“There Should be No Room for Hate at Marriott Hotels”

Washington, DC – Today, Muslim Advocates released a letter previously sent to Marriott International President and CEO Arne Sorenson urging him to cancel the hotel chain’s scheduled commitment to host an October 2 -3, 2017 national convention for the nation’s largest anti-Muslim hate group, Act for America.  

The hosting of this hate group gathering comes on the heels of Marriott’s recent launch of its “golden rule” marketing campaign and advertising buy, which features the company’s stated commitment to treat all people with dignity and respect.

As the letter states, “Marriott clearly and proudly states on its website that ‘diversity and inclusion is fundamental to our core values and strategic business goals.’ We believe that hosting this anti-Muslim convention is antithetical to this otherwise clear commitment..Act for America’s held almost 30 anti-Muslim protests during Ramadan—some of the protesters were armed and marched directly in front of mosques. The official Facebook page of this event was filled with repeated calls to kill and commit acts of violence against Muslims….Declining to host ACT for America would help to ensure that Marriott International does not fall behind other companies and would be true to your company’s stated commitment to inclusivity.”

According to Scott Simpson, Public Advocacy Director of Muslim Advocates, “There should be no room for hate at Marriott hotels. Marriott’s glossy ‘golden rule’ campaign trumpets its commitment to dignity for all people, so why is it hosting the nation’s largest anti-Muslim gathering? This is clearly incompatible with the values of our nation, of Marriott’s customers, and of Marriott’s own stated commitment to inclusion. Marriott should cancel this event immediately.”

Muslim Advocates is a national legal advocacy and educational organization that works on the frontlines of civil rights to guarantee freedom and justice for Americans of all faiths.

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