The narrative the Democrats have been pushing— that reverse racism isn’t a genuine concern— may now be in dire need of a reexamination.

Why, you ask?

A Starbucks employee was reportedly fired, not for poor performance, negligence, or any form of misconduct but simply for her skin color.

And, shockingly, she’s white.

Many might argue that the court’s ruling provides justice, but it’s imperative to underscore the root of this grave injustice.

This isn’t an isolated incident; it’s emblematic of a broader and deeply concerning trend.

Shannon Phillips’ story stands as a stark example.

A dedicated former regional director for Starbucks in New Jersey, Phillips faced abrupt termination.

Why?

According to her, it was the color of her skin— she was white.

Although Starbucks has been ordered to pay up a hefty sum, this case should never have arisen in the first place.

In 2018, a rather infamous incident involving two Black men unfolded at a Starbucks store.

Wrongfully arrested for trespassing while merely waiting for a business meeting, the episode made headlines and instigated protests.

Starbucks, in response, shut its doors for racial bias training.

But here’s where the plot thickens: in the subsequent month, Phillips lost her job.

The catch?

She wasn’t even present during the incident nor played any role in it.

So why was she dismissed?

If Phillips’ claims hold water, the firing was a knee-jerk, misguided attempt by Starbucks to respond to a racial crisis.

But is this ‘woke’ response not just a fresh form of discrimination?

The ideological shift in America’s workplaces, inspired by the woke movement, is becoming a double-edged sword.

While strides towards racial equality are undoubtedly essential, one has to question: are we now seeing the pendulum swing too far the other way?

Instances like Phillips’ bring to the fore a very unsettling possibility: that in our rush to correct past wrongs, we might just be creating new ones.

ABC has more details on this story:

A New Jersey federal judge has ordered Starbucks to pay a former employee who was awarded $25.6 million in a wrongful termination suit an extra $2.7 million in damages.

Shannon Phillips, a former regional director for the chain, sued the coffee giant in 2019, claiming that she was fired for being white.

On Wednesday, Judge Joel Slomsky ordered Starbucks to pay Phillips $2,736,755 in back pay, front pay and tax gross, court documents show.

The ruling comes after a Camden jury ordered the coffee giant to pay Phillips $25.6 million in settlement money, including punitive and compensatory damages, following a trial in June.

Phillips, 52, claimed in her lawsuit that “her race was a determinative factor” in Starbucks’ decision to fire her in the wake of a 2018 racial firestorm.

In April 2018, two Black men — Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson — were arrested while waiting for a business meeting after an employee called 911 and accused the men of trespassing after they refused to make a purchase or leave the store. The arrests sparked nationwide protests and prompted Starbucks to close some of its stores for a day for racial bias training.

Less than a month after the arrests, Phillips was notified of her termination, despite claiming that she wasn’t at the store that day and was not involved in the arrests in any way.

The phrase “go woke, go broke” has been echoing for a while now.

First, we saw the backlash against Bud Light, and now Starbucks is finding out the hard way that these aren’t just catchy words, but a looming reality for corporations choosing the woke path.

And it seems the coffee giant might be learning that lesson in a rather expensive manner.

A staggering $25.6 million— that’s what Starbucks was ordered to pay Shannon Phillips by a federal jury in Camden.

Phillips, who was a former manager in the Philadelphia area, claimed that she was unjustly terminated on the grounds of her being white.

And if that wasn’t enough of a blow to the coffee corporation, a recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky piled on another $2.7 million for pay and tax damages.

So what sparked this multi-million dollar payout?

A video that depicted the arrest of two Black men at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia went viral, causing a nationwide uproar.

This incident led to protests, policy changes, and even public apologies from Starbucks.

Amid this racial firestorm, Phillips was shown the door.

The Philadelphia Inquirer confirms:

Starbucks must pay a former Philadelphia-area manager — who was awarded a $25.6 million verdict after a jury determined she was fired in 2018 for being white — an additional $2.7 million, a federal judge has ruled.

In addition to the $25.6 million in damages awarded in June by a federal jury sitting in Camden, Starbucks must also pay Shannon Phillips $2,736,755 in pay and tax damages, U.S. District Judge Joel H. Slomsky ordered Wednesday.

Phillips was fired soon after the arrests of two Black men at a Philadelphia store was caught on a video that went viral. The arrests prompted national uproar; protests at the Center City location; policy changes; apologies from Starbucks; and questions over racism, policing, and public safety.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that corporations need to tread cautiously in these divisive times.

Choosing to adopt a “woke” stance can have severe financial implications, and Starbucks’ recent hefty payout is just the latest example.

As the public continues to watch and weigh in, one can’t help but wonder: How many more companies will pay the price for their “woke sins” before the lesson is learned?

 

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