Two Annoying news stories

[jaminjim]

Both kinda deal with our ability to say within reason to say what we want. The first news story ****es me off because we are paying for this stupidity.

Housing Developer Sued For 'Bachelor Pad' Listing | Avvo News


Housing Developer Sued For 'Bachelor Pad' Listing

Thursday, March 11, 2010 at 02:12 PM
A fair housing organization in Ohio has filed a lawsuit against a local property developer alleging that the Dayton firm committed housing discrimination by advertising an apartment as a bachelor pad.

The Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, a nonprofit organization, filed the lawsuit on Friday, March 5, naming the property development firm The Connor Group, which owns and manages about 1,900 apartment units in the Dayton area, the Dayton Daily News reports.

According to the lawsuit, The Connor Group's online advertisement for the "bachelor pad" in question "appeared to state a preference for a single male, discriminating on the basis of sex and familial status."

The suit was filed after the Housing Center submitted a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last may, and requested that the Civil Rights Commission investigate.

The center seeks more than $25,000 in compensatory and punitive damages, attorney's fees, and a mandate that Connor Group employees receive fair housing law training and submit to a compliance monitor for the next three years, the news source reports.

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of dwellings, and in other housing-related transactions, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability.

The other story is about as stupid. While the person used a total lack of common sense, should they be arrested? I would think that a stern talking to by the police would be sufficient. I don't think it should have been said or done, but the person didn't start yelling the "n" word and threaten to do bodily harm. Seems like a stupid but harmless prank to me.

Police: Arrest in NJ Walmart racial comment case - USATODAY.com

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Police say they have made an arrest in the case of a racial comment being made over the public-address system at a Walmart store in southern New Jersey.
The Washington Township Police Department said on its Web site early Saturday that an arrest has been made in a "bias incident" at the retail store. The posting says the police and Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office will announce the arrest at a midday news conference.

Washington Township Police declined to comment early Saturday.

A male voice came over the Walmart public address system Sunday evening and calmly announced: "Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now." The announcement provoked an immediate apology from the store manager.

Officials for Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said the announcement was "unacceptable."

 

[Turtle]

Both stories are excellent examples of why and how political correctness stifles free speech, free thought, and becomes de facto censorship. In the case of the first story, the gimmick of advertising a dwelling as a bachelor pad is exactly that, an advertising gimmick. It's not discrimination unless the housing developer actually discriminates against someone other than a single male wanting to live there. Just because an online listing "appeared to state a preference" doesn't necessarily mean that a preference will become reality. At most it's a thought crime, as no discrimination has occurred.

The second story, I read that one right after it was first reported first reported and my thoughts mirrored a few of those who were in the store at the time. It was appalling, pathetic, immature and stupid. But it shouldn't be a criminal offense to be immature and stupid, much less be a criminal offense to hurt someone's feelings. Depending on whether it's an employee or a customer (I find it interesting that we don't know which, yet), the recourse should be firing the employee, or trespassing if it's a customer (since the customer doesn't have the authority to use the store's PA system).

The store’s manager delivered an almost instant apology over the store’s PA system and was uncertain at the time whether the derogatory announcement had been made by a customer or disgruntled employee. The store has in excess of 20 PA accessible phones, not all of which are camera monitored.

The store says it will be reduce the number of phones that have access to the public-address system.

Investigators are zeroing in on two dozen phones in the store where the racial announcement may have originated.

We'll find out today at noon who the infamous announcer was. In any case, while the announcement was stupid, it was funny nonetheless, because of how people are reacting. Some are reacting like they've actually been hurt, physically. Others are looking at it more realistically, realizing that it's nothing to get all worked up over.

 

[Poorboy]

Both stories are excellent examples of why and how political correctness stifles free speech, free thought, and becomes de facto censorship. In the case of the first story, the gimmick of advertising a dwelling as a bachelor pad is exactly that, an advertising gimmick. It's not discrimination unless the housing developer actually discriminates against someone other than a single male wanting to live there. Just because an online listing "appeared to state a preference" doesn't necessarily mean that a preference will become reality. At most it's a thought crime, as no discrimination has occurred.

The second story, I read that one right after it was first reported first reported and my thoughts mirrored a few of those who were in the store at the time. It was appalling, pathetic, immature and stupid. But it shouldn't be a criminal offense to be immature and stupid, much less be a criminal offense to hurt someone's feelings. Depending on whether it's an employee or a customer (I find it interesting that we don't know which, yet), the recourse should be firing the employee, or trespassing if it's a customer (since the customer doesn't have the authority to use the store's PA system).

The store’s manager delivered an almost instant apology over the store’s PA system and was uncertain at the time whether the derogatory announcement had been made by a customer or disgruntled employee. The store has in excess of 20 PA accessible phones, not all of which are camera monitored.

The store says it will be reduce the number of phones that have access to the public-address system.

Investigators are zeroing in on two dozen phones in the store where the racial announcement may have originated.

We'll find out today at noon who the infamous announcer was. In any case, while the announcement was stupid, it was funny nonetheless, because of how people are reacting. Some are reacting like they've actually been hurt, physically. Others are looking at it more realistically, realizing that it's nothing to get all worked up over.

