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The Voice of Victimhood

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From a press release by the Northside Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC):

NCRC volunteers have identified over 500 North Minneapolis residents who received adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) in 2007 or are currently delinquent on their mortgage payments. On Monday December 1st- Thursday December 4th from 5pm-7pm we will be going out in groups of 2 to visit these residents to make sure they know they may be able to get a loan modification by working with a foreclosure prevention counselor at one of several local agencies. The counseling is free of charge.

Received adjustable rate mortgages? This is the passive voice of victimhood. Nobody just goes around handing people mortgages.

These “victims” asked for their loans. Perhaps they didn’t understand the documents they signed. If so, they are victims, but not of lenders. They are victims of their own ignorance. Or their own greed.

Treating everyone with a crappy mortgage as one class of victims is not fair to those who really are victims of fraud. Fraud is against the law. Ignorance is not.

Prosecute the criminals, restore the victims, and educate the ignorant. But do not let sloppy language obscure who is who.