Marriott and Milk

Last month's passage of California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, unleashed anger among gay and lesbian Americans. One target: Marriott Corp., mostly because the company's founding family and current CEO, Bill Marriott, are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints.

Mormons, of course, played a crucial role in passing Prop 8. News reports say that half of the $40 million spent to support Prop 8 came from LDS members, who also canvassed neighborhoods and staffed phone banks. This is ironic, at the very least, as Hendrik Hertzberg noted in The New Yorker:

You might think that an organization that for most of the first of its not yet two centuries of existence was the world's most notorious proponent of startlingly unconventional forms of wedded bliss would be a little reticent about issuing orders to the rest of humanity specifying exactly who should be legally entitled to marry whom But no.

But why go after Marriott? According to my friend Bob Witeck, who runs a consulting firm called Witeck-Combs that specializes in gay issues and advises Marriott, neither Bill Marriott nor members of his immediate family donated to the campaign on behalf of Prop 8. What's more (and this is undisputed), Marriott as an employer has an exemplary record around diversity in general and LGBT employees in particular. It gets a 100% rating in the Corporate Equality Index, an annual survey of corporate practices done by the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT advocacy group. The HRC's inaugural gala next month will be held at the Mayflower Hotel, a Marriott property in Washington. GLAAD, an activist group that focuses on the media portrayals of gays, has held its awards ceremony at Manhattan's Marriott Marquis.

So it would appear that the Marriott Corp. is under fire only because the family belongs to the Mormon church. Bob Witeck says this is unfair. "Their policies and practices have been good for a long time," he told me. "This notion of targeting people because of their faith is deeply troubling."

At first, I agreed. Anti-Mormon bias is no less troubling that anti-gay bias. Then I saw Milk, the wonderful new movie about the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in America. Part of it is about a notorious California ballot proposal to ban gay teachers from schools that was defeated in the 1970s. Milk argues, persuasively, that singling out gays and lesbians for discrimination in any way, shape or form is simply un-American.

The broad issue raised by the backlash against Marriott is this: What role should CEOS and big companies play when confronted with controversial issues? Certainly they make themselves heard when it comes to the issues directly affecting them, like taxes, trade, labor and environmental laws, not to mention multibillion dollar bailouts. Ought they not take a stand on social issues, too? Indeed, some do -- Microsoft endorsed a gay-rights measure in the state of Washington and Procter & Gamble donated money to a gay rights group to help defeat an anti-gay law in its hometown of Cincinnati, as I wrote in a Fortune story called Queer Inc. in 20006.

Bill Marriott responded to the boycott threats last month on his blog. "Neither I, nor the company, contributed to the campaign to pass Proposition 8," he wrote. "We embrace all people as our customers, associates, owners and franchisees regardless of race, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation." Later, he recorded a Thanksgiving message around the diversity theme, mentioning sexual orientation. Clearly the company is worried about the gay backlash.

My guess is that Bill Marriott, who is 76 and a political conservative, has come a long way on the issue of gay rights. But for all his talk about diversity, he has yet to take a position on gay marriage or Prop 8. He has no obligation to do so, but if you believe that gay marriage is a civil rights issue, just as interracial marriage was once a civil rights issue, silence or neutrality is unacceptable. On this point, Milk the movie and Milk the activist are unequivocal. Either you're for us or against us, Harvey Milk would have said.

As one commenter to Bill Marriott's blog wrote:

When it comes to gay issues, Marriott is conveniently a hotel chain that is welcoming and accepting of all travelers. When it comes to Mormon issues, Marriott is conveniently a company founded and led by members of the LDS church and fully supportive of church doctrine. Marriott can't play it both ways. Through this posting, Bill Marriott is attempting to salvage Marriott's reputation with a PR diversion. As Margaret Thatcher once said, "Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides".

Another disagreed:

It is amazing to me that in this great country, where we prize the precious freedoms of religion and speech, that a man can be criticized and attacked for his personal beliefs and religion. Mr. Marriott didn't contribute to the Prop 8 campaign. His personal beliefs are irrelevant, because those are his PERSONAL beliefs... I'm just so saddened to see such hate and bigotry from a community who proclaims tolerance and love.

My own thoughts, which are subject to change: I've met Bill Marriott, who is an extraordinarily decent man, and I know from hearing from employees that Marriott is a gay-friendly company that values all of its workers. I know that it's a lot to ask of the Marriott CEO to support gay marriage. But Prop 8 is a hateful and hurtful law, designed to take away the right of gay marriage granted by California courts. It was opposed by mainstream pols including President-elect Obama and Gov. Schwarzenegger.

Bill Marriot has the right to try to finesse the controversy. But gays and lesbians have the right to spend their money with companies that fully and openly support their cause.

A final thought: The future of the gay marriage issue could not be clearer--the younger you are, the more likely you are to support equality for gays in public and private life. Smart companies see where the world is going.

