Sunday, October 24, 2010

Illegal to post an ad seeking a Christian roommate?

We read:
"The 31-year-old nursing student was looking to keep her expenses down when she decided to invite someone to share her home.

But when she posted an advertisement for a Christian roommate on her local church's bulletin board, the Grand Rapids woman landed in the middle of a civil rights debate that has her facing a complaint of alleged illegal housing discrimination.

The advertisement contained the sentence, "I am looking for a Christian roommate," said Joel Oster, senior litigation counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, which represents the woman.

Someone saw the ad over the summer and anonymously filed a civil rights complaint with the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan. The complaint was then filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, and the woman was notified at the end of September.

"I think it's a clear violation on its face," said Nancy L. Haynes, executive director of the local Fair Housing Center. "It's an advertisement that clearly violates the Fair Housing Act."

Although the woman might choose a roommate based on religion, say, after interviewing the person over coffee, she cannot publish an ad with that intent, Haynes said.

The Alliance Defense Fund is a Christian legal group. In a statement released Thursday, Oster added, "Christians shouldn't live in fear of being punished by the government for being Christians. It is completely absurd to try to penalize a single Christian woman for privately seeking a Christian roommate at church -- an obviously legal and constitutionally protected activity.

Source

13 comments:

Menoichius said...

Huh. You'd think if it was on the bulletin board at her local church, the person who saw it would also be a Christian and not mind.

Anonymous said...

And so why if she put it on a church bulletin board was there even a need to ask for a christian room-mate?

Anonymous said...

While the PC'ists are so concerned about the so-called Fair Housing Act, what happened to her Constitutional "right" to face her accuser? Why was this complaint entertained and acted upon anonymously?

The only thing this story tells me is that the anti-Christian forces are not only still at work, but becoming more obvious. Wake-up people. Turning the other cheek does not work!

Anonymous said...

"Turning the other cheek does not work!"

That is why you will fail and we will win. LOL.

Anonymous said...

If she were trying to rent out an apartment, I would expect the Fair Housing Act to apply. But since she was looking for a roommate to share her home with her, I don't see where this fits at all. That is her choice and hers alone. The government has no business getting involved.

Bobby said...

There are all kinds of roommate ads, some offer less rent if you clean or fix things, some offer free rent if you provide sex (as long as you're cute). Plenty of ads ask that you send a picture, say that they'll only rent to men, women, non-smokers, so why would discriminating in favor of a Christian roommate be illegal?

Anonymous said...

Counter sue. Violation of the first amendment. A instance where the government is attempting to prosecute an individual for posting an ad at a religious institution that specificly references the religion of the institution. While they might have more of an argument had she posted in a public paper, who citizens choose to live /with/ should not be a concern of the government. Has not the SCOTUS already ruled on this?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"That is why you will fail and we will win. LOL."

Satans children (ie. Leftists) can never, and will never win.

Malcolm said...

Put yourself in the position of the person reading the ad and looking for accommodation. You know you have to get on well with your new roommate. So, if you are non-religious, do you really want to share with someone who is religious? Of course, as was pointed out, the writer of the ad can always reject you over a cup of coffee. Both you and she have wasted your time. If would be far better if she had been allowed to say up front, "I want a Christian roommate". Then you can turn aside and look for one which says, "Please, no religious fanatics."

Anonymous said...

despite federal regulations and state, I hire who I want and rent to who I want and sell to who I want. I don't have to give reasons why.

Anonymous said...

anon 9:04pm woot woot,,i agree 1 billion percent, f--k the jackass government trolls and gestapo.

Anonymous said...

The right of free association also has a place. Inside your own home or a home you'd like to make with another certainly qualifies as an appropriate place to express that freedom.

Anonymous said...

It's likely that if she had written, "I am looking for a Muslim roommate" this would never have been an issue.

-sig