Apparently, it is now illegal to advertise for a Christian roommate.
A civil rights complaint has been filed against a 31-year-old Michigan woman who posted an advertisement on a bulletin board in her church seeking a Christian roommate.
Someone had seen the ad – in the church – with the words “Christian roommate wanted” and contacted the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan.
The case was then turned over to the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, which filed a housing discrimination charge. According to the ‘Fair Housing’ Center, the ad
“…expresses an illegal preference for a Christian roommate, thus excluding people of other faiths.”
FHCWM Executive Director Nancy Haynes told Todd Starnes of Fox News that “It’s a violation to make, print or publish a discriminatory statement. There are no exemptions to that.”
Haynes said this woman could face several hundreds of dollars in fines and “fair housing training so it doesn’t happen again.”
Harold Core, director of public affairs with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, appears to agree. While noting there are exemptions in law for gender when there is a shared living space, he told the Grand Rapids Press that the Fair Housing Act forbids people from publishing ads stating a preference of religion, race or handicap with respect to sale or rental of a dwelling.
Haynes, who said officials plan on pursuing the matter because “We want to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” asks, “If you read it and you were not Christian, would you not feel welcome to rent there?”
Describing the case as “outrageous,” her attorney, working for the Alliance Defense Fund, said this is a blatant violation of her First Amendment right to freely associate and
“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.”
Having already sent a letter to the state asking the authorities to dismiss the case as groundless, he went on to say,
“The First Amendment guarantees us Freedom of Religion and we have the right to live with someone of the same faith. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights is denying her rights by pursuing this complaint.”
The ADF is representing this woman free of charge.
After an outcry arose over the apparent injustice of the charges against the woman, Haynes seemed to have backtracked from her earlier statement concerning an illegal preference for a Christian roommate – excluding people of other faiths. Haynes told 24 Hour News 8 the woman has every right to seek and live with a Christian roommate — but advertising for it publicly, even on a church bulletin board, violates federal law.
“She can be a Christian and she can even use that as a criteria for who she wants to rent to. She just can’t state that. Because to state that is a violation of the Fair Housing Act,” she said. “There are certain exceptions that apply. She can actually, in practice, not rent to a non-Christian. But she can’t make the statement. The statement alone is a violation of the act. What she can do in practice she can’t make a statement about.”
Haynes now claims someone in the congregation was offended and filed a complaint.
She also spoke with a little less severity concerning the charges, explaining that the action is administrative, not criminal. The center asks for a response to try and negotiate a settlement. If they can’t, it’s possible that the Michigan Department of Civil Rights would determine if a violation happened and perhaps recommend a hearing.
“I found (the woman and her attorney’s) response very offensive. We’re not punishing her for being Christian at all. If you’re in the business of renting, it’s a business transaction that’s held to a standard under federal, state and local law.”
The state does want the woman to get training in federal law, and reimburse the Fair Housing Center $300 for the time it took them to ‘investigate.’
Here are some of my thoughts about why I find this so upsetting:
This was a private note on a church bulletin board. No financial transaction was involved. We are told about a so-called separation of church and state but this appears to mean the state will not allow any Christian activity associated with any state activities but the state is perfectly willing to intrude and penalize church affairs and activities.
If not directly this certainly indirectly impacts on how, and with whom, we live in our own private homes. The government claims she can choose to live only with a Christian but just can’t say that is what she is doing. But not being able to say or put up a notice probably will severely limit her choices of potential Christian roommates and have a direct and potentially negative impact on her living situation.
If she can choose to live only with a Christian but can’t say that is what she is doing , what impact does this have on her First Amendment guarantees of free speech and association?
The people of this church now have to consider and deal with the fact that they have a secret government informer in their midst. If a Christian in the church was offended by the note there is clear scriptural direction on how to deal with it–go to that person privately, take several others with you, bring it to the church and finally suffer wrong before going to secular authorities. [Matthew 18:14-17 and I Cor. 6:2-8]
This woman is expected to pay the costs of the investigation. I’m sorry but this reminds me of the requirement in Iran that family members pay for the bullet that executed a relative in order to get the body returned for burial. What is the difference between this reimbursement and a civil or criminal fine except that there isn’t a judge, jury or stipulated statute amount. What if the investigative cost was $10,000 instead of $300? Who decided this amount?
She is expected to go and get training in federal law so this doesn’t happen again. This sounds like a simpler, abbreviated form of government reeducation. Where do we know this from?
The government says this is a violation of federal, state and local laws. This is surely because of federal mandates on the state and local governments raising questions about the role of federalism and how it is being perverted by federal grants and their associated mandates.
Maybe this case is so outrageous simply because it raises the question of what can’t the government do if they chose to?
