Tweet from Soledad O'Brien, minutes ago

[highplainsdem]

Link to tweet

Friend called. Black guy. Doctor, heading south from CT to Fl. Tells me he was checking into a Courtyard Marriott in VA and he was advised: a big rowdy group has checked in. Do not stay here (for his safety). Keep driving.

[Catcar]

1. This shit has got to stop!

[milestogo]

2. I wonder where in Virginia.

[highplainsdem]

11. Richmond.

Link to tweet

[IronLionZion]

59. Probably planning to storm the capitol in Richmond, not DC

State capitols are probably more vulnerable

[DURHAM D]

3. Richmond?

Keep driving.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. Why? Sounds like BS. nt

[highplainsdem]

7. O'Brien's an award-winning journalist, and she's posting what she was told by a friend she trusts.

[PJMcK]

8. An honest question

Have you been to eastern and southern Virginia?

If you had, you'd see the remnants of the Confederacy.

[greenman3610]

28. Loudoun County Virginia was the first place I ever heard the term

"The War of Northern Aggression".
early 90s

[TNNurse]

33. I believe you are naive to the horrors of Trump supporters.

They are willing to die to succeed and they think they are warriors.

[spooky3]

65. I disagree. I'm in Northern VA, and a police officer here

advised residents to not leave home if possible, this week, because thugs who were closed out of DC BnBs, hotels, etc., would be staying in VA and could cause problems.

[OAITW r.2.0]

67. Sorry, regional thing. From Maine...observation crew.

[marmar]

78. Huh?

[wnylib]

90. I don't know if it is BS, but it raises

a couple questions in my mind.

Why was he driving to Florida?

Why would he consider going to a hotel or motel in Virginia, especially the state capital, when it's all over the news what is going on at state capitals, or anywhere within a few hundred miles of DC?

The farther he drives into Southern states, the more risky it is likely to be this week, so, again, why would he drive to Florida, unless it's urgent, e.g. to work in a hospital needing doctors because of the pandemic?

[StarfishSaver]

5. We're back to Green Book days

But why did the racist "rowdy" people get to stay while they turned away the decent guest.

White supremacy and privilege are real ...

[niyad]

13. The jerks were already there? Sounds like clerk was trying to protect SO's friend.

[unblock]

17. Well yeah, but if they have to turn away decent customers,

You'd think they'd be inclined to kick out the ones causing a problem...

[soldierant]

57. If you were the front desk clerk,

and the rowdy crowd was already checked in and starting to to drink and drug, and are armed, and you have one decent customer wanting to check in, what would you do? I'm not even thinking of the money likely already paid for the rooms, I'm thinking the danger is already there, this poor guy doesn't need to go walking into it. I wouldn't kick him out - I'd tell him the truth and apologize

Sure, if you can prevent the rowdy deplorables from coming, that's the best thing. That's why the one hotel in DC closed over that week. But these trumpettes were already there.

[BComplex]

74. Totally agree. I think they were protecting Soldedad. I applaud the clerk. /eom

[StarfishSaver]

83. I doubt that hotel clerks would just shrug and say, "well, they're already here, so what can I do?"

if that "rowdy" crowd was a bunch of black people drinking and doing drugs in their rooms.

Police would have been called and those people would either be in jail or on the road out of town. But they definitely wouldn't still be in the hotel threatening other guests and scaring off customers (especially if those guests and potential customers were white).

[soldierant]

89. You make an excellent point

but part of it includes the assumption that the police would have actually come. In your scenario they definitely would. In the scenario that happened, can we be sure? Or that if they did come, they would have done anything effective? In America as it should be, they would. But -

[StarfishSaver]

18. They probably were trying to protect them

But black people get tired of being "protected" by having to be the ones to make all of the adjustments. A better way to "protect" us is by standing up to "rowdy" (i.e., racist, potentially violent white people) and making THEM leave instead of telling the black guy to go somewhere else.

[niyad]

22. You are quite correct, of course. I wish I had a good answer. Did the clerk figure that cops would

not help? Is the clerk a racist? It is an ugly situation, and is clearly getting worse, thanks to that soon-to-be-gone murdering, racist, traitor.

[spooky3]

66. What could the police do if the rowdies had not done anything illegal at that point? nt

[VA_Jill]

84. Radio ahead

to DC, telling them to be on the lookout for these folks. License #s, descriptions, names, etc. Also notify the states. There is a big VSP presence around on the major and not so major highways recently. I am having to watch my normally leaden foot.

[spooky3]

85. I live in NoVA, so I know what you mean. But it sounds

to me as if they might be planning to riot in Richmond rather than DC.

