Black book club members exploring lawsuit against Napa wine train

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Black-book-club-members-exploring-lawsuit-against-6471969.php

Members of a mostly African American book club kicked off the Napa Valley Wine Train plan to seek up to $5 million for the “malicious oppression” they suffered, a lawyer hired to represent the 11 women said Friday.

“There must be compensation for the humiliation suffered” by the members of the Sistahs of the Reading Edge Book Club, said San Francisco civil rights lawyer Waukeen McCoy.

McCoy said he planned to meet with representatives of the Wine Train next week to discuss a possible financial settlement. The wine train had proposed making amends by turning over a 50-seat private car to the club for a future trip — an offer worth about $6,200 based on the current fare of $124.

“That’s not going to get this resolved at all,” McCoy said. “This was clearly racial discrimination.”

I hope they end up owning the damn thing. Then maybe I'd go up there and ride it!

[NV Whino]

1. Of course they are.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. I guess there's no upside to abject apology. n/t

[CincyDem]

3. ...a private car...

Sure - we'll give them a whole car to themselves for free cuz we sho don't want dem black women in another crowded train car. Who know how much noise they'll make then.

Does this feel a little "separate but equal" to anyone else ?

[NV Whino]

4. No, it feels like a solution.

[lunasun]

5. Not only that why the hell would they want to relive the whole situation again with another

train ride? Punishment offered as resolution ? and in a separate car to boot? Really ?

[mackerel]

6. I've heard that train is mostly white older boring people.

There was a group of latin women who had a similar experience a few months back (not escorted off but threatened it.) The wine train does say that about once a month they escort a loud group of the train.