Racial Discrimination Obviously Goes Both Ways

Governor Patterson of New York was sued by a Senate photographer who claimed that he lost his job so an African American can be hired. The state settled the case for 300k. - Read Story

Many people will say that this should not be an issue and the lawsuit should have been thrown out because this kind of situation has been happening to Blacks and other people of color in this country for too long. The truth is that the law is the law and what is right from wrong is very clear.

Kodak Settles Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

Kodak agreed in July 2009 that they will pay more than $21 million to settle a pair of racial discrimination lawsuits filed by current and former African-American employees. The lawsuits were filed in 2004 and 2007 by an African-American group of Kodak workers accusing Kodak of discriminating against African-American workers when it came to job hiring, pay and promotions. - Read Story

Cop Beats Special Education Student

An Illinois cop was caught on tape beating a special education student. This incident started because the student did not have his shirt tucked in his pants. - See Video

This video clearly shows the abuse of power that takes place at times. Fortunately for this student, there is video to back up his claims of abuse at the hands of the officer.

Subprime Mortgages Can Be Very Risky

Subprime mortgages became very one of the main reasons that America has experienced a real estate crisis. Subprime lending (near-prime, non-prime, or second-chance lending) in finance means making loans that are in the riskiest category of consumer loans. These loans can dramatically increase in how much a borrower has to pay monthly to a lender. These increases can easily become difficult for a borrower to handle and the borrower could place himself at risk of losing their home (if it is a subprime mortgage loan).

The Wall Street Journal reported in 2006 that 61% of all borrowers receiving subprime mortgages had credit scores high enough to qualify for prime conventional loans. During the current real estate crisis, too many people of color (African Americans and Latinos) received these very expensive subprime loans when they qualified for lower cost conventional mortgage and auto loans. This group of Americans also lead the rest of Americans in losing their home through foreclosure.

Subprime borrowers show data on their credit reports associated with higher default rates, including limited debt experience, excessive debt, a history of missed payments, failures to pay debts, and recorded bankruptcies. How does a person know when they qualify for a lower cost prime loan when the loan officer makes more money selling subprime loans to clients and the officer is all about the money. Too many of these loan officers were more concerned with the money they made and did not care about finding the best, lowest cost loan for their clients.

This is one of those areas where government regulation is needed. However, if the government in charge decides to look the other way or simply give the regulators limited authority and funding to regulate, many people can be bamboozled into accepting higher cost subprime loans. This is exactly what happened which helped create one of the greatest real estate and financial meltdowns in the history of America.

Prime loans go to borrowers with a credit score above 620 (credit scores are between 350 and 850 in the US). Since brothers typically do not own the banks and lending companies making loans, there should be a way for brothers connected to at a minimum share information about how the loan business works. This could assist many brothers and their families when receiving loans that are the best for them giving their credit history and financial situation.

Fathers and Gangs

In Chicago recently, a 16 year old honor student was killed. The teenager, Derrion Albert was supposedly walking to a bus stop when he got swept up in a mob street fighting. The young man was beaten to death and it was all captured on video. What motivates teenagers to use a 2 by 4, fists, and feet to beat another individual?

It would be interesting to find out how many of the kids involved in this death of a teenager are being raised by their fathers, and how many of the fathers are gainfully employed. Out of all the fathers that are gainfully employed, how many are trying their hardest to keep their children active in after school activities that add value to their lives. Keeping youngsters busy is one of the best ways to lower the risks of them finding trouble.

Derrion was obviously at the wrong place at the wrong time because all reports to this point say that he was not a target. We cannot say the same for the other teenagers who decided to go after him in such a brutal way.

There are too many children in the America's school system dying every year. Many of the kids involved in the killings are involved in gangs, drugs, and guns. Too many of them are not employed and have given up on school. Unfortunately, following the wrong path and making one bad decision in life after another is normal for them. It would be interesting in knowing exactly how the lives of these kids would be different if their fathers where involved in their life in a loving and nurturing way and the fathers were also gainfully employed.

President Obama, Professor Gates, and Kanye West

President Obama recently weighed in on the Kanye West and Taylor Swift MTV awards show situation. He basically called Kanye a Jackass for his stunt while Taylor was receiving and accepting her award.

What is interesting is that it became a big, negative media story in many parts of the country when President Obama weighed in on the Professor Gates arrest. President Obama mentioned that the police officers acted stupidly for going to Gates home to check out a call they received about unknown men possibly breaking into the house and ultimately arresting Gates who owns the home.

After the backlash from the media and many Americans for criticizing the police, President Obama decided to have a beer summit at the White House with himself, the arresting officer, and Professor Gates. The President goes further in judging Kanye West and there is no backlash whatsoever from the media or Americans.

Many people want to know if the police are above criticizing or was the situation with Professor Gates being arrested at his own home a grey area which is why so many folks jumped on the President for becoming involved in a local policing issue.

Although Kanye West did not do the right thing the night Taylor Swift won her award, he realized his mistake and publicly stated so. As humans, there is good in realizing an error in judgement and admitting it.

Previous Little River Golf Club Owner Settles Racial Lawsuit

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), had charged that the previous owner of the Little River Golf Club located in Charthage, NC unlawfully discharged six African-American employees because of their race and national origin.

In August 2009, a racial discrimination suit filed against the previous owner of Little River Golf Club has been settled out of court.

According to the regional attorney for the EEOC's Charlotte District office, Lynette A. Barnes said that "it is an unfortunate reality that some employers are willing to discriminate against one racial or cultural group in favor of another. Employers must remember that people of all races and colors are entitled to equal treatment in the workplace." - Read Story

Nike Settles Racial Discrimination Lawsuit for 7.6 Million

In July 2007, The Nike Company reached a $7.6 million settlement in a class-action race discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of 400 black employees of the company's Chicago Niketown store.

The lawsuit, filed in 2003, claimed managers at the retail store used
racial slurs to refer to black workers and customers. They also said
the store segregated black employees into lower-paying jobs as
stockroom workers and cashiers rather than giving them lucrative sales
jobs. - Read Story

Kroger Settles Discrimination Suit for $16 Million

In June 2008, the grocery chain Kroger Co. agreed to pay $16 million to settle a racial discrimination and harassment lawsuit.

The suit claimed that Kroger blocks the promotions of black employees and pays them less than white workers. - Read Story

Coca-Cola Settles Racial Bias Case

In the largest settlement ever in a racial discrimination case, the Coca-Cola Company agreed in November 2000 to pay more than $156 million to resolve a federal lawsuit brought by black employees. Read Story