I agree with you Turtle, Whoever Made the Announcement (If Employee) Should be Fired, But It shouldn't be a Criminal Offense! From "What was Reported in the 2nd. Case" it appears that the Police as well as the Prosecutors Office are Bending over Backwards to Appease Some People OR, I'm Wondering if it's Election Season for the Prosecutors Office This Year and He/She is Using this to Garner Votes! Nothing would Surprise me anymore when it comes to things like this and the Politicians! We'll Just have to wait and see what they Report next........

 

[Moot]

The Connor Group, which owns and manages about 1,900 apartment units in the Dayton area

My guess is the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, a nonprofit organization is looking to become a for-profit organization. I doubt they would be suing some schmuck with half a duplex for rent. What about listings that read: Handicap accessible, family friendly or pets welcome.



Officials for Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said the announcement was "unacceptable."

The assumption is that an employee made the announcement. Most store phones have an intercom button or number to dial for the intercom. In my LTL days I made a "public service" renouncement from the receiving dock phone at a Knox Lumber Store.

 

[Poorboy]

1st. News Article: I think that the Judge in the Lawsuit against Connor, would Throw it out of court with a Stern warning to Stop Wasting the Courts time and Money on Frivilous Law Suits! Atleast from what's Reported it appears to be Frivilous!

 

[Turtle]

The housing developer may have a history of discrimination, or something else that caught the attention of the Fair Housing Center, I dunno. But unless there is something more to it than the online ad, it certainly appears that the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center is merely doing what countless other Fair Housing entities around the country are doing, which is pressuring the housing developer into providing a large percentage of the units to be used as low cost public assistance housing.

 

[jaminjim]

Not sure where all of their apartments are located, but the one that was in question won't be ready for low income housing for about twenty or twenty-five years from now. It is in a fairly affluent area.

 

[Turtle]

Those apartments in the relatively affluent areas are exactly the ones that these Fair Housing centers are targeting. What they want to do is make it so that the price of the property is discriminatory against low income people, to force the developers into making some of those units available for low cost housing, or to make them build low cost housing outright in other areas. But since they can't nail them on income discrimination, so they go for anything they can.

 

[Poorboy]

Seems that All they Are Trying to do is Bring Down the Affluent Neighborhoods and turn them into Ghettos, That way the People won't be Offended or Have to get Jobs! Guess it Beats working hard to get a head!

 

[Turtle]

An update to the Walmart story. The police arrested a 16-year old boy, and charged him with harassment, and bias intimidation.

IMNSHO, they should have just charged him with exercising his free speech and be done with it, since he was in no position to harass anyone with a statement that made no threats, and an anonymous voice over an intercom making a non-threatening statement is hardly intimidating. I can imagine nearly everyone in the store getting mad at the statement, especially the black people, but I can't believe that a single person took the announcement to heart and actually felt intimidated to the point where their first reaction was some kind of fear and that they should comply with the announcement.

In order to fully understand the subtle and complicated issues of race relations, I think every American should be required, at least once a year, to sit down and watch the uncut and unedited version of Blazing Saddles, where no one is spared. Jews, blacks, whites, Nazis, Indians, gays, they all get hammered in a perfect illustration of the absurdity of racism. Political correctness is abhorrent.

In 2006, Blazing Saddles was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The American film critic Dave Kehr wondered if the historical significance of Blazing Saddles lay in the fact that it was the first film from a major studio to have a fart joke.

 

[cheri1122]

I read the WalMart story yesterday, and was amazed at the fact that the local authorities offered 'counseling' to anyone who felt traumatized, and that several people "expressed interest in being counseled"
If the "People of WalMart" vids don't scare the stuffing out of them, how does a prank, right?

 

[Moot]

I think every American should be required, at least once a year, to sit down and watch the uncut and unedited version of Blazing Saddles, where no one is spared. Jews, blacks, whites, Nazis, Indians, gays, they all get hammered in a perfect illustration of the absurdity of racism. Political correctness is abhorrent.

Turtle, you forgot the Irish.

 

[cheri1122]

Turtle, you forgot the Irish.

And sweet little old ladies

 

[Turtle]

There's a line in the movie about the Irish, where the Mayor, Olson Johnson says:

"All right... we'll give some land to the ni**ers and the chinks. But we don't want the Irish!"

[everyone complains]

"Aw, prairie [sheet]... Everybody!"

 

[jaminjim]

First time I saw that movie during the bean aftermath I laughed till I was gasping for air.

 

[Moot]

"All right... we'll give some land to the ni**ers and the chinks. But we don't want the Irish!"

That's my favorite line in the movie! The Irish get stereotyped as drunks, priests, police officers, drunk priests, drunk police officers and drunk drunks. Nobody complains about this.

 

[aristotle]

Why diss the Irish? Recently, I was astounded to learn my lineage can be traced back to DNA samples taken from an ancient amber pit near Dublin. I am descended from The First Humpers! A long, unbroken chain of enthusiastic procreators noted for their devotion to duty.

Please don't confuse The First Humpers with Berserkers. Those boys were crazy.