There are nearly 4 million annual fair housing violations. The Department of Justice has pursued 31.

[marmar]

From TomPaine.com:


Redefining Justice Down
Alan Jenkins
June 19, 2007


Alan Jenkins is executive director of The Opportunity Agenda, a communications, research, and advocacy organization with the mission of building the national will to expand opportunity in America. He is a former Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice.

Last week, The New York Times reported that the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department has “recast the federal government's role in civil rights” from addressing racial discrimination to bringing suits alleging discrimination based on religion. By framing the drastic and damaging changes at Justice as a “shift,” the Times missed the point.

There’s no question that religious discrimination has increased since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and warrants civil rights enforcement. And it is possible that, as the Bush administration asserts, discrimination against Christians has also received less attention from past administrations than it deserves. But there is ample evidence that the problem of racial discrimination continues to deny opportunity to millions of Americans. The Civil Rights Division is charged with addressing discrimination based on race, gender, nationality, disability, age and religion, as well as abusive practices by law enforcement officials. Rigorous enforcement in each of those areas is not a choice, but a responsibility of our federal government. But it is increasingly clear that the Civil Rights Division is not meeting its responsibility when it comes to racial equality.

It is true, of course, that every administration must make choices about the use of resources. It is also true, however, that past administrations have asked Congress for increases in the Civil Rights Division’s enforcement budget to address practical needs. An inspiring example at the state level is New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo who, soon after taking office, moved to double the size of his office’s Civil Rights Bureau. There seems little doubt that the U.S. Congress would authorize an increase in the federal Department of Justice budget to address adequately the full range of civil rights issues under the Department’s care. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2007/06/19/redefining_justice_down.php

[yardwork]

1. It's hard work.

[Richard Steele]

2. K&R

[kestrel91316]

3. It's hard work convincing the American people that their government

is worthless and needs to be dismantled and abolished.

But what the hey - MISSION ALMOST ACCOMPLISHED