I was reading a thread on another website. The topic of discussion was racial discrimination, in this case, it pertains to private property.

A woman answered an ad to a home rental in New Jersey. The man didn't want to rent to her because she was black. While I disagree with his position, I stated that it's his private property, he can rent it to whom he wants. She retorted stating it is against civil rights laws because once you offer your property to the public then it becomes public - our civil freedoms belong to the government they decide.

That doesn't make sense, since it is your private property?

Is there any precedence for this?

Thanks!

Edit: I am ONLY seeking to know what the legal stance is on this, I don't care whether it's right or wrong.

Anti discrimination laws do exist. This woman should contact the ACLU.

As an owner... I should be able to rent to whom I please... and should be able to deny anyone for whatever whimisical reason strikes my fancy.

On my hit list:

Single Mom's
large families

First off, in order for there to be discrimination the home owner would have to have come right out and said he would not rent to a black person. Perceived discrimination doesn't count. Secondly, I believe that private homes are not included in the anti-descrimination statute she speaks of, only apartments and condos. They rent multiple units and cannot descriminate based on race, marital status, children, etc.
This woman would have to be able to prove that this person did indeed discriminate and that is hard to do. The home owner could just say they had another person that got there first and put a deposit down or that she came across in such a way as to give them concern. It's very hard to actually prove discrimination in renting because its her word against his and without something to show as concrete proof it would get tossed out of court.

According to the woman, he stated his exact words were "I have a problem renting to blacks, because may neighborhood is all white."

--

Thanks for the responses! I *really* didn't think private property was included under these laws, I mean, if she does sue or call the ACLU - what can they do?

Originally posted by buggy
According to the woman, he stated his exact words were "I have a problem renting to blacks, because may neighborhood is all white."

--

Thanks for the responses! I *really* didn't think private property was included under these laws, I mean, if she does sue or call the ACLU - what can they do? I think she shouldn't do it. If she does, what will she accomplish. Is this going to make him rent to her? If they force him to let her rent, wouldn't it be extremely uncomfortable living conditoins? Wouldn't he try to evict her for the most petty of reasons, ultimately? You have to ask yourself what it's all worth in the long run. Look at the big picture.:(

Originally posted by Lowtide
As an owner... I should be able to rent to whom I please... and should be able to deny anyone for whatever whimisical reason strikes my fancy.

On my hit list:

Single Mom's
large families


Agreed....
Add ons to my list:

Peaceful Muslims
Gang Bangers of any color
People with blue hair and nipple rings
Slobs
Bums
Liberals
People who drive Chevys or Dodges
Humanists
Marxists
Nazi's
Fascists
Militant Gays

I take it I'm included on your list somewhere too, right Bill? Or was I already covered?

Justin

No, I like you even though our politics are a world apart.

Id invite you over for some adult beverages and conversation.
Maybe I should've fix that "liberals" with "mean liberals".

Originally posted by Powerboss
Peaceful Muslims

Mind if I ask why?

Originally posted by Powerboss
Gang Bangers of any color
People with blue hair and nipple rings
Slobs
Bums

Not suprising.

Originally posted by Powerboss
Liberals
Humanists
Marxists


People you disagree with in general? Or, as your next post suggests, people you expect to fight with?

Originally posted by Powerboss
Nazi's
Fascists
Militant Gays

People who pick fights?

Originally posted by Powerboss
People who drive Chevys or Dodges

Americans and their cars ;)

Mind if I ask why?

Well, the "peaceful" was in sarcasm. I'll be honest, I have a pretty negative opinion of muslims right now....right or wrong of me.


Not suprising.

Indeed


People you disagree with in general? Or, as your next post suggests, people you expect to fight with?

I see no purpose in renting my home to people that crap on this country continually, its founders, its culture (not counting the degenerate stuff) and badmouth me for standing up for traditional values.
I dont want degenerate behaivior and activities going on in my home.

Americans and their cars

Indeed.

Originally posted by Powerboss
Well, the "peaceful" was in sarcasm. I'll be honest, I have a pretty negative opinion of muslims right now....right or wrong of me.

That's unfair stereotying, but it's your mind; think what you want.

Originally posted by Powerboss
I see no purpose in renting my home to people that crap on this country continually, its founders, its culture (not counting the degenerate stuff) and badmouth me for standing up for traditional values.
I dont want degenerate behaivior and activities going on in my home.


So, I'm curious. I will admit that I am influenced my Marxism, and I consider myself Liberal, although I respect you founder's ideas I do not glorify them, and I am yet to encounter any "American culture" I like [o'course, I have not experienced enough to judge]. However, I would try not offend you [providing you earned a minimum of respect; if you abused me, I would reciprocate], and would not flaunt my differences. Would you rent your house to me, cash up front?

That's unfair stereotying, but it's your mind; think what you want.

Maybe so, maybe not.


So, I'm curious. I will admit that I am influenced my Marxism, and I consider myself Liberal, although I respect you founder's ideas I do not glorify them, and I am yet to encounter any "American culture" I like [o'course, I have not experienced enough to judge]. However, I would try not offend you [providing you earned a minimum of respect; if you abused me, I would reciprocate], and would not flaunt my differences. Would you rent your house to me, cash up front?

