Black Marriott Exec Was Compared To 'Buckwheat,' Told To Dance For Colleagues: Lawsuit

[appalachiablue]

Source: NBC News

A former sales executive for Marriott Vacations Worldwide alleges in a lawsuit that he was asked to dance during meetings as entertainment for other employees and that a photo of the character Buckwheat was used to represent him during a team building exercise.

Daryl Robinson is suing for unlawful race discrimination, unlawful race harassment, failure to prevent race discrimination and harassment and retaliation for opposing forbidden practices. Robinson began working in February 2017 as a sales executive with Marriott selling time shares to vacation properties. He says he was the only African-American employee in the office.

In the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, Robinson alleges that he was asked on multiple occasions to dance by a director of sales during sales meetings, usually to music by Michael Jackson. On another occasion, the director of sales complimented most of the staff by saying “we have a good looking crew” or related comments, according to the lawsuit. The director of sales then looked at Robinson and allegedly said, “Daryl looks ready to breakdance."

Robinson said his coworkers laughed at the remark and he was “completely humiliated, dejected and felt completely defeated.” At another meeting, when Robinson did not submit a baby photo of himself to use for a team building exercise centered around how well employees knew one another, a colleague displayed a photo of "Little Rascals" character Buckwheat and asked the team: “Who do you guys think this is?” Robinson says he had already informed his colleague who was collecting the photos that he did not have one to submit and that as the only African-American in the office, his photo would be easy to identify. - MORE...

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/black-marriott-exec-was-compared-to-buckwheat-told-to-dance-for-colleagues-lawsuit/ar-BBRsS1q?li=BBnbcA1

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[kimbutgar]

1. I used to stay at Marriotts all the time

Until I saw a black family harassed and racially profiled while staying at a resort in Southern California. I knew they were a upper middle class family but this jerk manager was so rude to them I got upset at the manger and called him a bigot. When I got the comment on your stay questionnaire I expressed my displeasure at the way this family was treated. Don’t book at marriott’s anymore when I travel.

[appalachiablue]

5. They're ultra right wing, always. Good for you commenting about

the family's mistreatment, ugly.

[Aristus]

2. The founding Marriott was a Mormon.

I guess the racism was company policy.

I haven't stayed at a Marriott in years, and don't plan to ever again. I'd stay at the Bates Motel first.

[SergeStorms]

15. "I'd stay at the Bates Motel first."

I have to applaud you for your commitment. Thanks for bringing some levity to a seriously fucked-up racist situation.

[Just a Weirdo]

3. Marriott is owned by right-wing fucknuts.

I wouldn't stay in Marriott if it was the last hotel on earth.

My recent stay at the Hyatt Place was a very nice one!

[IronLionZion]

4. This is a lot more common than people think

Several employers still believe I'm not a US citizen. They don't want minority executives but will often keep one token around as proof they're not racist and trot him out for public events.

[SCVDem]

6. M*A*S*H

Do you remember Harry Morgan's crazy general?

But first, a song! Sing boy!

[cstanleytech]

10. Classic show and they did a good job touching on racism and bigotry with a number of episodes.

[winstars]

7. Some white people are really stupid. Hope this guy gets a ton of dough. Assholes!!!!

[marble falls]

8. Unfreaking believable.

[NewEnglandAutumn]

9. We stayed at one once

My son loved the book of mormon. He kept me up reading and gigging at parts of it. He thinks mormonism is just like scientology and loved writing snarky corrections in both books whenever possible.

[bobbieinok]

11. Isn't Romney friends with owner's family? Middle name for a family member?

[UpInArms]

12. Family Ties To Marriott Heirs Pay Off For Romney

Mitt Romney has been far and away the best-funded of the Republicans running for president. In addition to his own campaign chest, he has the wealthiest superPAC backing him, Restore Our Future.

Among the donors to Restore Our Future, are hotel tycoons J.W. and Richard Marriott. Each gave $750,000 so far this campaign cycle.

Humble Roots

The Marriott and Romney families have long been close. The roots of the Marriott family fortune stretch back to a simple root beer stand in Washington, D.C., some 85 years ago. That was where two Mormon transplants from Utah, J. Willard Marriott and his bride, Alice, began selling tamales along with root beer at a stand they named "The Hot Shoppe."

... snip...

And during Romney's first run for the GOP nomination in 2008, Bill Marriott gushed with praise during an interview on Bloomberg TV.

"I've known Mitt Romney for a long time. He was on our board of directors for 10 years. He is extremely capable, competent, honest and a great family man. I think he'd make a terrific president. He's a wonderful leader and he's very bright and smart. He understands how to make decisions and gather the right information, and to me he's a very inspirational strong leader," Marriott said.

.... more at

https://www.npr.org/2012/04/05/150058865/for-romney-family-ties-to-marriott-heirs-pay-off

[appalachiablue]

14. Good NPR article, TY. This part too:

"The growth of Republican support among Mormons really took off in the late '70s thru the '80s when the Republican Party adopted its social conservative positions on abortion and gay marriage and women's rights and that's where you really saw the cementing of this relationship among Mormons and Republicans," says David Campbell, who teaches religion and politics at the University of Notre Dame."
https://www.npr.org/2012/04/05/150058865/for-romney-family-ties-to-marriott-heirs-pay-off

[appalachiablue]

13. Correct #12. Mitt's father, George Romney knew J. Willard Marriott.

GR also worked in the DC area as a younger man.

NPR. "The candidate's father, George, and J. Williard Marriott were good friends — so much so that Mitt Romney's given name is Willard. Romney served twice on the Marriott board. And there is their shared Mormon faith.

"The growth of Republican support among Mormons really took off in the late '70s thru the '80s when the Republican Party adopted its social conservative positions on abortion and gay marriage and women's rights and that's where you really saw the cementing of this relationship among Mormons and Republicans," says David Campbell, who teaches religion and politics at the University of Notre Dame." https://www.npr.org/2012/04/05/150058865/for-romney-family-ties-to-marriott-heirs-pay-off