>>This situation (if the article is to be taken at face value) sounds to me like people being irresponsible with their own money and then hiding behind the race card, hoping for a taxpayer-funded bailout.<<
I agree this is, in fact, people being irresponsible, hiding behind the race card and hoping for a tax payer bail out.
My point was that in addition to that, many of the companies were also foolish, they have hurt the country and they also do not deserve sympathy and/or a tax payer bail out.
I agree as far as the companies are concerned - no sympathy from me. Now, those that have savings accounts that are federally insured are a different story (if it should come to that level). Whether it's a good thing overall or not, the FDIC/FSLIC guarantee is already written, so the fed can't reneg on that.