In early December, Maxwell Frost tweeted that he had been denied an apartment in Washington, DC, because of “really bad credit.” This is noteworthy only because the twenty-five year-old Florida Democrat was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November. In subsequent comments Frost engaged in a denial of responsibility for his past…
Discrimination means recognizing the difference between to or more things. Every choice that we make is an act of discrimination. To oppose discrimination is to oppose freedom of choice. Anti-discrimination laws are anti-choice. As an example, consider laws that prohibit “source of income” discrimination in housing. Such laws force landlords to accept housing vouchers, regardless…
A lawsuit against the city of Chicago illustrates the adage, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” In the early 2000s, Bloomer Chocolate wanted to expand its factory. The company offered the owner of an adjacent property $824,980 for the land. When the owner declined the offer, the city of Chicago seized the…
In a previous post, we examined a Maryland law that prohibits landlords from asking prospective tenants about certain types of criminal convictions. Now, both Savannah, Georgia, and New Jersey are considering similar laws. Supporters claim that those with a criminal history face difficulties finding work and housing and this constitutes discrimination. Damn straight it is…
Last November, the Washington State Supreme Court unanimously upheld Seattle’s “first-come, first-served” ordinance. The law requires landlords to publicize their criteria when selecting tenants and then rent to the first qualified individual. Proponents of the ordinance claim that it provides equal treatment for all individuals. According to the Seattle Times, When landlords are allowed to…
“Progressives” who support a woman’s freedom to choose abortion to end an unwanted pregnancy often call themselves “pro-choice.” However, as is often the case with “Progressives, this self-assigned label is inaccurate and misleading. In fact, on many issues “Progressives” are vehemently anti-choice. A choice is the act of selecting from two or more alternatives. In…
A variety of federal, state, and local laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, and a number of other factors. Ostensibly, these laws are supposed to ensure that everyone is treated fairly. However, these laws are themselves discriminatory. They treat bigots, homophobes, and other irrational individuals unfairly. Every individual…
Virtually every social conflict can be solved with a proper understanding of property rights. As an example, consider the frequent claims that a business has engaged in discriminatory practices. The right to property means the freedom to create, attain, use, keep, trade, and dispose of material values. It means that the owner of a parcel…
For decades, legislative bodies have enacted laws that prohibit businesses and landlords from discriminating against an ever-growing list of individuals, such as ethnic and racial minorities, women, gays, the handicapped, and more recently, transgender individuals. Like many other issues involving the violation of property rights, anti-discrimination legislation is founded on fuzzy and imprecise thinking. It…
A recent story in the Texas Tribune details the difficulties that the holders of Section 8 vouchers have in locating landlords who will accept the federal housing subsidies. (The federal government pays a portion of the monthly rent for those with a Section 8 voucher.) Under Texas law, landlords are not required to accept the…
A Washington state court recently struck down a Seattle ordinance that forced landlords to rent to the next tenant in line if that individual met the landlord’s minimum standards. In short, once the landlord set minimum standards, he could not discriminate on the basis of anything else. The Washington court ruled that this constituted a…
The advocates of anti-discrimination legislation believe that individuals should be protected from unfairness and stupidity. They want government to prohibit actions that they deem to be wrong or offensive. They want government to protect their “rights.” For example, blacks, women, and gays have all demanded special laws that prohibit discrimination against them, and they have…