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>I'm an innocent capitalist fulfilling what the market demands I agree. We've been using that excuse for too long. In the 50's William Levitt, the country's la

>I'm an innocent capitalist fulfilling what the market demands I agree. We've been using that excuse for too long. In the 50's William Levitt, the country's largest home builder and the originator of the modern suburb, said exactly that when asked why he built white only communities. "If we sell one house to a Negro family, 90 to 95 percent of our white customers will not buy into the community." "As a Jew, I have no room in my heart for racial prejudice. But the plain fact is that most whites prefer not to live in mixed communities. This attitude may be wrong morally, and someday it may change. I hope it will." In other words: I know it's wrong, but I'm just doing what my customers want.

kazinator 7y ago
Wow. He did more than just use that excuse, he played the "I can't be racist because I'm a Jew" card. His reference to "white customers" doesn't even exclude Jews, to begin with. Like, in 1950's America, did Jews eagerly move into communities with large numbers of blacks, in stark contrast to "whites"?
- jrochkind1 7y ago
  In 1950's America, actually, many white communities wouldn't allow Jews to buy or rent. But I agree with you that "I can't be racist because I'm a Jew" is ridiculous, and that real estate profiteering off of racism is abhorent regardless of who is doing it.
infinite8s 7y ago
And that's why we have regulations.
- apostacy 7y ago
  The regulations are worse than the problem though. Thankfully the HUD under this administration has been trying to slow it down. In my friend's home town, the federal government has deemed it to be "too white", and is trying to build a 500 unit housing complex, and bus in people from 80 miles away to live there. And to anyone who loves talking about how enlightened they are, ask yourself if YOU would choose to live next to government housing for 500+ low income people. Of course you wouldn't.
  - learc83 7y ago
    So some people living next to 500 low income people is better than not allowing black people to live anywhere but slums? Because that's the problem in the scenario I mentioned. Also low income people need to live somewhere, and how exactly are they "busing" in people to live there? I'm pretty sure your story is missing some details. Can you link us to a local article on it so we can find out more for ourselves?
    - apostacy 7y ago
      So, you would be ok with transplanting a chunk of Detroit into your neighborhood? Unless the answer to that question is an enthusiastic yes, then you would be called a racist. Actually, forget who the people are. Would you be ok with the federal government forcibly disrupting your community and bypassing local governance, to build buildings that nobody asked for, and inviting displaced strangers into your community? And their rationale for this is punitive. They target communities that are deemed to be too homogenous.
      - infinite8s 7y ago
        Again, you have any citation for that? Surely a story as disruptive as you paint it has been covered somewhere.
        apostacy 7y ago
        This took me 15 seconds: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2016/12/27/westchester-affordable-housing-settlement-finish/95867128/ https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2016/12/2... They do this all around Chicago. The federal government engages in what is essentially balkanization. And people are justified in not being happy about it.
        learc83 7y ago
        That is not even remotely close to the situation as you described it. Not even in the same ballpark. A private group sued the county after they "collected $52 million in federal development grants by falsely certifying in the grant paperwork that it had analyzed impediments to fair housing." There was a federal development grant that required the county to conduct an assessment of it's zoning policies to determine whether those zoning policies prevented developers from building affordable housing. Many counties have policies like that--minimum square footage, minimum acreage etc... The county lied, said they had conducted this analysis, and collected $52 million. As punishment they were forced to pay back some of the money, and issue permits for 750 affordable homes. Not housing projects. The federal government didn't build any homes, they didn't bus anyone in from 80 miles away. And the primary motivating force for this settlement were local advocacy groups who were arguing against overly restrictive zoning by local government. In fact this entire situation is an example of government overreach in exactly the opposite direction. The local government created a problem, and the Federal government stepped in to provide redress to local petitioners.
siruncledrew 7y ago
"I know it's wrong, but that's what the money is telling me to do, and money is never wrong." It's another way of saying "All I care about is the money I get". If the price is high enough, his conscious could be bought. Sure, maybe he feels bad for hurting a group of people, and his Jewish ancestry shows he knows what that's like to be the short end of the stick. But this is the opposite of taking the high road. It's about as impactful as saying "Thoughts and prayers to those people I displaced, buuuttt... it turns out it's way more beneficial for me if I just roll with this, so.. sorrryyyy." The "You can't blame me for selling out because you would do the same thing" argument is an overrated defense.
Chris_Chambers 7y ago
You may have heard of a rather large Jews-only suburb called Israel. I suppose you’d also like to see it diversified against their will. How not antisemitic of you.

