If it is considered discrimination to minorities that are unable to afford to drive in the HOV the I want equal rights to assist with my student loans.

I grew up with parents working two jobs 70 hours a week to enable me private education while continuing to pay for public school.

I then, after graduation went to a private university where my parents made just barely too much for the government to assist in the costs of my schooling qualifying me for only private loans.

Now I have the blessed privilege to work my butt off every day and my wife to come up short to make ends meet.

I would have it no other way, I may be in debt, I may be struggling, but I am proud of my accomplishments and contribute the best I can to support the economy by exchanging money hand to hand. When man sinned, the Bible says we will work by the sweat of our brow!

Yes, and I enjoy being able to elect which health care benefits I am able to have and pay what I can...this is my right.

At 55 mph, a typical freeway lane can handle around 2200 vehicles an hour. The Beltway has four lanes in each direction where the HOT lanes will be built. So one direction can handle 8800 vehicles an hour at 60 miles an hour. Funny thing is, peak capacity is rarely achieved from a pest called rush hour. Next will sound like some rambling, but unless one has had any traffic engineering course(s), the idea is hard to grasp. Please google hockey traffic stick graph to see how speed and traffic volumes are related. Now, let's build two more lanes, but charge a toll. Let's not even think about peak capcity rates vs non-peak capacity toll rates. The 2 lanes will probably never reach 4400 vehicles an hour (2200* 2 lanes). Let's say max 50% usage. That gives us 2200 vehicles an hour, and 2200 vehicles an hour off the 'free' road. So when you look at the volume-speed relationship, the folks that chose to travel the 'free' road faster than before the HOT lanes where built. If you ask me, those'priviliged' idiots paying money are the fools. But hey, the folks filing the lawsuit do not have the capacity to think about it except the buck in front of thier nose. Look into California HOT lanes where it all started. The same type of arguements where made, and folks soon realized that HOT lanes are a blessing in disguise.

Living in Northern Virginia and taking advantage of the HOV lanes you mentioned in your column, I have a different perspective than what people in Atlanta can possibly fathom regarding these HOV lanes. The HOV lanes referred to in your column are two dedicated lanes with specific entrances and exits separated from north/south I-95 traffic - going north in the morning and returning south in the afternoon. Three people are required to drive in the HOV lanes. Atlanta has a lot of traffic (I lived there for 6 years before moving here in 1999), but, you can't imagine I-95 during rush hour -- it doesn't move. The people of Northern Virginia have instituted a program called slugging. How long it's being going on, I'm not sure; but, I've used it since 1999 when my co-workers finally convinced me to try it. It didn't take me long to realize it was the way to go. We park our cars in commuter lots and stand in lines which go to different parts of the metro DC area. Drivers come by and pick us up and drop us at set places. In the afternoon, we go to these places and other drivers come by and pick us and take us back to our specific commuter lot. It's a perfect system for Northern Virginia. For as long as it has been in effect, there have been no incidents. It works like a charm. Now, most of us "slugs" do not want the HOT lanes. Why? Because our HOV lanes will be clogged like the north/south lanes of I-95 on a given day. First, they let people who bought the conserve-fuel cars on (with special tags and a fee). You would think the conservationists would be concerned with saving fuel and the planet, but, that's not the case as few, if any, of those cars have more than one person in them. They just add to the traffic. It's moving people to/from the metro area and taking cars off the road. That's what we do in the HOV lanes. When someone picks up two people for the drive in, that's two cars that are not in traffic. Opening up HOT lanes will just clog up the HOV lanes and slow down traffic. We ride with all kinds of people, of all races, creeds, etc. I've heard my share of loud rap and Christian music, but, I just settle in and read a book until I get to my destination. My favorite saying is -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. NO TO THE HOT LANES!

I have to drive down Old National Highway regularly, and most of the drivers along that stretch are so bad and dangerous that I would be in favor of "White Only Lanes," and I would be more than glad to pay for them.

Then, "those other people" could turn left from the right hand with no turn signal as much as they want. U-Turns? No problem. Pulling out and blocking one lane of traffic until the other lane stops and lets you go the rest of the way? Fine. MARTA buses holding you up? Drunk or on drugs? Want to drive slowly side-by-side to flirt as though Freaknik is still in town? Like to cruise?

Do what you want when I'm in the white only lanes.

HOV lanes(in Calif.,at least)are built with everybody's tax dollars, yet you must carpool or pay an additional toll to use them. Open them all up to single drivers, rich, poor, black, white, asian, everybody. Every taxpayer built them, every taxpayer should be able to use them without restriction or additional fee.

I didn't see a single mention of either NASCAR or Hot Wheels ... bummer.

Hey Butt, that offer still good to swap a swig for a toke? I got me a fresh jug of Kickapoo Joy Joose

As an adjective, denotes plain, ordinary, or free of complications, such as a home loan application where the applicant(s) status is solid in every way germane to the approval process.

