Media and politicians in Sweden need to do a better job explaining that not all discrimination is based on racism and that there are ways individuals can overcome it to climb the social ladder, argues liberal commentator Nima Sanandaji. … Read More
Georgia town allegedly diverting sewage to black neighborhood
Rochelle, Ga. made national headlines recently when Wilcox County high school held its first-ever integrated prom last weekend.Now, nonprofit environmental law organization Earthjustice is targeting the town for another instance of racial discrimination: its sewage treatment.According to Earthjustice.org, “White residents of Rochelle live on the south side of the city’s railroad track. African-Americans live on the other side.” The city maintains pipes in the predominantly white neighborhood, but not the African-American side. “As a result,” writes Earthjustice, “untreated sewage backs up and overflows into the streets and the yards of residents on the north side of the tracks.”“Sewage overflows my pipes and flows under my house. It’s time somebody did something about it. They [the white community] live comfortably and I want to live comfortably, too,” said Rochelle resident Rufus Howard.Howard is one of nine Rochelle residents represented by Earthjustice, who will file a lawsuit under the Clean Water Act if the city does not resolve the issue in 60 days.Continue Reading… … Read More
Town to hold first integrated prom allegedly discriminating with sewage treatment
Rochelle, Ga. made national headlines recently when Wilcox County high school held its first-ever integrated prom last weekend.Now, nonprofit environmental law organization Earthjustice is targeting the town for another instance of racial discrimination: its sewage treatment.According to Earthjustice.org, “White residents of Rochelle live on the south side of the city’s railroad track. African-Americans live on the other side.” The city has maintains pipes in the predominantly white neighborhood, but not the African-American side. “As a result,” writes Earthjustice, “untreated sewage backs up and overflows into the streets and the yards of residents on the north side of the tracks.”“Sewage overflows my pipes and flows under my house. It’s time somebody did something about it. They [the white community] live comfortably and I want to live comfortably, too,” said Rochelle resident Rufus Howard.Howard is one of nine Rochelle residents represented by Earthjustice, who will file a lawsuit under the Clean Water Act if the city does not resolve the issue in 60 days.Continue Reading… … Read More
StudentsFirst dubs “Don’t Say Gay” bill co-sponsor “education reformer of the year”
Michelle Rhee’s controversial education reform nonprofit StudentsFirst recently selected a virulently anti-gay lawmaker as the organization’s “reformer of the year.”StudentsFirst’s honoree, Tennessee state Rep. John Ragan, is the co-sponsor of the state’s shameful (and, thankfully, failed) “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, a measure that would have banned teachers from discussing sexuality that is not “related to natural human reproduction” in the classroom. The bill was a barely-concealed attempt to prevent teachers from talking about the existence of gays and lesbians with their students, and would have enshrined anti-gay discrimination in Tennessee law and educational policy. Additional language in Ragan’s measure would have compelled educators and school therapists to “out” students they suspected of being gay to parents or guardians.Continue Reading… … Read More
Washington state Republicans introduce measure to legalize LGBT discrimination
Washington state Sen. Sharon Brown and 11 other Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to legalize discrimination against gays and lesbians based on a business owner’s “sincerely held” religious beliefs, philosophical beliefs or “matters of conscience.” The measure would also undermine current state anti-discrimination law.Senate Bill 5927 would not allow businesses to deny services to people based on race, religion, disability or other protected classes under federal law; but being gay or transgender is not a protected class, so discriminating against them is fair game, according to the bill:The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief, philosophical belief, or matter of conscience may not be burdened unless the government proves that it has a compelling governmental interest in infringing the specific act or refusal to act and has used the least restrictive means to further that interest.Continue Reading… … Read More
Will Congress finally outlaw anti-gay workplace discrimination?
Today, a group of lawmakers is trying to succeed where Congress has failed for almost two decades, by introducing a bill to finally end workplace discrimination against gay and transgender Americans. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has been a top-ticket item for advocates since it was first introduced in 1994, but principle sponsor Sen. Jeff Merkley told Salon in an interview this afternoon that he thinks this will be year they succeed.”I think most Americans would be surprised to find out that it is legal to discriminate against the GLBT community, and to do so in employment, which is fundamental to the opportunity for the pursuit of happiness and for equality under the law and general fairness,” the Oregon Democrat said in an interview.Indeed, though it’s almost hard to believe, with no federal statute on the books, it’s perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay in 29 states that don’t have their own non-discrimination laws. In 34 states, you can fire transgender people.Continue Reading… … Read More
Labor rights lawyer: ‘Political winds blowing the right way’ to pass ENDA
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is set to be reintroduced before both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday. The legislation would put into place federal protections for LGBT people in the workplace, making it illegal to fire or otherwise discriminate against a…
