The latest saying on the Starbucks’ “The Way I See It” series is causing a stir in the Coeur d’Alene coffee shops. Controversial saying by gay S.F. writer Armistead Maupin on Cup No. 43? “My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don’t make that mistake yourself. Life’s too damn short.” Concerned Women for America has its cross-hairs on the Maupin cup. Ditto cuss-tomers cq at the local Starbucks. The giant java company sez it’s trying to “promote open, respectful conversation among a wide variety of individuals.” And, indeed, the cups include sayings from a range of thinkers, including conservative National Review Editor Jonah Goldberg. Mebbe that’s why Starbucks includes this mealy-mouthed disclaimer on the cups: "This is the author’s opinion – not necessarily that of Starbucks." Nice try.

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