Portland hotel calls cops on black guest in lobby

[Judi Lynn]

Source: The Oregonian


Updated 10:55 AM; Posted 10:53 AM

By Molly Harbarger | The Oregonian/OregonLive [e-mail]
The Oregonian/OregonLive

Jermaine Massey had just seen Travis Scott perform at the Moda Center on Sunday night and returned to his hotel when he saw that his mother had called.

She lives on the East Coast, so he assumed if she called so late, something must be wrong. So he sat down in the lobby of the DoubleTree Hotel in the Lloyd District to take the call before going up to his room.

Massey recounted what came next in a series of Instagram videos that have gone viral. Massey, from Kent, Washington, says in them that he was targeted by a security guard because he is black and that this led to Massey being kicked out of the hotel and having to find a new one near midnight.

It was his first time in Portland.

DoubleTree management released a statement that said the whole incident was a misunderstanding and that the hotel staff does not discriminate against people based on race.



Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2018/12/portland-hotel-calls-cops-on-black-guest-in-lobby.html

[UpInArms]

1. I am sickened by what this country has become

[violetpastille]

3. Portland has always been this way.

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/07/racist-history-portland/492035/

Cell phones are capturing it now.

Californians we need you up here. Only Democrats please.

[appalachiablue]

11. The ugly history. OPB, Oregon Public Broadcasting 'Local Color'

https://www.opb.org/television/programs/local-color/

[MadDAsHell]

19. Did cellphones capture any of this? Or just the victims social media statements after? nt

[CountAllVotes]

39. They don't want any Californians

They drive us off the roads when they have they chance.

They claim that Californians are stealing their housing.

They really don't like Californians a whole lot it seems.

Why move to a place you are clearly not welcome to?

[violetpastille]

43. I'm already here.

There are more of us every year. We can hang out with each other.

I moved because there is water here. The fires will get worse each year. When I last lived in California the water was so hard it stained the shower fixtures with a white deposit and my hair was breaking. It smelled of chemicals.

I pay no state tax in Washington (just across the river from Portland) and no sales tax in Washington.

Housing compared to California is ridiculous. What would cost a cool million is a quarter that in Camas, Washington.

The Californians I know moved for the schools. But don't move for that reason. The lack of diversity will drive your kids crazy and honestly, the teachers in California are smarter and more passionate.

As soon as you move up here you change your plates. That's true.
And will it surprise you there is no Mexican food? None.

[CountAllVotes]

44. I'm staying where I am at

We have all the water we need here. Even during the worst of the drought years our reservoirs were full.

I'm not anywhere near so. California had you not guessed.

[0rganism]

7. shit, you read the comments section too?

i'm pretty sure the country we idealized never actually existed. it's full of racist white people desperately afraid of losing their privilege, and willing to excuse all manner of excesses in the maintenance thereof.

[UpInArms]

8. Oh ... I had not ... and then, after your post, I did

and, now .... am even more disheartened

☹️

[RKP5637]

12. Yep, the US has always been full of bigots and racists. The US spreads the propaganda about

being so non-racist and non-bigoted. About a third of the US is nothing but hatred.

[paleotn]

22. Yep. And it's not just the south...

Though the proportions are higher down there. Having grown up in TN, I knew it existed, but I rarely saw anything terribly overt. Being a white kid in a middle class neighborhood, with fairly progressive, Democratic parents might account for that. Friends have told me stories of the side I've never saw, or never chose to see, that still make me sick to this day.

It really slapped me in the face when I spent 2 years in SC. Bought a nice, average house in a nice, average, middle class neighborhood. Chatted with the neighbors, etc. Until one day, one of said neighbors came by while I was working in the garage. I guess to gauge my level of racism as we were "outsiders". I can't explain the rather uncomfortable conversation any other way. In the middle of small talk he said one of the most vile, racists statements I've ever heard in my life. I was shocked and the expression on my face let him know that such garbage wasn't welcome at my house, before I could even form the words. Turns out the town, though seemingly integrated on the outside, it was one of the most racist places I've ever been in my life. Luckily, we moved after a short time. Spent 10 years in equally Rethuglican western NC, where religion seems to be the wellspring of their hate. Thank God for the Asheville / Boone bubbles. They kept us sane in those days.

