Letters to the Editor

Re: 'Judges hear arguments in craigslist lawsuit' (Feb. 19)

Dear Editor:

What never seems to be mentioned in discrimination cases is what the government is doing about the violators themselves. Who is going after the people that place these ads? There is a simple way to stop the practice of discriminatory postings. The ad presumably has a phone number or reply address making it easy to find the scofflaw. Send that person a $500 ticket and get municipal courts to hear the cases. Treat it like parking a car in a handicap spot. After a while, when enough people get $500 fines, the word will spread and the practice will stop. Similarly, this is a good way to expose the violators instead of brushing them under the carpet. Once convicted, online forums like Craigslist could publish the identity of the convicted parties, putting the public on notice that these landlords have discriminatory beliefs.

Craigslist lawyer Patrick Carome is right. Congress did not intend for online forums to be deputized into police officers that enforce compliance with the laws. Similarly, while newspapers should have to screen ads placed by phone, newspapers who inadvertently accept discriminatory ads placed through their Web sites should also be protected. The target of prosecution should be the parties who place the ads, not publishers that accidentally let them slip by. Yes, there should be some automated protections like screening for keywords, but, ultimately, the violator should pay the price for lack of compliance.

Derek Eisenberg
President
Continental Real Estate Group Inc.
New Jersey

Re: 'More loan servicers agree to put foreclosures on hold' (Feb. 19)

Dear Editor:

I can't imagine how 30 days will help these people. They can't process a loan in 30 days under normal circumstances; how in the world do they expect to be able to do the paperwork needed to straighten all of this out in just 30 days? This just isn't going to do it.

Nancy Hayes
Century 21 Pace Estates
Valparaiso, Ind.

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