So you're going along thinking it's the year 2000,
Information Age, digital revolution, high-tech economy, all that jazz, and
then you look at the headlines.
American General, one of the biggest insurance companies in the country,
right up until this April was charging black customers up to 33 percent more
than white customers for policies designed to cover burial costs. Huh?!
Coca-Cola -- not exactly a hick, backwater organization -- has just settled
a race-discrimination suit filed by current and former employees. The terms
of the settlement are confidential, but it was enough to knock 38 cents off
Coke's stock price.
Nextel Communications Inc., a wireless communications company, just got hit
with a suit by 300 current and former employees complaining about racial and
sexual discrimination.
Thirty-nine current and former agents of State Farm are asking Congress to
investigate "deceptive, predatory and illegal conduct" by the country's
largest insurance company. State Farm says the allegations are "unfounded."
The agents are complaining about red-lining and overcharging.