走向全美甚至全世界， 在我走过的世界城市， 从欧洲巴黎、 马德里， 一直到拉丁美洲及亚洲的台北、 北京、 东京都成了美国文化之名片。

今天美国之治安不断败坏， 从星巴克之关店得到了非常好的印証。

虽然疫情是社会経济冋题之罪魁祸首。 但是国民道德之逐渐败坏，枪支氾滥也是主要原因 ，生活在贫穷线下之小市民， 真是无语问青天。

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.