Sun-Times editorial board member and columnist reveals newspaper's dirty little secret
Shortly after Senator J.D. Vance accepted the nomination for vice president at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Rummana Hussain, a member of the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board who is of Indian descent, wrote a tantrum of a column titled: “You can be a person of color or married to one still ‘stan’ for white supremacy.”
On Sunday, Hussain was a guest on the Ben Joravsky Show. A longtime Chicago Reader columnist, and a committed leftist, Joravsky praised her opinion piece.
“This is a great column,” Joravsky said, “so pat yourself on the back.”
Vance, a Republican from Ohio and the author of the 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, is married to a woman of Indian heritage, Usha Chilukuri. A book brought to the big screen in 2020, Usha's character, portrayed by Freida Pinto, occupies a significant role in the Ron Howard-directed movie. Hussain is a leftist too, and leftists, or if you prefer, progressives, are obsessed with race and identity politics. Hussain stepped in a pile of a mess while discussing race during the Joravsky podcast.
"Sometimes we get overlooked as even people of color," Hussain remarked to Joravsky, "like you know, people just put us into the white category."
But then, as the cliche goes, Hussain said the quite part out loud regarding job postings at the Sun-Times. The relevant portion begins at the 20:50 mark.
“I remember one time there was a job opening at the Sun-Times — I always say this because I try to explain the point to people — and I asked if I could apply for it and then I was told I can't apply for it because it's for a minority. And I couldn't believe that white people in the newsroom we're telling me that I can't apply for it because it’s for a minority. And I'm like, 'Hello, I'm not white.'”
What job was it, Ms. Hussain? When was this position listed? Where was it listed? Is the Sun-Times a news organization or a DEI employment agency? The Sun-Times has undergone several ownership changes over the years. Currently, it is operating as a non-profit, along with WBEZ, Chicago's NPR station, by Chicago Public Media. One is not required to be a licensed attorney to grasp that such overt race-based hiring could be illegal. At a minimum, for certain, it is unquestionably sleazy.
According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has a description of violations regarding employment:
“What employment actions are prohibited by Title VII?
Title VII prohibits race and color discrimination in every aspect of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, wages, benefits, work assignments, performance evaluations, training, transfer, leave, discipline, layoffs, discharge, and any other term, condition, or privilege of employment.
Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also practices that appear to be neutral, but that limit employment opportunities for some racial groups and are not based on business need.
What is intentional discrimination?
Intentional discrimination occurs when an employment decision is affected by the person's race. It includes not only racial animosity, but also conscious or unconscious stereotypes about the abilities, traits, or performance of individuals of certain racial groups.”
Let us return to Hussain and the Chicago Sun-Times.
Can you imagine the uproar if a journalist from a conservative media outlet admitted to a race-based job posting? The next time someone from the Sun-Times waves a scolding finger regarding racial issues, remember Hussain's comments.
