"Most people who experience racial harassment do little more than complain about it. To file a lawsuit or legal complaint is almost unthinkable.

So it's remarkable that a Native family from Billings stood up, turned the table and slapped a discrimination complaint on it. The family took action after a local business owner called them �dirty� and �filthy� Indians and kicked them out of his hotel.

After the incident, the Montana Human Rights Bureau, a state agency that enforces discrimination laws, investigated multiple complaints against the Billings Hotel and Convention Center and owner Ron Muri. He said he evicted the family for violating hotel policy by having too many people in a room and for having an unauthorized pool party.

But the bureau said enough evidence existed to support the Hunts Arrow family's complaint of racial discrimination. Muri never admitted any guilt, but he did agree to pay the Hunts Arrow family a $104,050 settlement in June 2005."

Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Settlement won't erase memory of racial rage (The Missoulian 12/10)

Relevant Links:
Jodi Rave - http://www.missoulian.com/jodirave

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