Do You Believe White People Are Not Discriminated Again?

Written By:  Andrew Eide

Many people believe White people are never discriminated against. Today I will relate four personal experiences of discrimination and every case of discrimination against me by someone who was Black.

CONNECTICUT 1981

I wanted to obtain an FHA-Vet loan to purchase a home. The Black man I spoke with told me the requirement is you must have served on Active Duty in the Military for 180 days or more, received an Honorable Discharge, and have a family income less than $25,000. I replied that I served for 8 years on Active Duty in the United States Navy, I have an Honorable Discharge, and my combined family income is $21,000. When I told the Black man that he told me that I don’t qualify.

When I asked why he feels I don’t qualify when my information does qualify me he wouldn’t respond. When I asked him what the qualifications are he re-stated them and I re-stated what I have that is fully within the qualifications He refused numerous times to approve me for an FHA-Vet loan. This was Black on White discrimination.

OAKLAND CALIFORNIA 1982 FIRST INCIDENT

This incident was the same as the one in Connecticut but this one was called a Cal-Vet loan. They gave the qualifications as must have served on Active Duty for 180 days or more, received an Honorable Discharge, have a family income under $30,000, and be a California resident.

I told them my qualifications and the Black man I spoke with told me I don’t qualify as I am not a California resident but the other factors I have are within the Qualifications. I told him I was born in Oakland, California and I’ve lived in California my entire life. Again the Black man stated he doesn’t consider me a California resident so I don’t qualify for the Cal-Vet loan. Again blatant Black on White discrimination.

OAKLAND CALIFORNIA 1982 SECOND INCIDENT

I heard of a home loan program called Oakland Bond Money. I called them to apply. Requirements? Must have served on Active Duty for 180 days or more, received an Honorable Discharge, have family income under $25,000, and be a resident of Oakland.

I told them all my qualifications and the fact that I was born in Oakland and lived in Oakland my entire life. The Black man I spoke with told me I don’t qualify as I am not a resident of Oakland. I asked them how could I not be a resident of Oakland when I was born there and lived there all my life. I was denied again. Blatant Black on White discrimination.

OAKLAND CALIFORNIA 1982 THIRD INCIDENT

I saw a job in the Oakland Tribune newspaper where they were looking for people with Administrative Assistant skills to teach entry-level administrative skills to people to help them get into the work force. The requirements for the job were simple. You must have served in an Administrative Assistant position for a minimum of 5 years, have a desire to teach people entry-level administrative and clerical skills, and type at least 50 words per minute.

When I called the number a Black woman spoke with me. I told her I served as an Administrative Assistant for 10 years and I would love to teach people entry level skills to help them get into the work force. She asked me if I could type at least 50 words per minute. My response was while in the United States Navy from 1972 to 1980, and at General Dynamics Corporation from 1980 to 1982, I was typing 70 words per minute or higher. I told her I will gladly take a typing test if she would like. Her response was a loud and obnoxious IF YOU CAN’T TYPE 50 WORDS PER MINUTE OR MORE THEN WE DON’T WANT YOU! and then she slammed the phone and hung up on me. Blatant Black on White discrimination.

I was discriminatd against four times in 1982 and all four were by Blacks. So if you want to try to tell me that Whites don’t get discriminated against I am here to tell you to wake up and realize the truth.

These programs to help people obtain loans are supposed to be unbiased and are to apply fairly and equally to everyone across the board and hiring practices are also supposed to be unbiased. In my four cases of discrimination against me I fully met qualifications for the loan or the job. I didn’t get the loans or the job for no other reason than I was blatantly discriminated against by Blacks.