Ginger lemonade
Those two guys who got arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks for doing what white people do all the time? They settled with the city.
Two black men arrested for sitting at a Philadelphia Starbucks without ordering anything settled with the city Wednesday for a symbolic $1 each and a promise from officials to set up a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.
The men and their lawyer told The Associated Press the settlement was an effort to make sure something positive came out of the incident.
“We thought long and hard about it and we feel like this is the best way to see that change that we want to see,” said Donte Robinson, one of those arrested. “It’s not a right-now thing that’s good for right now, but I feel like we will see the true change over time.”
They’re young entrepreneurs themselves. I think it’s brilliant jiu-jitsu to turn the degrading treatment they got into opportunities for others. (One hopes Philly won’t focus the program exclusively on young white entrepreneurs.)
Only thing is, they probably should have gotten enough of a settlement to at least be able to afford an overpriced cup of Starbucks coffee ;-)
Or, better, a lifetime “free whatever you want” card from Starbucks. The classy thing for Starbucks to do would be to just give them that, independent of any settlement. I’m guessing the settlement was the token $1 to emphasize that it’s not about money.
Very cool. From the article, their settlement for $1 each and the $200,000 program was with the city, and their separate settlement with Starbucks was “for an undisclosed sum and an offer of a free college education.”
From what I can judge the behaviour of those two young men has been outstanding from the very start; dignified, polite and clearly seeing beyond the personal. It’s also good to see that Starbucks senior leadership appear to have taken ownership of the event, although the fact that it ever happened suggests that maybe they are not quite as socially conscious a company as they like to think/have others believe. As for the City, while a bit player in many respects I’m least impressed with them. Well trained and thinking police officers would have done more to establish background and to facilitate an outcome that did not involve any arrests. I think the City has got off a bit lightly actually.