[VA_Jill]

88. Richmond is prepared

BEEN prepared! Or they might think they're going to stay in Richmond and travel to DC. Not so fast, buckos. Stateys all up and down 95 too. And 81.

[iluvtennis]

24. +++ agree. nt

[Hortensis]

19. Sounds like it to me also. Of course, another valid

viewpoint would be that the clerk should have preemptively refused accommodations to the group since he suspected they could potentially cause trouble. He presumably could have called any maids on shift to help him escort them out if they objected.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

32. Groups don't always reveal themselves to be rowdy as they check in, but only later. . . . nt

[LoveMyCali]

40. Exactly

and I don't know how much a hotel clerk makes but I doubt it's enough to want to confront armed racists.

[summer_in_TX]

30. The Green Book days haven't really gone.

There may not be a formal Green Book, but black folk tell others what towns aren't safe to visit.

Over the summer, my little town had a black family visit a local resort, only to wake up to a racist and threatening message. They packed up and left, even though the mayor and the many good people in town begged them to stay and said they'd provide them with a guard.

Today we had a follow-up conversation about race. One of the panelists was an older black man who provided a great deal of history. He lauded the family for having the good sense to leave and not stay anywhere their presence was not tolerated. Most of the attendees were white, and sad to hear that our town was one of those "sundown towns." – If you're black, you'd better not be caught still here after sundown, apparently explicitly said by the local JP still in the late seventies or early eighties.

Many were shocked and had never known that, might not have settled in this pretty little town had they known.

It made me so sad to realize there is STILL a need for the kind of info you'd find in a Green Book - don't visit this town. My town where we raised our family. Heartbreaking. And because we were white, we didn't need to know. We weren't the target audience.

[mrsadm]

52. What is the green book?

[mtngirl47]

56. A book published so that Black Americans could find friendly

restaurants and motels or boarding houses when they traveled during segregation.

[califootman]

58. Negro Motorist Green Book

Last published in 1966.

I read that someone has started working on a new version that would be on the web. Sad that such a document is still needed.

[llashram]

87. yep

my father counted on it. Lots of travelling. Family and military. I sure he was briefed also by military fiends. We had trouble-free travels. One accident, large truck, motorist pulling a horse tailor. Fatal for horse and motorist. Truck on its side...driver hurt. Another motorist lived close, called the authorities. Other cars started stopping. Father moved on. Late '57.

[Progressive Jones]

91. There's a good movie about it called, "Green Book". Starred Viggo Mortensen. nt

[Evolve Dammit]

81. Spot On SfS!

[llashram]

86. this

sad, it's back in some people's mind. This time though, I say no way! Bring it.

[lisa58]

6. Wow - shouldn't they call the police and tell them...

Their guests are not safe?

[BusyBeingBest]

9. Yeah, that seems...strange.

They're telling their black potential guests they aren't safe on their property? That's quite the admission, and also acknowledgment that they have lost control.

[DENVERPOPS]

37. OR

Using it as a somewhat politically correct excuse to turn a black person away.............

[IsItJustMe]

49. That was my thoughts as well. Everything isn't always as it seems.

[smirkymonkey]

12. Yes, that was my reaction exactly.

How about getting rid of the problem in the first place?

[StarfishSaver]

14. Being black in America is like having a second (or third) very hazardous job

Can you imagine if the roles were reversed? What would the reaction be if a white guest pulled up at a hotel and was told that a "rowdy" group of black guests would pose him a problem and that he should get back on the road and go somewhere else?

Well, first, those guests wouldn't be called "rowdy" - because only white people are "rowdy." Black people who behave like "rowdy" white people are called thugs, criminals and rioters. And not only would they be called that, in the process, the police would also have been called.

But the roles weren't reversed. So the black guy had to get in his car and find somewhere else to stay. Because he might not be safe in the presence of people the hotel was continuing to allow to remain on their premises.

[StClone]

41. What Century are we in.

This is so utterly incomprehensible to me. There are real problems in the World. And, these people invent and perpetrate horrible situations. So small and fearful. WHY! Why should a person have to fear for their safety like this.

[Mr. Ected]

15. Police? They could be just as rowdy. Who knows.

This is Trump's America. They've been there the whole time, he just gave them the courage to crawl up from under their rock.

[Duppers]

80. Exactly! And this is an important point.

😣

[progressoid]

25. Police! HA. That's funny.

[MerryBlooms]

42. Damn skippy. I hope this info gets out, and the hotel is shamed into doing what's right,

because Marriott is obviously incapable of doing what's right on their own. $$$ and white makes right? Sounds like the Marriott policy in Richmond, VA to me. I hope by morning, the pressure is great and Marriott is making excuses after their 'rowdy guests' are out on their asses.

