The Washington Post Claims That Modern-Day Redlining is Occurring, Without Any Evidence
"The Washington Post is effectively asking readers to ignore reality and instead accept its unfounded claim as an indisputable fact."
Opinion
The Washington Post recently argued that minorities in the United States are subjected to modern-day redlining - a coordinated effort to racially discriminate against minorities by driving them out of particular neighborhoods and communities. The Post cited "a hot housing market that has developers pressuring" minorities to sell their homes as evidence of modern-day redlining.
The argument is absurd on its face. A hot real estate market does not constitute modern-day redlining. Investors are offering to purchase homes from homeowners of all races, including minorities. They are making offers that would provide the current homeowner with a substantial net gain. Contrary to The Washington Post's baseless assertion, minority homeowners in the United States are not being compelled to sell their homes. A homeowner can sell their home to an investor. For which they will financially benefit from the property's appreciation. Alternatively, they can decline the investor's offer and remain as the homeowner.
It is objectively not racist for an investor to make an offer on a minority-owned property. If investors were seeking to promulgate racist practices, they would refuse to purchase properties from minority homeowners or refuse to purchase properties in neighborhoods that are predominantly made up of minority populations. However, that is not the case. Investors are making strong offers on a wide range of properties, regardless of the owner's race, solely because it is a good investment.
A strong real estate market benefits all property owners. Property owners can sell for record-high prices, which opens the door for them to purchase other investment properties and continue building wealth. The Washington Post intentionally ignored the advantages of a competitive housing market. Simultaneously, the paper presented no substantive evidence to support its claim that a hot housing market is equivalent to modern-day redlining. The Washington Post is effectively asking readers to ignore reality and instead accept its unfounded claim as an indisputable fact.
Garrett Gillespie graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science.
The Gillespie Report is a weekly news and conservative commentary column written by Garrett Gillespie. Subscribe to receive the newest edition each week for free.