Oh Look... More Good News

Families' fears grow after latest cross burning: "A weak economy can sometimes contribute to upswings in hate crimes, said Shanna Smith, a national civil rights expert. In recent months, Michigan has posted one of the highest unemployment rates in the country.
Smith, president of the National Fair Housing Alliance, said in an interview last month that when white people are financially unable to leave racially changing neighborhoods, some may lash out with hate. The alliance released a report in July that indicated some real estate agents in metro Detroit were steering black housing applicants away from mostly white neighborhoods, further dividing a region that is already one of the most segregated in the United States."