That picture...just when I didn't think it could get any more hideous, now the image of leatherface taking the next step of dark is just...I can not unsee.

Why was there even an option for race on the computer form?

The reproduction of blackface, intentional or not, definitely disturbs me no matter what the context.

Oh, poor fools, you imagine racism is something that needs a white pointy hood. It doesn't. The most insidious racism is the guy standing in front of you smiling away all the while thinking you're a sand n****r (which I've heard people refer to me, even though I'm not white, but I'm not black), thinking, "I'm going to so screw you over just because I can."

What is the big mystery here. I fail to see why ANYONE is shocked. Racism is as strong as it ever was, go to the midwest, go to the south, go to the New England states. It's only on either coast that when someone is intentionally being racist will actually call you what they think of you to your face. At least have to respect their honesty.

That's a really, really scary photo. It just is. I need to crawl under my desk with a blanket and cry now.

I believe that employee was fired for horrific abuse of the English language and not because he or she disagreed with Countrywide's policies.

@pecan 3.14159265: care for a kitten to hold?

I can give you the demon kitty from the Nutro article pic.

@sanjsrik: Just because racism is still present doesn't mean it's justified or right. It should still be fought. Racism is still here, yes, but if you went back in time a few decades in America it was much, much worse. It has a long way to go but it has come a long way and it's still progressing. People should be surprised to see professional businesses acting like ignorant bumpkins stuck in the 60s.

Saying that "racism happens" and that nobody should be shocked is like saying "homicide happens" and that nobody should be shocked. Just because it still happens doesn't mean it's okay.

@William Brinkman: +1

@MostlyHarmless: That is doubly hilarious coming from someone name MostlyHarmless.

Classy photo guys, classy.

@MostlyHarmless: I'll take demon kitty over scary blackface/MS paint dude.

@korybing: Probably for "statistical purposes" or some other bs excuse. Newsflash Countrywide and WellsFargo Blacks just like Whites in America with great credit and a good source of income can afford to buy homes and shouldn't be automatically shoveled into this sub-prime loan nonsense. I, just like many of my fellow Americans have a dream of one day owining a home and would hate to be denied a standard fixed rate loan and forced to pay upwards of $100,000 over my lifetime because I checked a certain category in the race box. Hopefully the Obama administration will work to rememdy this situation and other discirminatory lending practices by banks and mortgage companies.

I wonder if they are the only ones guilty about this... I heard a couple stories back in the day in which how the local banks kept african americans out of communities by denying their loan approvals within a certain zip code....

@dohtem: +2 The photo does make me cringe.

Just an observation without judgement. It takes some serious balls to post blackface on any blog!

The photo is ridiculous, Consumerist. You're better than that.

I live in Mississippi - perhaps the most racist state in the union. We have not been hit entirely hard by the economic crisis (unemployment is at 8.2%, the average for the last 20 years is close to 7.6%). However you are hearing of foreclosures in primarily African American communities - probably dealing with this.

I'm a financial counselor - I met with a white couple a couple of weeks back that had no idea what they were paying. They live in a primarily African American neighborhood.

Turned out their mortgage interest rate was nearly 11%. We ran their credit and it seemed to be on par, score wise with receiving a 6% loan. We're trying to get them into something lower but they have a pre-payment penalty- its going to be tough to get them out from under it.

My point is that maybe its the poor communities and not the race.

@William Brinkman: It goes back to the Minstrel shows where whites would dress up as African Americans and act like goofs. I think the Photoshooper is trying to depict these racists as that, where ultimately the joke is on them being so foolish and naive.

@Cat_In_A_Hat: Ah, so it's the same reason why there's a "male/female" box on forms where your gender should have zero effect on whatever you're applying for. Got it.

@William Brinkman: I look at it in a similar way when school kids read Huck Finn. (And they should). In context, it's a warning, an acknowledgment, a lesson.

@RodAox: Happens to this day here in Mississippi. We have one African American family in our subdivision - he's a doctor and his wife is a college professor. He paid cash for his house. I hear other neighbors refer to him as the n around the corner and it makes me sick.

This is a nice, upscale neigbborhood.

@spoco: "perhaps the most racist state in the union."

Doesn't Mississippi have either the most or second-most elected black officials?

@sanjsrik: "At least have to respect their honesty."

No, I don't. I don't have to respect a bigot for any reason whatsoever.

Even if there is racism, it's not supposed to be institutionalized; that's the shocking thing. The fact that such a disgusting practice was so widespread within the company and everyone went along with it quietly is the shocking part.

@squinko: I wish we had an edit button.

