The Marriott Hotel is refusing to back down to pressure to cancel an event by a White supremacist group at one of its hotels next week.
The national conference by Act for America is scheduled for October 2-3 in Arlington, VA.
Act for America is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group with a anti-Muslim agenda. It sponsored 30 anti-Muslim protests during Ramadan this year across the country.
“We are a hospitality company that provides public accommodations and function space,” said a hotel representative to Slate. “Acceptance of business does not indicate support or endorsement of any group or individual.”
Muslim Advocates, a civil rights group, says the event at the Marriott is contradictory to the hotel’s stated goal of diversity and inclusion.
“Marriott clearly and proudly states on its website that ‘diversity and inclusion is fundamental to our core values and strategic business goals,’ Muslim Advocates said in its letter to the chain. “We believe that hosting this anti-Muslim convention is antithetical to this otherwise clear commitment.”
Despite numerous bigoted comments on its own Facebook page, Act for America denies it is a White supremacist group.
“ACT for America has never, and will never, tolerate any bias, discrimination, or violence against anyone, based on their religion, gender, race, or political persuasion,” the group said on its Facebook page. “Freedom to practice one’s religion in peace is afforded to each of us by the U.S. Constitution and we will defend it vigorously.”
“Islam is the hate group! The core if Islamic doctrine is to wipe out every other faith,” wrote one supporter on Act for America’s Facebook page.
“Islam is the enemy within in our country…look how it’s destroyed every country it touches,” said another.
“Ban Islam and the Qur’an,” said a third.
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