Discrimination charged

The Justice Department has filed suit against a Virginia Beach apartment complex owner, according to this article in the Virginian Pilot.

The Department’s complaint, filed in federal district court in Norfolk on Wednesday, alleges that the defendants discriminated against black tenants by imposing different terms and conditions on them, including restrictive rules and regulations prohibiting visits by guests of black residents.

The suit also states that Henry verbally harassed black tenants with racial slurs and epithets, entered their homes without cause or notice, made statements indicating discrimination against black tenants, improperly restricted their use of public areas of the complex and retaliated against black tenants by threatening evictions.

Two things. First, kudos to the Justice Department for bringing this suit. The Fair Housing Act, originally enacted in 1968, was designed to combat this very thing. It’s hard to believe that nearly 40 years later, the need for such a thing still exists.

Which brings me to the second point. The need to work to eradicate racism in our country remains. Those who like to think that the playing field is level, that all have equal opportunity, need look no further than cases such as this to see that.