Nothing to see here, its all the fault of people buying more house than they can afford. Mortgage lenders did nothing wrong. Move along.

I was pouring some Aunt Jemima syrup on my Famous Amos cookies this morning, ... well, racism can show up anywhere. And while the black-face (you must have used a VERY dark color in order to hide that neon orange) is racist, it's the very ideal picture to highlight the racism. Don't hide racism, but bring it out in the open - and such a picture does this well.

Here in Dallas, we had a black Councilman which was insulted by someone referring to some unrelated department as a "black-hole". How racist was that? No joke, he tried to demand an apology, claiming that "black" was always used in a negative connotation, never "white".

I should have sent a White Elephant gift to him for making such stupid remarks.

@Eyebrows McGee (now with more baby!): We have the most, but remember we also have the most segregated communities. Rarely will you find a community/county with numbers like White 55%, Black 43%, Other 3%. Afircan Americans lead those communities, and there are a bunch of them in the Delta (which is close to 90% African American). There are zero African Americans holding statewide office, nor will there ever be. It just will not happen here.

@spoco: "My point is that maybe its the poor communities and not the race."

Did you seriously not read any of the articles? Let me restate this then: Affluent Blacks were also given subprime loans. It didn't matter how much money they made or where they lived, they were still more likely to get subprime loans than their White counterparts.

@spoco: I hope you do. That sounds like fraud, especially since they are adding in a pre-payment penalty.

@William Brinkman: Agreed. It's not appropriate.

@William Brinkman:

Agreed. Please replace with a kitten photo.

@Jonbo298: It can get more hideous. He was probably trying for a different shade, got a chemical reaction with his 'orange', then wham! This is so ugly he'll have to try again, so stay tuned...

@spoco: The other side of that coin is white flight. I would look it up if you're not familiar with the term.

@korybing: Required. See "Home Mortgage Disclosure Act".

@Spectre1125: I am very familiar with the term. Exhibit A: Jackson, Mississippi.

@squinko: I did read the article. My point is that there are affluent black neighborhoods, as well.

@Mackinstyle: I understand the historical context.

@SacraBos: It wasn't fraud - it was some asshole taking advantage of someone not as educated in such affairs.

@korybing: Yes because we all know us women folk spend way too much money each month on shoes and purses to pay our mortgage on time and are more likely to default.

@pecan 3.14159265: Srsly. That pic is punching my coulrophobia buttons in a weird way.

@William Brinkman:

I'm with you. It's really bad.

@korybing:

No one said it was "okay". But at least recognize that it is part of life. Oh, sure, decades ago it was overt and out there for everyone to gawk at. What, you really think it's still not institutionalized? We can live in our ivory towers of shock and say "Oh, my gods, I can't believe people still act that way." What was the line from "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "Nothing will change until all of your generation are dead and buried in the ground." Unfortunately, those who practiced it ARE dead and buried in the ground, but their children were brought up with it. So, it's endemic in some circles. One of those circles being the OBN and business.

@sanjsrik: Nazi Hitler. There, I invoked it. Now we can stop talking.

T-minus 10 seconds before that picture gets pulled... 10... 9... 8...

@RodAox:

And who can forget Denny's barring the Secret Service agents from entrance because they were black?

or the doctor who was tackled outside of a broadway show in front of his 8-month pregnant wife because he called the ticket-seller and because of his last name and that he wanted to a good view of the stage, was deemed by the telephone ticket agent as only wanting a good view so he could shoot someone.

Or the Fedex guy who wrote "Terrorist" on the signature line of the Pakistani (turbaned) man who signed for said package.

Racism is out there, it's alive, well, and kicking.

@William Brinkman: Overly sensitive much? How can something be intrinsically disturbing? Context is everything, thought all the politically correct types don't like to acknowledge so. That would ruin all the fun.

As a former Funder at Full Spectrum(Countrywide) I saw a lot of strange loan programs that made me curious as to why anyone would consider signing at all. I have no idea about the race related comments - I was at the processing phase. By the time it got to me Underwriting had approved everything...

I left in 2005, already had the feeling that their business model was unsustainable. Thank god.

As a former Funder at Full Spectrum(Countrywide) I saw a lot of strange loan programs that made me curious as to why anyone would consider signing at all. I have no idea about the race related comments - I was at the processing phase. By the time it got to me Underwriting had approved everything...

I left in 2005, already had the feeling that their business model was unsustainable. Thank god.

@Cat_In_A_Hat: God if I had a dime every time I spent our mortgage check on shoes I would have enough money to buy more shoes. I just can't get enough of them, I say!