Yesterday a California renters' rights organization, Tenants Together, launched a new campaign called NBA: Show You Care.
Their
goal? To prompt the NBA to discipline LA Clippers owner and big-time
landlord Donald Sterling for his willful engagement in housing
discrimination. A Tenants Together press release said this:
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Sterling
“Engaged in a pattern or practice of discriminating on the basis of
race, national Origin, and family status.” The DOJ stated that Sterling
“refused to rent to African Americans” and that his conduct was willful.
Indeed, Sterling was forced to pay a whopping $2.725 million in the largest housing discrimination settlement
to date. But even this sizable chunk of change isn't enough to
compensate for the damages caused by many years of racial
discrimination and unlawful activity in the housing market. Many would
like to see further discipline for Sterling's actions. Many would like
to see the NBA acknowledge and take action to address racism within its
ranks.
Political sportswriter Dave Zirin added: "Court
testimony claimed that Sterling had said he did not like to rent to
Hispanics because "Hispanics smoke, drink and just hang around the
building." Witnesses testified that he also said, "Black tenants smell
and attract vermin."
Woah. Is this really the type of leadership that we want to see in the NBA? I sure hope not.
Housing discrimination is insidious and largely invisible to
enforcement agencies. Most people of color won't start a lawsuit after
experiencing housing discrimination on a personal level. It's expensive
and difficult to prove. If you're renting, you probably don't have the
cash to hire a lawyer or the time to research tenants' rights. Most
folks will just silently wonder: Is it just me? Is it a personal fault?
Is it my credit score? My references? But then there's that nagging
question: Or could it be the color of my skin?
How could one
possibly know the precise motives behind an isolated decision to deny
housing to a family or an individual? Generally, you don't
know. That's why Sterling's case required a major lawsuit to look into
broad demographic information and testimonials over a period of years.
When lawsuits like this actually come to fruition, you know that
there's something very wrong.
I'm hoping that this
case involving a high-profile NBA team owner will serve as a warning to
landlords all over the country that housing discrimination won't be
tolerated. I'm also hoping that the NBA will step up its game and start
a dialogue about how the organization plans to address racism in sports
and beyond.
In the meantime, there's a petition that you can sign over at NBA: Show You Care "to urge the NBA to condemn racist housing discrimination and discipline Donald Sterling."
Go ahead; sign it.