When you complain to your landlord about a mold infestation and she turns it into some racial thingy, how would you react?
Well, an interracial couple in Ontario had to challenge their landlord over a letter in which a mold complaint was answered with racial references. Vincent and Rebecca Cardwell told the Windsor Star that when they lodged a complaint that their house had black mold infestation that needed to be addressed quickly since it was causing respiratory problems among their children, their landlord Olga Crocker suggested the problem was caused by negligence and ended on a racial note.
“May I point out that, realizing that black people and those of mixed relationships have considerable difficulty finding housing, I decided to trust you. Evidently, this was a very stupid mistake on my part.”
Thing is Crocker claimed she did nothing wrong and added: “In any event, I’m a private individual. I’m entitled to my own prejudices. I’m not the government, I don’t hire anyone. Is there a law against being a bigot?”
Do you think they should enforce a law against bigotry? And was she just dubbing blacks and mixed race couples as negligent? Damn!
Anyway the Cardwells are preparing complaints to the Landlord and Tenant Board and the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
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Comment by smalltown51 on 4 April 2008:
The sad part of this story is that the landlord, Olga Crocker, probably didn’t even realize how hurtful and wrong her initial statement was. That’s part of the problem with racism. Some people don’t understand the impact of their words and actions upon others who are different. Obviously, some racism is overt hatred. But a lot is just plain insensitivity and igorance. Afterward, when confronted with her statement, she became defensive and made the matter worse. Her real and only proper action should have been to apologize for the Cardwell’s inconvience, check for mold and take care of it. It would shown that respect and concern builds bridges of trust. Mold doesn’t descriminate. It can harm anybody, regardless of color.
Comment by st8upsista4u on 6 April 2008:
dumb b@%*! I hope when that couple finish suing her , she will have to pay them rent….she is a total pig
Comment by Rjai on 11 April 2008:
And “they” say Racism is dead in this country. PLEASE, the struggles of the 60’s only taught the racists and bigots how to hide behind a smile and in this case a lease agreement.
Comment by Littlewicked on 13 April 2008:
Someone ought to sign up the Landlord, Olga, on this site….
Comment by BIG MAMA on 18 June 2008:
Perhaps that Landlord need to go to the cemetery and look at what happen to those so-called-Bigots. Words not only hurt these days. They KILL!