While I agree it is asinine to complain about toll roads, Neal is wrong on: "Like somehow we are to believe that heat discriminates based on how much light reflects off your skin"

Yes, it does. Basic physics. Dark colors absorb more heat/light than light colors.

I'm suing Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines. How dare they make a dark chocolate Devils Food cake and a white Angel Food care. Notice the racist spin on the names?

First, seems that in order to constitute actual discrimination there needs to be real intent to do so. Second, the suit implies that blacks (or other minorities) are all destined to be poor.

Really?
Sucks to be a minority then, eh?

Your post brought to mind the old Dr. Pepper commercial: "I'm a racist, he's a racist, she's a racist, we're a racist, wouldn't you like to be a racist too?"

First things first. To those who scoff at the first story because it links to a Criag's List site, here is a more legit site on the racist sun story:http://www.kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=11164531&nav=HMO5Xzz7 Here's what's funny about this. If the poor and minorities find Phoenix too hot, move. That's right. Move. This is the wonderful thing about this country. Don't like where you live, move. It really is that simple. If it's too hot, pack up and move to the Dakota's or Montana or even Alaska. It's nice and cool in those states. Hell, move to upstate Arizona. It snows in Flagstaff.

As for this other lunacy, I have decided that everything on God's green earth is racist. Let's accept that and move on. It's quicker than arguing. Because trying to argue facts and logic with liberals would be like trying to teach my dog calculus. With the exception that after a while my dog would actually start getting calculus.

What's the big deal? Most of the minorities take Public Transit system anyway?

Doesn't that also mean that any toll road or bridge is racist also?

Republicans are such crybabies. This is obviously a case that will be thrown out on summary judgment. I dont know why republicans care so much about stupid stuff like this. Civil rights violations are also when one political party thinks they aren't being treated fairly. Hmmmm I wonder which political party sits and whines about everything the democratic party does w/out offering a solution. I smell republicans hiring attorneys right now.

I love it! For the last 8 months, the Obama administration and the government media screamed "CRISIS!" about everything. Remember, folks? It was "CRISIS THIS!" and "CRISIS THAT!, HERE A CRISIS, THERE A CRISIS, EVERYWHERE A CRISIS CRISIS!". The government media and the commies chant "CRISIS!" at every oppurtunity.

Now, they're moving away from "CRISIS!" and taking us into "RACISM!".
Now, everything is "RACIST THIS! RACIST THAT! HERE A RACIST, THERE A RACIST, EVERYWHERE A RACIST RACIST!".

And that's why foreigners hate our country. Cause it is ran by children. Crybaby adults who must deviate at every turn on every issue. How can you have a normal, decent, logical conversation or debate with any adult who pulls this "RACIST!" crap. How do you take them seriously? Are we supposed to trust these yelping crybabies?

Support it folks. Because the more they use that word, the less impact and meaning it has. Let THEM wear it out. Sooner or later, it's gonna be like the little boy who cried "wolf!". Nobody's gonna take them seriously.

Hey, I thought the asphalt those cars were drivin on is "BLACK!". Silly racists.

KEEP IT COMING!

That this kind of absurdity only helps to spread and/or create bigotry? How many people out there who would never consider themselves bigots or prejudiced are slowly adopting those attitudes because they are tired of the incessant victimhood parlayed into a meal ticket by the so called "poor and minorites"? Wait! Maybe that's a "racist" question?

Oh u miss this on tv news some black man said the flood is Racist caused it pick on us poor folks n not the rich....and said are floodin was caused by George Bush for lettin this happen.and use katrrina in the atlanta floods.

How long until someone files suit against the Georgia DOT against the toll on GA400? It's a shame making all the minorities drive around I-285 to I-85 just to get from downtown to N. Fulton and vice versa. But wait! Maybe the property owners/developers of the northern metro counties pressured the State into putting the toll there (and leaving it indefinitely) in attempt to limit minorities from moving into northern Fulton and Forsyth counties knowing that they couldn't afford to pay the toll everyday. Brilliant!

Obama is the great equalizer.

He does not help his brother out, simply because his brother is living the ideal life that every American should live!

We all need to be equal in everything. All live in grass huts, walk to work 1 mile from home, and everyone treated the same.

It is unfair that we have HOV lanes, First Class airline seats, Box seats at the football game, Macy's and other upscale stores, Luxury cars, etc... the list goes on and on.

If we would give up all those things, and be brought low by the great equalizer, then everyone would be happy right?

"Everybody ought to have the same amount of stuff."

The only ones that should have marble floors, solid gold toilets, food flown in from Antarctica, live music at beck and call 24/7, etc... are those up the upper echelons of government.

The rest of us can have grass huts and eat rice every day.

two dollars, I want my two dollars