AirBnB Please Stop Political Grandstanding

Jim269
Level 3
Pittsfield Charter Township, MI

AirBnB Please Stop Political Grandstanding

Recent headline: "The CEO of popular home rental app AirBnB has promised to invest $100,000 in advertising for rentals available in Kenya, Ghana, and Haiti which have reportedly been referred to as “**bleep**hole countries” by President Trump."

 

Trump and others at the meeting with six politicians have denied that the s-hole word was even used.  Nonetheless, even if it was used in that private conversation, I'm sick and tired of corporations that take on political grandstanding.  I'm not a Trump advocate or apologist, but the current adversarial political atmosphere is not asssited when Hollywood and Corporations jump into the fray.  Hollywood has certainly been degraded in most people's mind, and in my mind so has AirBnB. What inside scoop or special wisdom does the AirBnB CEO have that makes him think he knows the truth of the current national governance confrontations.  And, more importantly, what makes him think that I, as a consumer, want to support his particular political bent.  

 

Message to the Board of Directors of AirBnB: Please temper the CEO's ego and have him stick to the business at hand.  

36 Replies 36

@Jim269 - Unfortunately, Airbnb is still a private company and "... invest[ing] $100,000 in advertising for rentals available in..." those countries probably isn't any different than the money he invested in advertising Detroit, San Francisco, or Cuba.  It would be great if we didn't always have to vote with our feet when we don't like the political leanings of a service we use, but that's sort of the choice here - stop using Airbnb.  There are lots of other listing sites.  Certainly this is not the first politcal statement Chesky has made and surely won't be the last.  

Rene-and-Zac0
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

I would prefer Airbnb came out with a plan to Parter with Rene Hospitality to provide these eco friendly cabins to host in developing Nations. Low interest loans, the ability to withstand a storm and portable on a flat bed truck. I bet I could get 75 built for $100kFB7BFE8A-76F1-4BF2-B575-86D8B351CC13.jpeg

Michael956
Level 10
Salvador, Brazil

i support this initiative by the Airbnb CEO 100%!!!  Trump is making a mockery of our country and silence is complicity.  

By doing so, AirBnB is indirectly supporting and DIRECTLY acknowledging and condoning terrorism in America.  How can we vet and know the background of who comes in if we don't even know who who comes in?

 

Some U.S. citizens even who spend time in these terrorist supported countries routinely become radicalized, then re-enter the US after 5 years.  

 

Duh ... 

Well said, Michael!  I completely agree!

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Tish2
Level 2
Troy, MT

Everyone keep your personal oppinions to yourself on the President of the United States. That is why it is called personal oppinion. It is only your opinoin and we don't care and it gets us no where. Airbnb brings the world of people together, other countries may not like thier President either, but they don't shout it out. Or you might not want to go there. I want to be positive in the Airbnb world!

 

So too, reply to parts of this conversation, If Airbnb is investing money in other countries, that is thier business decision to do so. There are all kinds of people all over the world that could use help bettering themselves. So that is great. Because the places Trump spoke about are really bad. Been there. They need the help.  I just hope Airbnb will announce that they are also invested in the United States. Because other places like where I live are depressed and they could sure use someone investing in them and in this country. We may not bring in the big bucks, but they would be in a world of hurt without us. Airbnb just needs to keep this on level ground! That way they don't look like they are taking a political stand. Because some people may not agree with that stand and we are in a sense part of thier organization and should be taken into consideration.

 

 

 

"Everyone keep your personal opinions to yourself".  Sorry, but I live in San Francisco and we don't believe in censorhip or keeping our mouths shut.  And Airbnb is headquartered in San Francisco, by the way.  

I agree, no one should condemn a person's opinion. Every US guest I have had apologises for Trump because being people who travel they see the joke he is perceived to be around the world, if you don't understand this, there is little hope for the country in the future. I have a great deal of hope for the US, as all the young people I meet hosting are lovely, interested in other cultures, and go with the flow when visiting another country. The only republican supporter I have had stay were "the guests from hell", who treated me horribly and managed to get lost for 90mins and have a full on fight. Only couple I had cancelled the same night. Not a good advertisement for that party. If you stand by and say nothing when something is wrong, you are just as bad as the guilty party. Unfortunately the western world is becoming more right leaning and racist. Leaders like Trump play into the fear of those who are told what they want to hear, but he has no real plan to help these so called supporters, he shares nothing in common with them, they just can't see it- yet. I really hope that compassion again reigns in democracies, we so badly need it now.

wow... people wear a D or an R on them when checking in? or are you grandstanding?

I really couldn't care less who someone supports, just saying that the guests from hell were of that party.  I nearly called the police on them for their domestic. I thought he was going to kill his wife. All I care about is their behaviour in my home and they don't threaten me. They did. From now on I am wary when I wasn't before. I am not American, but I keep up with world affairs, and I don't have to agree with a close minded rascist government, and I really think the US deserves a better leader, just my opinion. 

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Haha, and the D&R situation rages on... black&white opinions versus the multitude of gray shades in-between. 

As an aside my only bad review this year was from an entitled brat from the LGBTQ community (and from other comments am guessing more D than R) who grandstanded on my sexism while he'd gotten it all wrong...

would have been better for him and his profile account to keep quiet instead of documenting his open opinion based on wrong facts in writing...

As a future host seeing that review I'd think "Uh oh... not gonna risk it..."

WWWWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW.

 

I'm tempted to copy and paste your statement, except switch 'republican' for 'democrat' and see if I get booted from the network.  How many stays have you done to know you've only gotten 'one republican supporter' who was 'a guest from hell.'

Hundreds, three years fulltime airbnb, and private bed and breakfast. You can see from my reviews that I am  friendly and professional. No bad comments on cleanliness or attitude. I was stating my experience, if you don't like it, fine. I did a basic internet check after the awful guests left, and I don't think many traditional Republicans would be happy with their membership. All I know is that I won't tolerate my other guests or myself, being threatened, regardless of political leanings.