Cincinnati man takes landlord to court over 'White only' pool sign

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Cincinnati man takes landlord to court over 'White only' pool sign
Sapa-AP | 04 August, 2012 09:43

A man from the southern Ohio city of Cincinnati said he was so upset when he saw his landlord’s poolside “White Only” sign that he believes was aimed at his black daughter that he could no longer live at his home.

Michael Gunn testified Friday at an Ohio Civil Rights Commission hearing in Cincinnati that the sign at the duplex where he rented an apartment cost his family emotionally and financially. The hearing was held to consider penalties that could include punitive and compensatory damages against Gunn’s former landlord.

The commission found on Sept. 29 that landlord Jamie Hein, who claimed that the 10-year-old girl’s hair products clouded the pool, discriminated against the child. The commission ruled that Hein, who is white, violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act by posting the sign.

Hein did not attend Friday’s hearing, and a recording said her voicemail was full. The state has said Hein gave up her right to challenge the discrimination ruling by failing to respond to earlier case filings.


Read more: http://www.timeslive.co.za/world/2012/08/04/cincinnati-man-takes-landlord-to-court-over-white-only-pool-sign

[azurnoir]

1. that this sh*t still happpens in this country always astounds me

Last edited Sat Aug 4, 2012, 05:56 AM - Edit history (1)

hair products my arse hopefully Mr Gunn winds up owning the place

[dipsydoodle]

2. I'm simply appalled

[MADem]

3. That landlord is just a horrible human being. Horrible.

I hope the damages awarded are substantial.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

4. That landlord fucked up.

I hope she gets slammed financially.

[Chemisse]

5. Really? In this day and age?

What a sad lesson for that little girl.

[greiner3]

6. As a longtime resident of OH;

I'm not surprised this doesn't happen a LOT more.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

15. As a longtime resident of Cincinnati

Shocked? Not so much...

Don't get me wrong. There are some great people there. But sometimes you feel like you're living in Alabama. In 1950.

[Ash_F]

11. The father moved out before allowing her to see it.

That is the basis for the damages: moving costs, lost work ect. A strong case IMO

[Chemisse]

28. What a good dad

Although I guess she will learn eventually that this country is teaming with racists. It is so sad that children of color must face such cruelty in life.

[alphafemale]

8. Are you lost? Maybe you don't belong here.

[CatWoman]

20. I dunno - it's kinda funny

it made me think of that scene from that movie too

[sellitman]

9. Pizza time

Really? Wow.

[rocktivity]

10. Problem: Hair products clouding pool?

Solution: Post sign that says "BATHING CAPS Only."


rocktivity

[Ash_F]

12. Doubtful a ten year old actually had hair products.

Just plain old racist stereotyping.

[Lucky Luciano]

14. I believe it after seeing Chris Rock's documentary, "Good Hair"

...That said, landlord is a mega asshole who could have at least advised on the use of a bathing cap...of course, the clouding the pool thing is all bullshit anyway.

[treestar]

19. Exactly. And whites use hair products

That just don't happen to "cloud the pool?" Ridiculous.

[kitt6]

23. Yes. All the sticky stuff white boys

put in their hair now.

[Soylent Brice]

13. welcome to cincinnati...

...where racism is alive and well.

[smirkymonkey]

29. Ugh, Cincy. I work for a company that is headquartered there and most people say that they

will go anywhere but there. Interestingly enough I just moved to Boston from New York and I can even tell the subtle differences in racist tendencies here as compared to NYC. You just can't get away with that shit in New York.

[Fuddnik]

16. What a crock of shit.

I have a pool. Several women, who work with my wife, and who use every hair product known to man come over for a cocktail and a dip. It also includes several black women, who use products on their hair.

How come my pool is never cloudy?

[Brigid]

17. I'm just glad Mr. Gunn saw that sign . . .

Before his daughter did.

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. I really am curious about the landlord.

Is she from this country?
How could she NOT know what she did was illegal?, not to mention insamely bad form?
How can you be an apt. manager and not know the rental laws???

[CreekDog]

22. Some DUers are ignorant of Civil Rights laws, and, to add irony...

the most ignorant about the laws are the ones that are most convinced they are correct about them.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8391169

the poster even said that they hadn't read the Civil Rights Act, yet they were convinced they knew what was legal and what was not.

[Posteritatis]

30. Wait, wait, you mean a landlord has a sketchy awareness of tenancy laws?

Stop the presses!

I honestly kind of assume it's the rule rather than the exception that they have a slipshod attitude towards knowing the rules of such things, the tenants' rights, and so on.

That said, I find it pretty easy to believe the landlord's local to them anyway. As one of the other responses to your post notes, Americans who don't understand civil rights aren't exactly rare, and there's a hefty dose of "my property, my rules" on top of that which many people like using to justify stunts like this.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

21. I know a certain mom and her kid that needs to visit this landlord....

[img][/img]

[liberallibral]

25. So Sad and Pathetic...

Poor little 10-year old girl has to learn first-hand, how some human beings are truly monsters...

"Hair products clouding the pool"??? Are you kidding me??? Get some friggin' pool cleaning products and the water will be crystal clear and fine...

Stupid, racist landlord!!! On the way to 2013, and this crap is still happening.....

Amazing.....

[RKP5637]

26. Amazing, absolutely amazing. Haven't seen a sign like this since I

was a little kid. Next he'll put up a sign "No LGBT Allowed."

[WCGreen]

27. Good. What country do these people think they live in....