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I have been sent information indicating that the National Association of Realtors, the largest professional guild and licensing entity for realtors in the US, serving over 1.4 million realtors, is proposing positively Orwellian changes to its codes of conduct for realtors.
As you can see, the proposed changes for realtors would prohibit any "harassing speech" or "discrimination" against "protected classes," willful or unintentional, IN ALL OF A REALTOR'S ACTIVITIES, not just with regard to their professional duties, and could cost their membership.
Fwiw, this is a little less whistleblowing than I thought, and for those with an account, or who sign up for one, you can read the full document from which this email was pulled here. (Free 30-day access if interested.) Needs attention. https://www.inman.com/2020/10/14/nar-proposes-ethics-changes-to-crack-down-on-social-media-harassment/?utm_source=dailyheadlines&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=localnewsletter&utm_content=821192_textlink_1_20201016
You can also go straight to the source for however long it stays up. This menace is hiding in plain sight, mostly here: https://www.nar.realtor/national-leadership/committee-members-liaisons/nar-professional-standards-committee-recommendations?fbclid=IwAR23hOF9pMv6N7hzZXFMIC4d1GRc9a9pcfs6RtXgNVMnWE_7aEb0qENR4a8
You can also see the draft of the specific proposal here (pdf), which I assume will start changing rapidly as soon as any scrutiny shows up on it (I've downloaded this version):
https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/October%202020%20PSC%20Agenda%20with%20Appendices%20v2.pdf
https://cdn.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/October%202020%20PSC%20Agenda%20with%20Appendices%20v2.pdf
Speech deemed hateful when made by realtors on their social media (or anywhere else in their lives) "should not be allowed to continue" and "must be stopped" because all realtors are guilty by association with a "hateful few."
Who determines "hateful speech" now, though?
Who determines "hateful speech" now, though?
The first of these proposed changes expands the realtor code of ethics from professional duty to ALL OF A REALTOR'S ACTIVITIES. Everything a realtor does in their lives will be held up to the "anti-discrimination" standard operating in their professional code of ethics.
It bears repeating that this overreach into every aspect of realtors' lives will apply not just to willful discrimination but all discrimination. "Willful" is intentionally struck out. Would this include microaggressions? Impact not intent? Honest mistakes? Misinterpretations?
To highlight the impact of this proposed change, if found in violation of their harassing or hate speech policies anywhere in their lives, realtors will be handed over to their state licensing authorities as acts of discrimination relevant to the profession.
The provision will apply to "harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs," that lead to "overt discrimination or disparate impact." The latter of these two is worryingly subjective, as we've seen very clearly all year. The rationale is very "impact not intent."
Just for completeness, I'm including a three of the changes that appear to be mostly procedural and that entrench power. Notice that #6 prohibits using one's own protected class status as a defense.
These proposed changes have been approved in special emergency meetings that go outside of protocol by a special advisory board that circumvents the usual processes. The NAR board of directors makes the final decision on these.
If passed, these changes will be immediately binding, as indicated in proposals 2 and 4. This also circumvents the usual policy and speeds things up so that there's no opportunity to object.
What's the impact? Realtors in violation could lose their licenses and labeled bigots by their professional guild. These violations are to be considered "particularly egregious." The context is chilling and rather Orwellian, since it applies to realtors' whole lives.
What's the overarching context? The usual. George Floyd died, so they need diversity. They need to look internally. They need to police speech of all of their members at all times. Why? Disparate impacts (from rationale to proposal 3).
Enforcement can be used to "raise consciousness" and serve as "an effective educational tool." The Code's duties should be "enforced, and enforced with vigor and determination."
First time violators should be corrected (and discipline should be "progressive," it says, and circumstances should be considered, unless "discrimination" is involved. This is the relevance of it being "particularly egregious." Again, anywhere in their lives, judged by impact.
Underlined text indicates an addition. As a new type of egregious example of misconduct, a realtor was deemed to have been discriminatory and used hate speech on social media (example not disclosed), was fined $5000 and assigned *implicit bias training*. First offense. $5000.
Hearing Panels can look back as far into one's (social media) history as necessary to apply discipline when the problem is "a violation of public trust," as these amendments would turn any act of "hate speech" into.
Punishment of these new violations is especially severe, including fines up to $10,000 and termination of membership for three years *for a first offense*. If interpreted as broadly as many such things are, this could easily establish a purge of undesirables from realty.
Penalties escalate for repeat offenses, and for these "particularly egregious" ones, a statue of limitations of three years has been struck out. Fines can go up to $15,000, and everything else escalates as well.
The policy has been expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity (may not be bad, just including for completeness and also because the gender identity thing can get pretty hairy and subjective).
Whatever "fair housing" refers to, it includes unconscious bias training and profiling "leaders who exemplify the best fair housing practices and workplace diversity," which probably means giving awards and status to Woke realtors.
This is a serious expansion of power of a professional guild to reach into every aspect of its members' lives and to use that to apply very serious punishments including expulsions and high fines for, for example, undesirable social media behavior.
This is about realty, but it's not about realty. This could be any professional entity with ties to professional licensure at the state level, and you could be judged on very subjective standards and fined and removed from your ability to do your job over them.
The more the Woke get empowered, the more you should expect these kinds of prying, draconian moves to stamp out any possible sign of "racism" in society by squeezing dissidents and troublemakers out of their livelihoods. This is not a good development.