I guess if you were a well mannered fellow and kept your politics to yourself and didnt have large "teach ins" or Marx parties there, or plotted ways to overthrow the country you'd be ok.

Sweet; apart from the Muslim part, you are discriminating not due to beliefs but due to actions. I have no problem with that :)

EDIT: The concept of a Marx-party is highly amusing, although I doubt that the party itself would be.

That would be rather comical to see now wouldnt it?


I wonder what the dinner list would look like:

Red wine for a beverage.
Red Cabbage.
Red Snapper and little Red Potato's.
Red Cherries for dessert.

Hmmmm, feel free to add to the dinner list.:p

Dinner? That could pose problems. Firstly, there can't be anything bougeois. At all. And it must be equally distributed. Exactly. Whether you want potatoes or not, I'll give you the same as me! And the food must, naturally, be revolutionery. This is already becoming a challenge, but now we hit the problem of the beard. All true Marxists have copious beards and moustaches. A small, pointed, goatee is the mark of a Trotskyite, and only a...reformist...would go clean shaven. With beards of this scale, many foods naturally become impractical.

Why don't we just skip food? Let everyone bring what they can, and then they can take what they need ["From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" ;)] to eat.

After this, we come to the natural philosophical discussion. These people are Marxists after all. We must paint the room red, and hang an assortment of the movement's classic slogans ["Proletarian workers unite to overthrow the wife-sharing bougeoisie!", "We demand an egaliterian redistribution of the factors of production"], and portraits of its supporters [Marx, Marx, Lenin, Marx, Stalin, Marx, Mario, (http://www.geocities.com/murmario), Marx, Che, Marx, Trotsky, Marx, Engels, Marx, Clinton apparently...

Once the correct atmosphere ids established, one may begin to ponder and pontificate upon the Dialectic. This is where the problems start. One erstwhile bearded man will immediately declare that another is "not a true Marxist" and this makes him...oh dear God [wait, Marxism; "Oh dear opiate of the masses"] a...reformist! The room goes silent. The room turns violent. Esteemed Marxist gentleman [most proletarian, naturally, despite their starched suits] fight to defend the imagery of their greatest influence; the Trotskyites convene around his portrait, and move to attack Stalin's. The Stalinists respond with, in the name of Marx, a pickaxe to the brain. They then impale Trotsky's image with an icepick, in the tradional way.

Marxist insults fly; "Reformist!", "Menshevik!", "Trotskyite!", "Stalinist", "Capitalist pig!", "Running-dog-monger!", "Bougeois Communist!"...Red blood flows.

Joey, since you already said you would come here to overthrow the gov't, I would not rent to you. In my younger days I might've, but how many times can I reconcrete my basement floor.:p

Your property, your rules. Screw anyone of any race that doesn't agree and don't let the door hit them in the ass on the way out.

My list would include:


White trash

Anyone younger than 25

Probably no Hispanics-1 hispanic=40 hispanics inside the house.

No gang bangers or gang banger wannebes. This includes any
race. If you have a low rider, listen to rap, wear baggy pants, speak ebonic garbage, or are just generally stupid altogether.

No wiggers. See above.

No single mother's with muliple illegitimate children.

No cops.

No federal workers.

Muslims are OK I guess, as long as they don't start chanting some weird stuff at 5:00 in the morning.

Christians OK, as long as they don't start witnessing to me.

No druggy types.

No smokers.

No person without at least a high school education.


Basically, I would only rent to Ward and June Cleaver.

I wouldn't bother suing either or trying to get him to rent if he felt that way. It would not make for a peaceful existance. I was going to buy a mobile home in a new park once. It was a co-op deal and had rules and such. They had a policy on age, and even though my hubby at the time was old enough, they said I wasn't. Now, we had the money to put down, and both had good jobs, but for some reason they had determined that if a person wasn't 25, they were a risk. I went as far as to have my father-in-law (the president of the washington state bar association) draft up a lawsuit based on age descrimination and file it. The park association didn't want to get sued so they opted to drop the age clause in the park rules and invited my husband and I to move in. I said no thankyou, that I didn't want to live in a place where they assume that because I am not a certain age I am not good enough to live amongst them.

That doesn't make sense, since it is your private property?

I can't think of what the law is called, but there is a law that says you cannot discrimante becuase of race, etc etc...I'm surprised this woman is unaware of it. Oh..Equal Housing Opportunity or something like that.

The guy was dumb to say what he did. He should have just taken applications then made his decision in private.

Oh yeah... I must concut with PB: No chevy or mopar afficianados (They probably don't even know what afficianado menas).

Thanks Redline, I will look that up.

I don't see what they can do to a private homeowner with even this act, but I will do some research on it!

1) no unwed couples stright couples

2) no gay folks (unless they are celibate. )

;)

3) no one wearing a "I Love Bin Laden" T-shirt

4) noone wearing a tin hat