[Cold War Spook]

30. I found it is not North or South, but what part of each you have lived.

I grew up in Roxbury, a part of Boston in the 40s and 50s. About even between Jewish and Black with 3 families both, Ethiopians. Looking back I can't believe I was so naive. I went to the William Lloyd Garrison elementary school and didn't even know that half of my friends were Negroes. They just had darker skin than me. Then we moved to a small town, mostly Catholic, were they hated Jews and Negroes equally. Negroes, a term that was used back then but not by us because I wouldn't know what a Negro was. No problem in the army or at U of MA. No problem in San Fransisco in the 70s living in the Mission District until a gay man was stabbed to death outside my bedroom window, so I moved to the Castro District and even though I am straight, of course I did not have a problem. Moved to Margate FL to take care of my aunts. Many people in my condo complex had aides, mostly Black. I did receive a phone call from one Jewish woman who complained the the Black aides were talking on the catwalks and that they should be made to stay inside. Only problem I could see. Next moved to a small town near Jacksonville NC. White, Brown, Black, Christian, Jew and Muslim. 20 years so far and never heard of or had a problem. On another post the other day I said they even tolerate Democrats. I had not put where I live so someone didn't understand what I meant until I posted my area. Republican Rep. Jones could be dead and still be getting elected.

[paleotn]

42. Jones. Ugh!

Same in the 11th with Meadows. He's beyond awful and yet they keep reelecting him. Poor mountain people screwing themselves.

[flyingfysh]

33. which area of South Carolina was that you lived in?

I lived in South Carolina for several years, and my sister is a teacher there.

[paleotn]

40. Pee Dee region close to Florence

[flyingfysh]

41. I once lived near Greenville, and later in southern SC

Near Varnville, kind of close to Savannah. I was in grade school then in the 50s. Not that close to where you were.

One thing I remember about the area is that the black people tended to live in very rundown-looking shacks next to the railroad track. I used Google street view recently to look at the area again, and the shacks seem to be gone now.

[Kittycow]

24. That comment section is always like that.

When the Oregonian went online a long time ago, the comment section was reasonable but the gross, hateful people drove everybody out except for a few brave souls.

At least Kate Brown ( liberal) got elected as governor plus JoAnn Hardesty ( longtime Black activist and police critc)to City Council so haha.

[srobertss]

37. Your post caused me to look...

And before I knew it I’d entered the fray...

Me: Funny how people try to control this type of situation after the fact by detailing how a person should have behaved to avoid it. I’d like to see how they might feel as part of a targeted group, when you never know whether you’re viewing the tip of an iceberg or just a shard of ice. Let’s see how politely you would behave when your phone call to your mother is interrupted by someone in a uniform, after being viewed with suspicion by strangers your entire life.

My mother always said she never knew whether someone was mistreating her because they didn’t like Armenians or because they just didn’t like her. And that was years after she was living in an area where Armenians were discriminated against. Most people didn’t even know who Armenians were, let alone that she was one. You never forget discrimination. « less

“Rural Woman” replies to me: Behaving in an aggressive, uncivilized manner to a person doing a job, is most likely not going to end well. We need to be big enough to require all people behave in a civilized manner and EXPECT There will be consequences for any who doesn't!!

My Reply to @Rural Woman: Sometimes It's better for your soul to respond to injustice with resistance. It's possible this guy misinterpreted, but that's the thing about discrimination. You never know if you're facing an iceberg or a shard of ice.

Vitaprime replies to me: How do you know he's been behaved with suspicion his entire life?

My reply to @Vitaprime: Because I have been fortunate to have worked over 30 years with people of color in Oregon. And I've heard their stories, told casually to each other, minus anger or the need to prove the reality of their experiences, but just with eyes open to the reality

[demigoddess]

28. +1

[WhiskeyGrinder]

29. Our country has always been this way. It's built on white superiority.

[UpInArms]

31. Came of age in the 70s

It was different.... thought it would only get better

Raygun made certain that we went backward

[ProudLib72]

2. I hope Earl gets fired

[Schmice3]

4. yikes

It was not a misunderstanding, they do discriminate.

[mahannah]

9. Correct. Keep posting.

[UpInArms]

32. Welcome to DU, Schmice3

[CountAllVotes]

45. Welcome to the Democratic Underground Schmice3

& happy holidays to you!

[KT2000]

5. not even a refund?

They better pay him huge bucks and make a loud apology - full page ad.

[irisblue]

6. State of Orgeon Civil Rights Division and US Civil Rights Divisions

Last edited Tue Dec 25, 2018, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)

File suits.

