UPDATE TO PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRY

UPDATE

(With Some Background)

This is a brief update to a blog entry that I made in February about a Suburban St. Louis family being harassed by the town of Black Jack Missouri, which tried to prohibit the family from moving into a home they just bought, and now wants them to leave their home because they are not "a family" in the eyes of the city officials. This is a case that made national and international news in February. The city of Black Jack is attempting to impose its moral beliefs onto the family. The incident was sparked after the city found out that the couple was not married.... although they do have 3 children.

One of the city officials even used references to God when discussing the fact that the couple was not married. They (the city officials) claim that the city law was aimed at preventing overcrowding. Well, "overcrowding" is not really an issue in this case, and the house has more than enough room for the family. That's a convenient excuse covering the real motive- the city applying their religious and moral beliefs onto the family....and allowing the city to discriminate for a host of other reasons. Besides, if they wanted to make a law against overcrowding, then they could easily write a law to deal specifically with that issue. But it is all about the city trying to tell people how to live, how to raise their children, and what morals they should have. FOLKS...I'M FROM THE ST. LOUIS AREA AND I CAN TELL YOU, THESE PEOPLE ARE STUCK IN THE DARK AGES. THIS IS 100% BUSH, RED STATE REPUBLICAN TERRITORY...EVEN MORE SO THAN TEXAS.

But, after an outcry from people across the St. Louis metro area, the Black Jack City Council decided in February that they would re-examine the issue and gave all indications that they would straighten the issue out and overturn the law so that the family would not be evicted from their new home, face fines or further harassment.

In my original posting, I suggested that race was a factor, because it is an interracial couple. I now believe that it is more of a moral/religious issue, but I still believe that race may be a factor. Most people agree that there are dozens of other families in that town who are not married. There are thousands around the St. Louis metro area and most other large metro areas in the country. This couple appears to have been singled out. They were not aware of this bizarre situation until after they finalized the deal on their home purchase.

The City Council of Black Jack was supposed to vote yesterday, May 17th, to do something about the situation. All indications were that the city would change the law. For more background on this case, read here.

FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT


Okay... so the vote was taken yesterday. RESULTS?

The change was rejected. The previous ruling stands. The family will have to leave their home. OR pay huge fines. This was a surprise to most people, because (due to speculation) it was widely expected that the ordinance would be overturned and perhaps a more reasonable (overcrowding) ordinance would be written. Now the family faces eviction and at the least could be charged $500.00 for everyday that they remain in the home together.

Luckily the ACLU has stepped in and they will represent the family. They are prepared to take this case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the coming months, this may very well turn into a huge issue on the national level. Here is the latest on this story from the USA Today.
Additional articles here, and here

Article from CBS....

Article from Seattle Times

The Huffington Post Is Also Covering this Story. But Huffington won't cover it as good as I will ;). I covered the original story back in February, while Huffington and others are just catching on today.

CNN Also covering the story on their blog.

MORE TO COME ON THIS STORY!!!!

I will be keeping up with the case and will update as events dictate. I love these kinds of legal battles and i'm intrigued by this case.

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Another update:

UnmarriedAmerica.org has some good analysis of the case.

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UPDATE
for August 13, 2006

ACLU FILES LAWSUIT!

Unmarried couple sues for housing permit

JIM SALTER
Associated Press

ST. LOUIS - A couple with three children has sued a suburban town that refused to give them a housing permit because the parents are not married.

The suit, filed on their behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union on Thursday, claimed that the town of Black Jack's housing law violates the state and U.S. constitutions, as well as the Federal Fair Housing Act. It seeks unspecified damages.
The ordinance prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by "blood, marriage or adoption."

The ACLU said Foundray Loving, Olivia Shelltrack and their school-age children are facing fines of up to $500 per week for living in their five-bedroom home in the suburb of 6,800 because Loving is not the biological father of Shelltrack's oldest child, and the couple are not married.
"The government has no business saying two consenting adults cannot live with their own children," said Tony Rothert, legal director for the ACLU of Eastern Missouri.

City attorney Sheldon Stock declined comment. Mayor Norman McCourt did not return a phone call seeking comment. McCourt has previously said the ordinance was intended to prevent crowding and has nothing to do with morality.

The city council voted to keep the ordinance earlier this year.
Last month, a North Carolina judge struck down the state's 201-year-old law barring unmarried couples from living together, calling the law unconstitutional.

The ACLU says Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, Virginia and West Virginia also have laws that prohibit cohabitation. Missouri does not have such a law.

Source

Official Press Release from the ACLU