Debate flares after black college students seek a non-white roommate

[Randyandyuni 2,682]

So, consensus is?

Non-issue?

[smilesammich 10,727]

that's my vote.

[Boiler 45,520]

So, consensus is?

Non-issue?

Agree

Only an issue if it had been the other way around.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Agree

Only an issue if it had been the other way around.

My point exactly. I don't care but if it had been the other way around

[OriZ 3,157]

Non issue either way. They have a right to be afraid of the white folks, and the white folks have a right to be afraid of them. End of story, they just shouldn't advertise it.

[Ban Hammer 13,343]

i dont consider it discrimination.

so if someone doesn't consider it to be discrimination, it's ok.

[Boiler 45,520]

so if someone doesn't consider it to be discrimination, it's ok.

Self identification is very important.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

The problem may lie in Federal Fair Housing laws. The California case of Fair Housing Council of San Fernando Valley v. Roommate.com, 666 F.3d 1216 (9th Cir. 2012) is instructive here, and applicable.

In a nutshell, while it is not a violation of law to discriminate in choosing who may be your roommate (because DUH we can choose whomever we want to live with -- we aren't forced to take the first person who rocks up to look at a room), it is a violation of law to put discriminatory language in an advertisement for a roommate. The only exclusion is for the gender of the roommate.

So if the advertisement said "no whites," that would be a violation of the law. But if the roommates interviewed prospective roommates with the preconceived notion that they did not want to live with white people, that would be fine. Here's a nice little write up of Fair Housing Council: http://www.rhlaw.com/blog/freedom-to-choose-your-roommate/

See also, not putting dumb stuff on the internet.

I ran across this and thought of you and this thread. Perfect