People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is steamed at NBA GOAT LeBron James for sitting idly by while the Starbucks operating inside his Akron, Ohio, community center serves milk to customers. PETA is demanding that James force the coffee counter to go dairy-free.
PETA was udderly infuriated after it learned that the Starbucks was using dairy-based products at the new kiosk opened in James’ House Three Thirt community cemetery in Akron. In an April 5 open letter, the animal rights extremist group insisted that James “‘make a game-changing play’ for animals and people of color—many of whom are lactose intolerant—by establishing the location as the first dairy-free Starbucks.”
Activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) dressed as zombies pose for photographers during a photo stunt to protest against meat eating in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 29, 2023. (Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The group claimed that the call to establish a milk-free GOAT Starbucks was part of its ongoing campaign against Starbucks to force the company to use vegan milk and fake dairy products at all its locations instead of ingredients consisting of animal-based products.
It’s all about racism, too. PETA claims that using dairy “penalizes the approximately 80% of Black and Indigenous Americans and more than 90% of Asian Americans who are lactose intolerant.”
And adding a dairy product to your coffee is mean to cows, on top of it all.
“The dairy industry’s cruelty to cows, environmental impact, and negative health effects on lactose intolerant individuals contradict the hope your foundation brings,” PETA Senior Vice President Lisa Lange exclaimed. “The first dairy-free Starbucks location at House Three Thirty would set a precedent for socially responsible business practices and create ripple effects that would impact society for generations to come.”
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a 128-117 win over the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on April 09, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Harry How/Getty Images)
The letter itself adds, “Cows produce milk for the same reason that humans do: to nourish their young. In order to force them to continue producing milk, factory farm operators typically impregnate them using artificial insemination every year. Calves are generally torn away from their mothers within a day of birth, which causes them both extreme distress. Mother cows can be heard calling for their calves for days.”
The group also insisted that manufacturing products made from cows puts our climate at steak, saying, “producing cow’s milk generates around three times more greenhouse gas emissions and uses nine times more land than vegan options do.”
The animal rights group concludes its missive by insisting, “The first dairy-free Starbucks location at House Three Thirty would set a precedent for socially responsible business practices and create ripple effects that would affect society in a positive way for generations to come. I hope you’ll consider my request. We could team up to make a positive change for animal welfare, the environment, and those who suffer from lactose intolerance.”
James’ House Three Thirty was opened on March 2 this year and reportedly offered hands-on job training, as well as financial services, and a space for community affairs events, according to the website.
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