kazinator 7y ago

Wow. He did more than just use that excuse, he played the "I can't be racist because I'm a Jew" card. His reference to "white customers" doesn't even exclude Jews, to begin with. Like, in 1950's America, did Jews eagerly move into communities with large numbers of blacks, in stark contrast to "whites"?

jrochkind1 7y ago
In 1950's America, actually, many white communities wouldn't allow Jews to buy or rent. But I agree with you that "I can't be racist because I'm a Jew" is ridiculous, and that real estate profiteering off of racism is abhorent regardless of who is doing it.

infinite8s 7y ago

And that's why we have regulations.

apostacy 7y ago
The regulations are worse than the problem though. Thankfully the HUD under this administration has been trying to slow it down. In my friend's home town, the federal government has deemed it to be "too white", and is trying to build a 500 unit housing complex, and bus in people from 80 miles away to live there. And to anyone who loves talking about how enlightened they are, ask yourself if YOU would choose to live next to government housing for 500+ low income people. Of course you wouldn't.
- learc83 7y ago
  So some people living next to 500 low income people is better than not allowing black people to live anywhere but slums? Because that's the problem in the scenario I mentioned. Also low income people need to live somewhere, and how exactly are they "busing" in people to live there? I'm pretty sure your story is missing some details. Can you link us to a local article on it so we can find out more for ourselves?
  - apostacy 7y ago
    So, you would be ok with transplanting a chunk of Detroit into your neighborhood? Unless the answer to that question is an enthusiastic yes, then you would be called a racist. Actually, forget who the people are. Would you be ok with the federal government forcibly disrupting your community and bypassing local governance, to build buildings that nobody asked for, and inviting displaced strangers into your community? And their rationale for this is punitive. They target communities that are deemed to be too homogenous.
    - infinite8s 7y ago
      Again, you have any citation for that? Surely a story as disruptive as you paint it has been covered somewhere.
      - apostacy 7y ago
        This took me 15 seconds: https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2016/12/27/westchester-affordable-housing-settlement-finish/95867128/ https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2016/12/2... They do this all around Chicago. The federal government engages in what is essentially balkanization. And people are justified in not being happy about it.
        learc83 7y ago
        That is not even remotely close to the situation as you described it. Not even in the same ballpark. A private group sued the county after they "collected $52 million in federal development grants by falsely certifying in the grant paperwork that it had analyzed impediments to fair housing." There was a federal development grant that required the county to conduct an assessment of it's zoning policies to determine whether those zoning policies prevented developers from building affordable housing. Many counties have policies like that--minimum square footage, minimum acreage etc... The county lied, said they had conducted this analysis, and collected $52 million. As punishment they were forced to pay back some of the money, and issue permits for 750 affordable homes. Not housing projects. The federal government didn't build any homes, they didn't bus anyone in from 80 miles away. And the primary motivating force for this settlement were local advocacy groups who were arguing against overly restrictive zoning by local government. In fact this entire situation is an example of government overreach in exactly the opposite direction. The local government created a problem, and the Federal government stepped in to provide redress to local petitioners.

siruncledrew 7y ago

"I know it's wrong, but that's what the money is telling me to do, and money is never wrong." It's another way of saying "All I care about is the money I get". If the price is high enough, his conscious could be bought. Sure, maybe he feels bad for hurting a group of people, and his Jewish ancestry shows he knows what that's like to be the short end of the stick. But this is the opposite of taking the high road. It's about as impactful as saying "Thoughts and prayers to those people I displaced, buuuttt... it turns out it's way more beneficial for me if I just roll with this, so.. sorrryyyy." The "You can't blame me for selling out because you would do the same thing" argument is an overrated defense.

Chris_Chambers 7y ago

You may have heard of a rather large Jews-only suburb called Israel. I suppose you’d also like to see it diversified against their will. How not antisemitic of you.