Discrimination

[mjohnson]

Discrimination, NEED HELP, PLEASE HELP

undefinedundefinedWhat is the name of your state?Missouri, I live in Kansas City, MO. I am an african american male. I am married and have 6 children. We had to go to a family shelter. There was a single white female that also was staying in the shelter. She left and was gone for 5 days. When she returned the shelter manager let her right back in. They had not heard from her. I left and was gone for 4 days, when i returned the shelter manager said i could not stay because they have a rule that states, if you are gone longer than 2 days, you can not come back. I feel that if they are going to use that rule then it should apply to all races. Do i have any rights as far as being discriminated against. Where should i turn. I sent a formal letter of complaint to the salvation army headquarters, but they have not responded. I don't know where to turn to. If you know of any attorney that would be willing to help me, please let me know.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

undefinedundefinedWhat is the name of your state?Missouri, I live in Kansas City, MO. I am an african american male. I am married and have 6 children. We had to go to a family shelter. There was a single white female that also was staying in the shelter. She left and was gone for 5 days. When she returned the shelter manager let her right back in. They had not heard from her. I left and was gone for 4 days, when i returned the shelter manager said i could not stay because they have a rule that states, if you are gone longer than 2 days, you can not come back. I feel that if they are going to use that rule then it should apply to all races. Do i have any rights as far as being discriminated against. Where should i turn. I sent a formal letter of complaint to the salvation army headquarters, but they have not responded. I don't know where to turn to. If you know of any attorney that would be willing to help me, please let me know.

would you have the same question had the woman been black?
The salvation army is a private organization. You don't have any "Rights".

Now, what is the REST of the story?

 

[dallas702]

And, how would you know that they had not heard from her?

You're gonna have a tough time trying to beat up on the Salvation Army.

 

[laurathelawyer]

BelizeBreeze is dead wrong. There are many laws that prohibit private entities from discriminating on the basis of race. Look on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for information on fair housing.

However, you would have to have evidence that the reason they discriminated against you was because of your race, and that's difficult to prove.

There are surely legal services organizations in your area that would represent you for free if they feel you have a case. Legal Aid of Western Missouri is one that might handle these kinds of cases, or can refer you to an organization that does.

 

[mlane58]

Oh I want to hear this one!

BelizeBreeze is dead wrong. There are many laws that prohibit private entities from discriminating on the basis of race. Look on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for information on fair housing.

How is BB wrong? The OP is talking about a shelter that is run by a private entity.

"Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, 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 (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability)."

I wasn't aware that the Salvation Army was selling space in their shelters.

I feel like I am back in the Air Force with Laterine House Lawyers running amok.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

our quasi-attorney has probably never heard of CORPORATION OF PRESIDING BISHOP v. AMOS, 483 U.S. 327, or any of the exemptions that Title VIII affords to Religious Organizations.

I guess she was absent during that discussion.

 

[laurathelawyer]

our quasi-attorney has probably never heard of CORPORATION OF PRESIDING BISHOP v. AMOS, 483 U.S. 327, or any of the exemptions that Title VIII affords to Religious Organizations.

You stated that anti-discrimination laws do not apply to private entities, and that is false. The case you cited shows that not all aspects of Title VII apply to all private entities in the same way, but it definitely doesn't support your assertion that neither Title VII nor any other anti-discrimination law applies to private entities.

I did not pretend to offer a conclusion on how the law would apply to the facts in this case, because that would constitute the unauthorized practice of law in this situation. But in determining whether the exemption from provisions of Title VII for religious organizations would apply, one should look at the statute itself, which clearly does not authorize religious organizations to engage in racial discrimination. Moreover, one should consider whether the Salvation Army receives federal funding, in which case additional anti-discrimination laws might apply.

 

[laurathelawyer]

How is BB wrong? The OP is talking about a shelter that is run by a private entity.

Why do you think that anti-discrimination laws only apply to private entities?

"Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act), as amended, 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 (including children under the age of 18 living with parents of legal custodians, pregnant women, and people securing custody of children under the age of 18), and handicap (disability)."

I wasn't aware that the Salvation Army was selling space in their shelters.

Do you think Title VIII only applies to the sale of housing? That's not what your quote says.

As I said, I would not venture to offer any conclusions about how the law would apply to the facts of this case, nor should one. One might want to compare the facts in Woods v. Foster 884 F.Supp. 1169, in which fair housing laws were applied to a homeless shelter, to the facts in this case.