Follow Marc Gunther on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MarcGunther

Comments

[StevenKeirstead]

It is quite foolish to orchestrate a boycott against Marriott, a company with a perfect record on gay employment issues. It will definitely be counter-productive to punish a gay-friendly company for a political stance that it's CEO does NOT EVEN have. This would be a bad PR field day for right-wing media, a group already gunning for critics of Prop 8. Boycotting Marriott would be seen as unfair at best.

Even I, a luckily married gay man from Boston, think this idea is so bad that I would boycott any pro-gay organization that calls for a boycott on Marriott.

Don't be daft!

[Marc Gunther - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for all your comments, and for the civil tone--not always common when talking about this issue. As I wrote, I believe Bill Marriott to be a decent man and Marriott to be a top-notch employer--much better than most I cover on diversity and other issues.

Having said that, I think it is OK, maybe even smart, for LGBT people and their supporters, like me, to look to spend with companies that support gay rights in the public policy arena as well as in their business. I don't view this as anti-Mormon at all. I view it as "voting" with my consumer dollars.

[johncomment]

yikes - supporting a cause is not enough? - one cannot even be a member of a church where other members do not support the cause? the guilt by association of Mcarthiasm may be alive and well among the glbt community.

[Darwinman]

"Either you're for us or against us, Harvey Milk would have said."

So having this ideology when attempting to stop terrorists, people who want to BLOW up the us, is morally unjustifiable, however having this ideology when it comes to marriage is completely acceptable?

Also why is that only Mormons are being target? This man is simply be targeted because he is a Mormon not because he donated to yes on 8, but because his religious views force him to be neutral. Why aren't there calls to boycott Black business. 70% of Blacks voted yes on 8. If Mormons should be targeted why shouldn't Blacks? Why is it okay to have a bigoted stance on one group of people who overwhelmingly voted yes on 8 but not another?

[mercury613]

"So having this ideology when attempting to stop terrorists, people who want to BLOW up the us, is morally unjustifiable, however having this ideology when it comes to marriage is completely acceptable?"

You're talking about murder suicide as opposed to boycotts. Your hyperbole doesn't make sense.

[quadman]

"Either you're for us or against us, Harvey Milk would have said."

Why does the first part sound familiar?

[angiewhit]

"Milk argues, persuasively, that singling out gays and lesbians for discrimination in any way, shape or form is simply un-American."

Doesn't the same hold true for Mormons?

[DenverJim]

Mormons have all their civil rights, gays don't. We are just wanting what all other Americans have. Nothing more, nothing less.

[RightCoastToast]

Civil rights is not a zero sum equation....Mormons do not have to lose theirs for you to gain yours.

[Dropping By]

While I supported Prop 8, I must say that I think this is probably the best anti-8 piece I have yet read because your thinking seems balanced and subtle. If I understand you correctly, you are essentially saying that Bill Marriott himself is not homophobic (nor is his company), he however is personally heteronormative -- and you seem to give him some credit along those lines (since homophobic would be worse). Still, until he actually moves from heteronormativity in his private/religious life to a full embrace of gay marriage, you think he (and his business) should pay a price.

I wish gay-rights activists would hold their fire against good men like Marriott (perhaps not perfect in your eyes, but good). By all evidence, he has voluntarily moved his business toward full acceptance and rights for gay and other minority individuals (a corporate leader in this regard, with gay-friendly policies going back many years). He is an honorable man. But because it would appear that his innermost thoughts are not precisely yours, you believe a boycott is justifiable. I disagree. I think when the average person sees anyone condemning with such a broad brush, it is off-putting. Calls for tolerance and diversity should be a two-way street, and Bill Marriott has done about all he can realistically be expected to do. True, it is possible to imagine him doing even more, but a boycott in this instance is overkill.

[coolmaiden]

Bill Marriott does sound like a good man, and I'm happy he did not give any money to Prop 8 nor does he support discrimination against GLBT people. However, on my next vacation (which will be soon, as I have a secure, flexible job and no children), I will not be staying in one of his hotels. I prefer to stay in a Starwood hotel because they are a major sponsor of HRC.
LDS put themselves in this position. I cannot give any money to anyone associated with that group, whether they supported Prop 8 or not, to absolutely ensure that none of my money goes towards things I find despicable.
I find it quite amusing that LDS doesn't want GLBT to be able to marry, but when GLBT ( who frequently have disposable income) say no more cash for you, they throw a fit.

[ausin-daze]

To be technically correct the owner of a Marriott franchise in California, I believe it was San Francisco, did in fact donate money towards prop. 8, I believe it was 100,000 dollars but feel free to verify. As far as I knew all official boycotts were targeting this particular franchisee though there's little that anyone can do if consumers decide that an organization that allows franchisees to act in a manner consumers deem reprehensible towards members of the public then there are no valid objections to how consumers choose to spend money. Certainly I feel disinclined from spending money at a business where I am liable to be supporting the actions of a bigot - and what I'm hearing about some of their other franchisees does not do much to build confidence.

[mercury613]

It was the principal of Huntington Hotel Group, which I believe is in UT. They are the franchise owners of various Marriotts and Hiltons, mostly in CA and TX. The donation amount was $20K.