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Happy Birthday to an Extraordinary Man
Roland John Morris, Sr. July 1, 1945 – June 9, 2004
Roland Morris, Sr., 58, ascended to heaven on Wednesday, June 9th after a four year fight with cancer. Roland, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, was born July 1, 1945, in Cass Lake, MN. Ojibwe was his first language, and he grew up fishing, hunting, and gathering wild rice with family and friends. He also played intramural basketball, worked hard in the woods, spent time in a foster home and various jails, drank, smoked, and played guitar with friends at various bars.
Roland went to college in Kansas and was a draftsman for a short time before becoming an upholsterer. While he struggled with many difficulties in his early years, he was a perfectionist with upholstery and throughout his life performed his craft well.
After a life changing spiritual experience with Jesus in 1988, Roland moved his second family to Ronan, Montana to be near his cousin and Christian evangelist, Frank (Scotty) Butterfly. There, in 1992, Roland and his wife, Elizabeth, created Montana’s first patient transportation service, Mission Valley Medicab. They also helped instigate the Montana Passenger Carriers Association and the charitable organization, Valley Missions, Inc., all without tribal assistance.
Roland taught his children about wild ricing, hunting, fishing, and a little of the Ojibwe language. But the biggest, strongest desire of his heart was that his children, grandchildren, and entire extended family come to the saving knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ. Having watched many friends and relatives die physically, spiritually, and emotionally from alcoholism, violence, and suicide, Roland could no longer stand aside and do nothing. He was concerned for the children and felt distress at the attitudes of many adults within his community. He wanted the self-destruction to stop.
Roland’s relationship with Jesus coupled with his conviction that much of the reservation system was harmful led him to some amazing life experiences. Actively opposing much of federal Indian policy, Roland served as President of the Western Montana organization All Citizens Equal, was a board member and Vice-Chairman of the national organization; Citizens Equal Rights Alliance, was the Secretary of Citizens Equal Rights Foundation.
He also ran as a Republican candidate for the Montana House of Representatives in the 1996 and testified before the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in April,1998, the Minnesota Attorney General in 2000, and numerous Mont. State committees. With his family, he also had a private meeting with a member of the President’s Domestic Policy Council May, 2002 in Washington DC.
As time progressed, Roland became more convinced of the importance of Jesus in his life. So in 2000 he attended a year of training at the Living Faith Bible College, Canada. Over the last three years, he and/or his family went on mission trips in Canada and Mexico. During a 2003 trip to a children’s home in Juarez, Mexico, he fixed most of their dining hall chairs, taught 6 boys how to upholster, donated materials, and preached a Sunday street service.
Through the years, he has appeared in numerous newspaper articles across the country. The last article he appeared in was on Friday, May 14th, in the Washington Times. Reporter Jennifer Lehner wrote, “the ICWA [Indian Child Welfare Act] protects the interests of others over [Mr. Morris'] grandchildren,” and “Mr. Morris said that once children are relocated to the reservations, they are subject to the corrupt law of the tribal government. Instead of preserving culture, he said, the tribal leadership uses the ICWA to acquire funds provided through the legislation.” Ms. Lehner quoted Mr. Morris as saying that the law is “supposed to help children, but instead it helps tribal governments.”
Finally, in February, 2004, he and his wife founded the Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare. The purpose of this was to encourage preaching, teaching and fostering of the growth of the Christian Faith in all places, encourage accountability of governments to families with Indian heritage, and educate the public about Indian rights, laws, and issues.
Roland praised God to the very end. When his final struggle began, several of his friends and family were praying with him. When those present sang old-time hymns, he raised his hand in the air for as long as he could. When “I Surrender” was sung, he sang the echo. While Pastor Kingery sat next to Roland, holding his hand, Roland looked him straight in the eyes and pointed his other hand up to heaven. When he passed on to greater life, his good friend Marvin Bauer was softly playing Gospel songs for him on his accordion.
Roland is survived by his wife, nine children, twelve grandchildren and a great grandson. Also important to his heart was his “special” son, Jesus Garcia, in Juarez, Mexico. Surviving brothers include Harry Morris and Steven Jones; and sisters include Clara Smith, Bernice Hurd, Sharon Goose, and Christine Jones, as well as numerous nephews and nieces and his great cousin, Scotty Butterfly.
Roland was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Susan Jones; siblings Thomas and Wallace Morris, Robert, Martin, Caroline, Frances, Barbara and Alvina Jones, Loretta Smith, and grandson Brandon Kier.
Roland’s loving friend, Jim Ball, crafted a beautiful casket for him as a gift. Funeral services were at the CMA Church in Ronan, MT, on Sunday, June 13, 2004 and the CMA Church in Cass Lake, MN, Tuesday, June 15. Internment was at Prince of Peace Cemetery. He is strongly remembered for his strength, character, and love for the Lord Jesus.
Roland, our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend; We Love you and Miss you so very much. You are with God now.
Gi gi wah ba min me na wah
Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare
Independent Indian Press
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