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Bill Marriott, the Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, posted a blog entry on the company's website yesterday defending his own and his hotel brand's involvement in Prop 8's success. Marriott is heavily involved in the Mormon community. Is he feeling the financial pressure? Is he unfairly guilty by association? Or is he just chiming into the issue?
As many of you may know I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some might conclude given my family's membership in the Mormon Church that our company supported the recent ballot initiative to ban same sex marriage in California. This is simply untrue. Marriott International is a public company headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and is not controlled by any one individual or family. Neither I, nor the company, contributed to the campaign to pass Proposition 8.The Bible that I love teaches me about honesty, integrity and unconditional love for all people. But beyond that, I am very careful about separating my personal faith and beliefs from how we run our business...
Our principle is backed up with a formal diversity program, which we established more than 20 years ago. Our Board of Directors has also focused on this priority and helped us be a leader and a better company. We were among the first in our industry to offer domestic partner benefits, and we've earned a perfect 100% score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index for two years in a row. Many of our hotels have hosted LGBT community functions and events for years.
His very neutral blog entry continues here.
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For what it's worth, I think this dude is a pretty decent guy. I used to temp at this non profit foundation he put together (under Marriott's name) that placed "at-risk" teenagers in Los Angeles in jobs. They had programs all over the country, and if I recall, the results were pretty good.
Yes the statement isn't the full renunciation of the church that some may hope for, but I think it is decidedly against Prop 8, and that's a start for sure.
This man is a disingenuous creep who supports bigots. I saw a list of all the Marriott General Managers of hotels and other Marriott executives who gave heartily to support Prop 8, no doubt to please the Mormon big wigs who run the company. He's so full of shit -- perhaps he could have sent around an internal memo asking his GM's and execs not to give money -- Oh that's right he didn't do that because he obviously doesn't honestly give a crap about civil rights for gays. Please do not support MarriotT. Stay at a Hilton, although they give money to some Catholic charities and most of the execs at Hilton are Catholic (I worked at HHC headquarters in Beverly Hills for many years and know this). And even though the Catholic church did support prop 8, Hilton execs and GMs DID NOT ACROSS THE BOARD INDIVIDUALLY GIVE TO ANY SUPPORT TO THIS MEASURE UNLIKE MARRIOT. Bill's statement is nothing more than public relations BS.
jennyg, the Catholic church did more than just "support" prop 8, it helped engineer its passing. Your argument for supporting Hilton hotels while boycotting Marriot's, despite Bill Marriot's declaration of neutrality, is flawed. If individuals at a company choose to support or fight against a political movement, isn't that their choice? You are assuming a level of guilt by association of religion.
This uncontrolled Mormon-bashing needs to stop. It's really starting to take a disgusting tone. There were *many* contributers to the Yes on 8 movement. We need to either find an effective way of protesting just those who gave (if that will really make a difference) and knock off the witch hunting.
Um, it would have been illegal to send around a memo suggesting what electoral measures employees should or should not support. I was and am strongly against prop 8, but I'm starting to think that it may have passed because so many supporters on the other side of the fence are just as ignorant.
The Bible that I love teaches me about honesty, integrity and unconditional love for all people. But beyond that, I am very careful about separating my personal faith and beliefs from how we run our business...
But beyond stuffing that book in every Marriott hotel room I am very careful about separating my personal faith from how we run our business.
BOYCOTT MARRIOTT, here's why:
Marriott Hotels are notoriously unfriendly to gay and lesbian employees. They are currently being investigated for discrimination by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD; Commissioner Thomas-George) for anti-gay and anti-Indian discrimination. Marriott is lowest scoring hotel company on the HRC scale, they get 70 while Starwood (Westin, W, Sheraton) gets 100.
According to Mormon "prophet" Brigham Young, it is actually permissible for Mormons to lie to non-Mormons or 'gentiles' as they call you, yes you: "Lying for the Lord" is the theological term. Bill Marriott is lying, scared to lose gay business. He's a bigot and his son Dave Marriott is even worse, call the MCAD and ask to see the documents.
Avimat, you're certainly free to boycott Marriott on the grounds of homophobia and discrimination against gays and lesbians. If that's true, it is a sad day and I am disappointed in them.
But please don't spread slander and blatant anti-Mormon propaganda. In my sixteen-some years as a Mormon, I was never given an okay to lie. Ever. Not to other church members. Not to "gentiles". I'm no longer part of the church, but such insinuations are insulting and ugly. If Bill Marriott is lying, he isn't doing it because of some mandate to be able to do so by Brigham Young, he's just lying and it would be considered as wrong by the LDS church as by any Christian church.
damian z
1) Mormonism is not Christian
2) read your D&C, and sermons of BY, "lying for the Lord" was a basic concept in Deseret, when the feds came to bust polygamists, for example
3) I was raised TBM, you can't fool me with your boo hoo anti-Mormon baloney.
I doubt very seriously that Bill Marriott could give two flips about Prop 8. He has shown he can seperate his personal beliefs and his business practices for years. If you want proof of that go into a Marriott Hotel and see the wide selection of pornographic movies available for rent including Gay and Lesbian pornos. It used to be that Marriott was one of the largest distributors of porn in the world and I am guessing Mr. Marriott's personal beliefs do not suppport it but with the millions of dollars it brings in revenue he is smart enough not to turn it down.
Marriott, the Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, posted a blog entry on the company's website yesterday defending his own and his hotel brand's involvement in Prop 8's success. Marriott is heavily involved in the Mormon community. Is he feeling the financial pressure? Is he unfairly guilty by association? Or is he just chiming into the issue?
The above "intro" is misleading. I have no personal opinion (yet) whether the Marriott company is culpable here, but the phrase "defending his own and his hotel brand's involvement..." IMPLIES that the writer feels there actually WAS some involvement (since it fails to mention the possibility of the lack of same). Marriott denies giving by himself or his company. At least the "intro" should not bias the reader.
If they DID give there is a potential (regarding Prop 8). If they had no involvement here, then it is unfair to suggest that they did. What is the "truth."?
"Marriott, the Chairman and CEO of Marriott International, posted a blog entry on the company's website yesterday defending his own and his hotel brand's involvement in Prop 8's success. Marriott is heavily involved in the Mormon community. Is he feeling the financial pressure? Is he unfairly guilty by association? Or is he just chiming into the issue?"
The above "intro" is misleading. I have no personal opinion (yet) whether the Marriott company is culpable here (based on what I have seen), but the phrase "defending his own and his hotel brand's involvement..." IMPLIES that the writer feels there actually WAS some involvement (since it fails to mention the possibility of the lack of same). Marriott denies giving by himself or his company. At least the "intro" should not bias the reader.
If they DID give there is a potential problem (regarding Prop 8, which I personally strongly opposed). If they had no involvement here, then it is unfair to suggest that they did. What is the "truth."?
If Marriott, Hilton, Bank of America, CBS, ABC, NBC, or the United States of America want to support DOMA it is their preorogative.
If a lesbian woman wants to use a fake penis (dildo) because she wants to, to satisfy her partner, it is not my business. If a gay man wants to go home and enter his partner from behind, because it is the only orifice available, it is not my business.
However, if a group, albeit pedophiles, polygamist, or homosexuals want to change the meaning of a religious ceremony and practice ordained by God, MARRIAGE, it is my business and the 87% of Americans who prescribe to monetheism.
Marriage: at the start of the human race, at the outset of Sacred Writ,is ordained the divine origin and sanctity of marriage. One Man and One Woman, One Flesh.
Genesis 2:22- and the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Now, why is the gay community ostricizing other gays who do not follow their dogma? No freedom there. No Civil Liberties.