::edited to ad- I first put EEOC=equal employment oppurtunity commission.
I filed with them b/c of a work accessibility complaint I was having. I used tbe wrong division. It should have been with the Civil Rights Divisipn of the DOJ. My error.

[getagrip_already]

15. Is that snark? n/t

[irisblue]

23. Not at all. And the comment section is abysmal.

Source FED>>https://civilrights.findlaw.com/civil-rights-overview/public-accommodations-equal-rights.html

"Public Accommodations and Equal Rights
accommodation is a place that offers goods and services to the general public such as a restaurant that is open to the public. Federal and state laws protect designated groups from discrimination in places of public accommodations, based on the premise that everyone is entitled to enjoy the goods and services of the public accommodation on an equal basis. There are two types of entities that are classified as public accommodations: government owned/operated entities and privately-owned/operated businesses and services.

Examples of government-owned/operated entities include:

Courthouses
Libraries
Post offices
Benefit programs (i.e., welfare services)
Examples of privately owned/operated entities include:

Restaurants
Hotels
Theaters
Transportation services."



Feds got a lot to say about actions like that.

Oregon
Source>>https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/659A.403

2017 ORS 659A.403¹
"Discrimination in place of public accommodation prohibited" and there is a lot more then I'm willing to c&p..


That man needs to file complaints with both agencies. Several people at both Fed &State will know the laws& statutes.


May I know why you thought it was snark?

[Akacia]

10. Any comments about this on Yelp? nt.

[TexasBushwhacker]

13. There are chairs in the lobby

I assume that guests are supposed to be able to sit in them. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK???!!!

[cstanleytech]

14. Why not check the freaking hotel registry rather than ask him the room number? Hell I doubt I could

remember the number of a hotel room I was in and would likely rely on asking the front desk to remind me.

[spooky3]

27. There were so many points at which other actions could

have been taken to have stopped this. When the police asked if he had items in his room and he said “yes” that should have clued them in that he was a registered guest too.

[rockfordfile]

16. But they did.

[MrScorpio]

17. Every time a white person calls the cops on a black person who's minding their own business...

It should be considered a tacit attempt to murder that black person by proxy.

[MadDAsHell]

18. Why "attempt?". Why not just murder and let's give them life? nt

[MrScorpio]

20. Because the cops don't always follow through

Sometimes they end up being professionals who immediately understand that they were called in on some white racist nonsense.

[onetexan]

21. What a lame excuse from the mgt for discriminating against

A guest. This was by no means a misunderstanding.I am done w doubletree & hilton. Time to boycott them for this injustice.

[paleotn]

25. Portland...ugh!

Thanks to the responses above who filled me in on the back story. I always thought you had to go to the eastern part of Oregon to find racist scum. Apparently, the state has a history that would only make Mississippi proud.

[luvtheGWN]

26. "the hotel staff does not discriminate against people based on race. "

Well, obviously some do.

So disgusting. A good reason to personally boycott Doubletree.

[rpannier]

36. "the hotel staff does not discriminate against people based on race. "

A meaningless statement
Like anyone would expect someone or some organization to state publicly, "We often discriminate against people on the basis of race."

[fleabiscuit]

34. Sadly, there are a lot of racists in Oregon. nt

[whistler162]

38. Interesting read on Oregon history

https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/exclusion_laws/

"Oregon's racial makeup has been shaped by three black exclusion laws that were in place during much of the region's early history. These laws, all later rescinded, largely succeeded in their aim of discouraging free blacks from settling in Oregon early on, ensuring that Oregon would develop as primarily white."

[dickthegrouch]

46. Hilton couldn't pay me to stay in one of their hotels.

I had three consecutive terrible experiences in hilton hotels in San Diego, Bogota, and Washington DC, and will never stay in another one.
Intercontinental (IHG) has been my staple ever since (worldwide).

[ROB-ROX]

47. So his hotel key, card key was not GOOD enough proof??

Why did they not take him to his room?? I would think he can SUE for HARASSMENT. Get the people fired who did not "respond" correctly. The customer is always right. When those who are mistreated become millionaires then the dullards who are fired will know better...

[panader0]

48. I went to college for one year in Salem, Oregon. '68-'69

My roommate was black. He and I became fast friends, double-dating,
etc. While walking together downtown, more than once someone yelled n****r lover
at me from a passing car. I would look at my friend and saw in his face
things I hadn't known before.
Then I found out that Salem had a history of racism.