Protests Riots and Black Lives Matter

[Stan-and-Jan0]

I am quite beside myself with disgust and disappointment that Airbnb would enter the fray of political turmoil by supporting an organization who's stated mission is not only a lie but as they demonstrate daily, the protests and ensuing riots one has to know that it's not about racial equality. I will get into a long diatribe here but I'll just say that every time I see BLM box on the website with a donate button, I have to wonder if anyone at Airbnb actually knows what BLM stands for and what their true mission is. Look at what's happening in Seattle right now. It's really quite disheartening.

Very little respect left for this company.

[Patricia55]

@Stan-and-Jan0 

I've had similar feelings of disgust and disappointment in recent days (months, years etc) – the difference being that MY feelings are directed towards the perpetrators of violence towards people of colour.

I checked out the Black Lives Matter website https://blacklivesmatter.com/ - it seems absolutely commendable. Yet you question their “true” mission...?

Me too, I find it very disheartening – when people don't seem to want social justice...

[Sally221]

When I first decided to open my home to strangers I used up precious word space on having the "In this House" credo on my listing page. it is a positive statement rather than a"I don't want you here" filter. I wanted to host people who I could respect, people who I could enjoy sharing my home with.

These are such scary times as so many toxic chickens are coming home to roost. If humans knocked off finding ways to create  an other to demonize we would still have massive challenges. I love my kids & grands & wish we had been able to do more to create that better world, the rising generation is really going to need to be the greatest generation yet. I can usually tell a person's politics by the way they make their arguments, logical fallacies & broad generalizations  versus respect for the facts & nuanced debate.

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Stan-and-Jan0 , I dont want to speak for others but many people are rightfully concerned that BLM and others that mean well wont be able to accomplish much more than the things they likely didn't intend to get done in the first place, like looting, riots, destruction of peoples livelihood. Some have paid with their lives for something they had no part in while tens of thousands of others of all colors are injured and wont have a job to return to or a place to get a gallon of milk. MLK would not have supported this type of "protest" for any cause and he knew better than most how bad it could be to have dark skin in The USA in 1960.   

If BLM was the right messenger for this most important human message, it would have been done already but they are not and neither are the lifelong politicians that have made the same lame excuses for 40 years of their "Service to the community".  They  still don't have to worry about their homes, workplaces or families or jobs.  You cant fix this with broken windows only at the polling stations where it matters, they will instead again be allowed to cast the blame to the streets where the people will pay the price they can't be bothered to own...  To sad....  JR

[Suzanne302]

@Melodie-And-John0  Respectfully, please don't assume that MLK would not have supported the protests that are going on today. I'm not here to argue, but educate. I would encourage everyone to actually read more about MLK instead of just repeating what they've heard or repeating what they think they know about him. You also might want to read a few articles with information on what his children have said about people who make a statement such as yours.

Because this says it more eloquently than I could and is from someone who has studied it much more in depth than I have:

"Establishment pundits love to cite Martin Luther King as a way to delegitimize militant protests and shame unruly protesters. But King wasn’t a proponent of passive, compliant protest — to him, nonviolent action was about forging a powerful collective force that could coerce ruling elites into conceding to demands for justice."

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Suzanne302 , respectfully Suzanne, I didn't hear or read about it, I experienced it first hand!   And yes MLK would have supported worthy human causes but not the methods employed seeking solutions with violence.   They sat in a little diner in a Woolworths in Greensboro and requested service at the counter or sat in the first rows on the public transit bus where the light skinned people usually sat, they didn't take over blocks of a city and demand businesses in the "Capital Hill Autonomous Zone" and pay taxes to the occupiers after they looted them.  Do you really think MLK would have approved?  I think not, stay well, JR

[Suzanne302]

@Melodie-And-John0  I think it's not my place as a random white person to assume what MLK would, or would not, have done. I can only rely on people who have studied his work, his teachings, and his legacy in-depth. I would also tend to lend more credence to people who actually knew him and what his actual children say about him, rather than a white male who just happened to be alive during the 60's.

[Helen350]

Ah! - *offensive content removed* if reports are true @Suzanne302 . Not my idea of a hero.

*Please ensure you have valid and confirmed information/sources before sharing it on the CC unless an opinion shared without personal or offensive content.

[Garrett48]

*Please ensure you have valid and confirmed information/sources before sharing it on the CC unless an opinion shared without personal or offensive content.

[Suzanne302]

Um, okay @Helen350 , good for you? I don't really care if he's your idea of a hero or not but, okay? That's great you feel that way. I'm a little confused as to why you felt the need to address me.

[Helen350]

Sorry @Stephanie ! & mods! - I DID qualify my comment about the 'hero's' allegedly shady life, with the qualification "if reports are true" - or words to that effect! - Just expressing a view that I don't have 'heros', cos they all seem to have skeletons in the cupboard. No offence was intended, just  showing another side to a coin - allegedly!

Yikes! Just realised I was having a senior moment... which you deleted.... It wasn't the 'hero' that was the rapist, I remembered that wrong, I re-googled & saw the 'hero' was accused of egging on a rapist, not doing it himself. My mistake.

[Stephanie]

That's OK @Helen350 appreciate it came from a view to add other perspective but thought it best to minimise offence caused to other hosts reading. And thank you for apologising and correcting the error 🙂

Thanks,

Stephanie

[Melodie-And-John0]

Aha...Random what?   hmmmmm.... 

[Helen350]

I deplore racism @Patricia55  & I have deplored racism since I was a small child. I married  a man of a different race.

But people have different ideas as to the root of the problem, and the solution, therefore not everyone concludes that BLM provide an appropriate means to an end... Even if BLM have honorable intentions - and there are arguments on both sides - their methods of street protests inevitably ends up in riots, violence & civic disorder, so I personally want nothing to do with that. (Especially not during a pandemic/lockdown!)

- It saddens me when anyone implies that being morally against the means/method, is indicative of being against the end = end of racism. 

Hearts & minds need to change, on an individual level. And I don't believe that street protests DO change hearts & minds.

[David4245]

I have no issue with a group standing for something. But a group that calls out for violence against others is not a group I could ever support. I am just not sure why we are even talking about this on a hosting business website. What place does that have here? I don't understand!

[Helen350]

The reason there are so many threads discussing BLM, @David4245  is:

1) Airbnb have just donated half a million dollars to BLM

2) A 'Support BLM' banner is the first thing we now see when we log in to Airbnb

3) It appears that American would be guests are being to asked to make a donation to BLM at the time of booking an Airbnb stay.

Obviously, opinion is divided as to the merits of the above!

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Airbnb-donation-should-host-and-employee-lives-matter-as... 

- There are other threads too, try the search feature, top right!