Liberal Burblings

It is always good to look back at stories which initially cause a media furore.

One such case happened in Black Jack, Missouri, USA in May this year. My blog summarised the situation:

The town (which calls itself a “city” for some reason) of Black Jack, Missouri, USA has a law, recently confirmed by the local council, which bans unmarried couples with more than one child from occupying homes there. One such couple is facing fines of £270 a day for continuing to live in such a situation.

The City’s web site and the American Civil Liberties Union reported more recently:

On August 15, 2006 The Black Jack City Council voted UNANIMIOUSLY (sic) to change the policy and amend the definition of “family”. This vote differed dramatically from the vote on May 5, to where five of the eight members of the City Council REJECTED a proposal to change the policy.

So all it ends happily after the City council, apparently, caved in. Good for them. However, there is still a lawsuit outstanding:

On August 10, 2006 the ACLU of Eastern Missouri and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project filed a lawsuit on behalf of Olivia Shelltrack, Fondray Loving and their family who were denied a permit to live in the City of Black Jack because of a law that prohibited more than three people from living together unless they are related by “blood, marriage or adoption.”

So the second shoe hasn’t yet dropped….

Related posts:

1. "If you're not married you can't live here" – Missouri council
2. "If you’re not married you can’t live here" – Missouri council
3. Meet Britain's other black farmer
4. Meet Britain’s other black farmer
5. Tories: Now it's our turn with the dog whistle