Cincinnati Commission Rules Against Racist Woman

Cincinnati - A landlord lost her appeal with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission January 12^th when she was found to be violating state anti-discrimination laws. Theincident happened on Memorial Day of 2011.

The woman, Jamie Hein, hung a “Public swimming pool. White only” sign outside her swimming pool and may have to pay for compensation and punitive costs. She argued the sign was an antique decoration but the commission dismissed the argument citing witnesses who said the landlord posted the sign because the chemicals in the girl's hair “would make the pool cloudy.” The sign is old, and Ronnell Tomlinson, the commission's housing enforcement director noted the sign read “Selma, Ala. 14 July 31.”

The commission voted 4-0 against reconsidering their decision and concluded posting the sign "restricts the social interaction between Caucasians and African-Americans and reinforces discriminatory actions aimed at oppressing people of color."

The commission pursued the case after a complaint was filed by a former tenant by the name of Michael Gunn for a weekend pool party. His daughter was the only black person at the otherwise all-white pool. Gunn said Hein questioned him about the "chemicals" his daughter uses in her hair and accused her for making the pool water "cloudy." Next week Gunn saw the sign in question and made the decision to move immediately "as not to expose my daughter to the sign and humiliation."

Gunn also gave commission officials copies of texts he claims Hein sent him shortly after he and his family moved blaming the grease in her hair for the cloudy condition of the pool.

Lawrence O'Donnell Knocks One Out of the Park

I haven't really watched mainstream news in a long time - sorry Rachel, Ed, and Lawrence I love you but I find what you guys don't cover to be pretty important too - but things like this make me want to do so.  I will let Lawrence himself say the words for me.  This needs to be taken to heart with ALL police stations not just now, when the heat is on them, but forever and globally.

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However these words must not just go for the press, but for ordinary citizens. By taping the actions of the police they are able to make sure the police do not violate anyone's rights yet not interfere with their job.  They also document the officers who do go beyond that line and start their own crimes.

Ever since the Rodney King beating was taped there have been laws put into place stating it is against the law to tape police officials. In the areas where this has not been the case, the police instead lie to civilians and tell them they are not allowed to do it despite the fact recording police is a sometimes the only way to make sure they don't go outside their boundaries.

If it wasn't  for taped events like the Rodney King beating, the police intimidation in Miami on Memorial Day earlier this year,  or the execution of Oscar Grant (and it WAS an execution), people would be less likely to believe these events happen.  One of the many things the Occupy Movement has brought to light, and they are many, is that police as a whole have no problem trying to stop people from recording what they're doing.  Now the ball is in the court of the police everywhere.  Stop preventing people from taping you whether they're press or civilian.