Comcast Corp vs. NAAAOM

Suing for Discrimination Just Got Harder Thanks to Byron Allen’s Supreme Court Loss

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in this case has effectively increased the burden of proof on the next litigant and made it much harder for them to succeed in Section 1981 litigation. One is left to wonder why such powerful members of our community could not have somehow come together to protect the interests all African Americans.  Here, by the insistence of Allen to proceed with this litigation, the African-American community runs the risk of becoming “trampled grass” when the litigation is finally resolved and the “elephants” have ceased fighting.

Supreme Court Sides with Comcast in Discrimination Dispute Against Byron Allen

The lawsuit arose out of Comcast’s decision several years ago not to carry several Allen-owned television channels, such as Pets.TV and Recipe.TV. Comcast has argued its rejection of Allen’s channels was purely a business decision, reflecting what it viewed as the channels’ limited audience appeal. Allen then promptly filed a $20 billion lawsuit against Comcast, alleging that the company’s refusal to contract with Allen’s company was racially motivated, in violation of Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.