( CNN ) Congratulations , Internet haters ! Well done , keepers of the one-true-way-to-talk-about-race ! If we do n't tamp down the backlash against Starbucks `` Race Together '' campaign , I fear that no major corporation will even try to talk about race again -- for maybe 10 or 20 years . Is that really what we want ? Look , I get it . Asking baristas to hold conversations about race is a lot to demand of already hard-working employees . Not to mention , the topic should probably be called `` systematic racism , '' not just `` race . '' And there are legitimate questions about what Starbucks could realistically hope to accomplish , here . But for crying out loud ! In the past 48 hours , racial justice activists have spilled more digital ink criticizing Starbucks for trying to fight racism than they have against other ( actually racist ) companies . The truth is that we can not have it both ways . We can not demand that companies address race , and then attack them when they try . Yes , it seems like harmless fun to pile on or retweet the snark . At some point , all of us have enjoyed the cheap thrill one gets by kicking around a big company online . But the cost this time is that no corporation will want to do anything creative or constructive on racial subjects for a very long time . In fact , some activists are responding with such little sympathy , empathy and grace , that other corporations are like to run the other way . Again , is that what we want ? Mellody Hobson , an African-American member of the Starbucks board and a personal friend , is a major supporter of this campaign . How will other corporate boards react in the future when a minority member encourages the company to publicly address issues of racial inclusion ? Starbucks is trying to make a positive difference . If the company gets rewarded , others will follow . But nobody wants their brand to get beaten up . At some point in the future , activists will launch an online petition or protest against a company guilty of some legitimately racist behavior . But how seriously will anyone take us , when even the `` good guys '' end up getting kicked in the teeth and called racist -- for trying to OPPOSE bigotry ? Modern science tells us that bias lives on , in even the most dedicated anti-racist . The only cure is talking about it . Our country needs more open discussion of race , not less . Companies who try to further that discussion should be rewarded , even if their initial attempts are imperfect . We can put forward suggestions and criticisms in a constructive manner : `` This is a great first step , Corporation ! Here are five ways to improve the campaign -- and make it even better . '' I think any human anywhere would be open to hearing that kind of feedback . But nobody wants to be called an idiot , just for trying . Unfortunately , today 's vicious backlash against Starbucks could become a case study in proving that -- when it comes to race -- no good deed goes unpunished . Ironically , after all this is over , Starbucks will still sell plenty of lattes . The people who will suffer the most are the ones who said they wanted a conversation on race in the first place -- but then would n't take `` yes '' for an answer .
Starbucks was trashed by many online for its `` Race Together '' initiative . The company has since apologized and said it will donate $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in a series of ads that are scheduled to run on television stations across the country.