This past Thursday, a woman in Michigan was accused of discrimination for expressing a desire to have a Christian roommate.  She posted an advertisement on her church bulletin:

The ad included the words, “Christian roommate wanted,” along with the woman’s contact information. Had the ad not included the word “Christian,” Haynes said, it would not have been illegal.

Haynes is the Executive Director of Michigan’s Fair Housing Center.  Her explanation of the allegation is as follows:

It’s a violation to make, print or publish a discriminatory statement,” Executive Director Nancy Haynes told Fox News. “There are no exemptions to that.”

If you read it and you were not Christian, would you not feel welcome to rent there?” Haynes asked.

Um. Ok.  First of all if I wasn’t a Christian, I wouldn’t have even seen the ad because I wouldn’t have been in a Christian church….where the ad was posted…

This allegation is outrageous.  People have preferences about who they want to live with.  Is that not reasonable?    If someone is uncomfortable living with a person of another faith, I would think it best to voice that discomfort.  For one thing, if she didn’t express that in the ad, she almost certainly would have said so at any meeting with a potential roommate.

Her attorney voices a similar argument:

“Clearly this woman has a right to pick and choose who she wants to live with,” he said. “Christians shouldn’t live in fear of being punished by the government for being Christians. It is completely absurd to try to penalize a single Christian woman for privately seeking a Christian roommate at church — an obviously legal and constitutionally protected activity.”

People don’t seem to realize that Constitutional freedoms no longer exist. Political correctness has taken the place of the First Amendment.   If you say anything protected by the First Amendment , consider your days numbered.  If you want to tell the truth, a la Juan Williams, or if you want to express your opinions, you will be punished.   Its not politically correct to tell the truth, and obviously its wrong to be politically incorrect, right?

Juan Williams knows the price of telling the truth.  This woman knows the price of exercising her individual freedoms.  Unfortunately, too many others will come to know that price as well.

The problem is not that this law exists.  The fact of the matter is that it is necessary.  Some people are racist, and people of all faiths, skin colors, and handicaps need to be entitled to the same freedoms.  The problem is the way it was enforced.

The Fair Housing Act prevents people from publishing an advertisement stating their preference of religion, race or handicap with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling.

The rule makes sense to prevent discrimination.  I’m not opposed to it on principle.   But come on.  It should not apply to individuals who are looking for someone to split their rent.  I could understand it applying to landlords or people selling property.  But when you’re looking for someone to live with you should be able to pick the person based on any criteria.   Would a Muslim really want to live with a Christian woman who is uncomfortable with someone of another faith?  I would doubt that.  So why does it matter?

It doesn’t mean you’re a racist.  There are logistical, personal, and basic quality of life issues that lead a person to post an advertisement of this sort.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, right?  Obviously, this woman would be happier living with a Christian roommate.  Obviously, she is not in entitled to her pursuit of happiness.  But, its ok, she’s entitled to be politically correct…..

So, because this woman expressed a preference for who her roommate should be, she is about to pay the piper.  Her punishment:

Depending on the outcome of the case the woman could face several hundreds of dollars in fines and “fair housing training so it doesn’t happen again.”

She should be outraged at the very thought of a “several hundred dollar fine,” and every resident in the state of Michigan should be outraged by “fair housing training” unless they like throwing their tax money into a garbage disposal.  What a waste of tax payer money…..seems like there’s quite a bit of that happening these days….

Juan Williams said it best:

Political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don’t address reality.

Oh…. did he got fired for saying that?

The price of the truth….very costly indeed.