Discrimination is an omnipresent force in our society. The faceless shadow rears its ugly head in a variety of places, and impacts the lives of countless Americans every day. Tomorrow, for instance, an African American woman will be turned down for a job because of her race. The next day, an aging man will be replaced without warning by a younger employee. Over the years, the legislature and the judiciary have taken turns wrestling with the complex issues created as a result of widespread discriminatory practices.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Congress attempted to remedy some forms of discrimination by passing the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).