http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/22/civ....

Quote:

Michigan Woman Faces Civil Rights Complaint for Seeking a Christian Roommate

A civil rights complaint has been filed against a woman in Grand Rapids, Mich., who posted an advertisement at her church last July seeking a Christian roommate.

The ad "expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths,” according to the complaint filed by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.

Political correctness once again run amok.

****ING NUTS

Just wait until the state gets involved in romance ads...
no more white single female seeks white single male.

This is based on the Civil Rights Act of 1968.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Housin....

^ yeah but that obviously doens't apply to private, shared, dwellings, one at a time.

This is quite obviously ridiculous and I am no fan of Christian fundamentalists.

People have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. How can you have happiness when some one is sharing a place with someone's basic beliefs run counter to your own.

The obligatory:

I'm from the government and I'm here to help ******mit!

You have a right to discriminate against whomever you like in your house.

Lk wrote..

yeah but that obviously doens't apply to private, shared, dwellings, one at a time.

Sure it does. The law makes absolutely no distinction.

The only leeway in the law is that if you are sharing a bathroom or bedroom then it's ok to discriminate based on gender.

It's all codified in Title 42, Chapter 45 of the United States Code.

Eaglewwit wrote..

You have a right to discriminate against whomever you like in your house.

According to federal law you do not have this right when it comes to renting or selling housing.

So if I post, Liberal room mate wanted, would that be ok?

Does that refer to the landlord (owner) who is renting, and not the renter? The landlord didn't refuse anyone. The person renting should be allowed to bring in anyone/anything they like.

The courts can dictate who you can associate with?

Medicdan wrote..

So if I post, Liberal room mate wanted, would that be ok?

Actually it should be. That's not one of the "protected categories".

Craigslist wrote a pretty good summary of the law because so many people were ignorant of the implications until recently:

http://craigslist.org/about/FHA

You can file a complaint about whatever you want. Doesn't mean it's valid or that it'll be decided in your favor.

It would have been illegal for the landlord to advertise for Christian tenants. I doubt it's illegal for the tenant to advertise for a like-minded roommate.

--------
Whoa. I just read that craigslist link. I stand corrected.

Flick wrote..

I doubt it's illegal for the tenant to advertise for a like-minded roommate.

"Like minded" does not fall into on the protected categories, as long as you don't go into too much detail.

Quote:

As made applicable by section 3603 of this title and except as exempted by sections 3603 (b) and 3607 of this title, it shall be unlawful—

...

(c) To make, print, or publish, or cause to be made, printed, or published any notice, statement, or advertisement, with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.

But paragraph (c) doesn't care if you are the tenant, landlord or a random third party.

If the advertisement infringes and you made, printed or published it then you broke the law.

I wonder what would happen if I advertised for a Libertard room mate.

People are directing their anger/frustration with the "system" towards things over which they perceive they have control. TPTB must be quite pleased, because the peasants are being distracted/divided.

Next thing you know you can't post anything on dating sites that says you are looking for a <insert religion> type person, else ya get sued.

I didn't read the report, but wouldn't this kind of **** just get thrown out?

From the wiki link:

Quote:

HUD has stated that buyers and renters may discriminate and may request real estate agents representing them to limit home searches to parameters that are discriminatory. The primary purpose of the Fair Housing Act is to protect the buyer's (and renter's) right to seek a dwelling anywhere they choose. It protects the buyer's right to discriminate by prohibiting certain discriminatory acts by sellers, landlords, and real estate agents.

So, change the advertisement/posting:

"Are you a Christian woman willing to accept a roommate? I'd like to be that roommate!"

This turns it around so that Nancy* is exercising her right (renters may discriminate, see above) in finding the housing/roommate she finds acceptable.

After reading the act, I can understand why the law reads the way it does - putting in any loopholes or exceptions to allow this scenario would negate the whole Act.


*not her real name, she's not named in the source

How do senior communities get away with "discriminating" against younger folks?

From craigslist:

Quote:

Under federal Fair Housing laws, "housing for older persons" is exempted from the prohibitions on "familial status" discrimination.

"Housing for older persons" is defined as either of the following:

1. Housing occupied solely by persons 62 years of age or older; or
2. Housing in which 80% of the occupied units have at least one person 55 years of age or older, and which meet certain other requirements.

This exemption applies only to familial status discrimination; discrimination against all other protected categories, including disability, is still prohibited in housing for older persons.

Etz wrote..

How do senior communities get away with "discriminating" against younger folks?

A specific exception was written into the law just for them.

So assuming a Jewish person posted a similar ad for a roomie preferring one of the same faith. A radical Muslim sees the ad and declares it is discrimination because the person will not accept someone of a faith other than their own. Never mind that the Muslim would likely not have any desire to live with the Jewish person, just that he was excluded and thus discriminated against? Are we now expected to not even feel safe in our own dwellings?

We might as well just have the Constitution declared illegal at the rate things are going in this country.

Bigots everywhere are quaking in their boots. lol

Start suing people who advertise on Craigslist as "420 friendly", then.