[Blecht]

72. They're probably a group of cops welcomed by a faction of the local police

[Yonnie3]

16. 2A rally in Richmond tomorrow

It is annual lobby day at Virginia's capitol tomorrow.

Post in the Virginia Group

Virginia gun group pressing on with Jan. 18 event, despite violence in D.C.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10819423

[KY_EnviroGuy]

64. Thanks for posting. That explains the situation.

People being shits away from home, like any convention.

Why is it called lobby day?

KY

[Yonnie3]

71. it is a tradition

Various groups have lobbied the Virginia legislature on the Monday after the session begins for many years. All sorts of groups and interests, although lately the 2A defenders have sort of taken over the day. Guns are no longer allowed at these events, but enforcement seems weak.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

73. Thanks for the explanation.

Virginia always brings back fond memories, from coal mines to beaches to peanuts and paper mills.

KY

[Yonnie3]

76. Paper mills?

I remember as a child when the wind was right (wrong?) you could smell the West Point paper mill all the way to Jamestown. Rather stinky.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

77. Yes, I did some extensive work in one in Franklin.

I drove back to KY part way via country roads through the peanut farm country and really enjoyed it. I learned how to boil peanuts while doing work in South Carolina and tried it on Virginia peanuts. They are delicious!

I did work in dozens of paper mills around the country but the worst one was in Georgetown, S.C. That was before the EPA put stiff regs on the emission of H2S. In the motel we stayed in, if the wind was wrong it would bring one to your knees. We quickly moved to a condo that was upwind from the mill.

The mills finally put tops on their open chemical tanks and that eliminated most of it.

Had friends in college in the 60s from Pound and Wise, VA and got to tour that area and see some coal mine-owned towns. Beautiful country but destitute for humans.

KY

[Evolve Dammit]

82. Nothing like the smell of dioxin in the morning.

[edhopper]

20. I guess the Dr

was openly Black.

[MagickMuffin]

21. Courtyard Marriott: We PERFER WHITE SUPREMACISTS as our guests

Last edited Mon Jan 18, 2021, 12:59 AM - Edit history (1)

Best YOU keep driving Black America!

[Algernon Moncrieff]

69. All they get are names on a computer

Courtyard knows nothing until people show up. While it's true a business convention or participants in a travel-team competition might make a group sale deal, it's highly unlikely that "3%" or "Proud Boys" called for a group rate.

My guess: the front desk clerk got a sense of who was coming in; saw the doctor; and gave a poorly thought-out response.

[treestar]

93. Not really fair

They didn't say they preferred them, but that a bunch of them already were there. If this happened.

[CentralMass]

23. Wow.

[monkeyman1]

26. trump

" THIS IS NOT FUCKING TRUMP'S AMERICA " GET OVER IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Renew Deal]

27. Sounds like BTS fans.

Has the hotel contacted the FBI with their concerns?

[Traildogbob]

54. My thoughts

They may can round up many of the 6th assholes.

[Cozmo]

29. Why aren't they staying at tRump hotel?

Bet they could get a great group rate

[Ford_Prefect]

31. Sadly this is not surprising.

[sarge43]

34. Maybe that big rowdy group will trash the place. One can but hope. n/t

[58Sunliner]

35. Richmond, BTW, is @48% black, a Dem stronghold, and these folks are from out of town.

So please don't disparage it. These people are, unfortunately, doing a caravan rally. They were denied a permit to have a regular rally. I have to ask why a national chain can't call the police if it unsafe for others. Someone in the chain of command needs to account for this.

[StClone]

36. Sometimes I wish these violent extremist would get their wish

And battle with real US Troops and get their asses kicked to hell. It would be a horrible event but one they seem intent on initiating-what a bunch of foolish end timers.

[DENVERPOPS]

47. I don't know about "end timers"

but definitely not so courageous......
.
Tonight is Sunday, and so far, there are no reports of demonstrations at any State Capitol today. Seems when they are up against Military Combat Dressed, Armed, National Guard they can't seem to muster many courageous demonstrators.......

I am in hopes that the lack of their demonstrators is the same when the inauguration takes place in D.C.............
If not, the news is reporting countless, Military Combat Dressed, Armed, National Guard awaiting them.......

[StClone]

53. I suspect the overwhelming force will deter most nutz

And a lack of a widespread working social Media will reduce this to minor and sporadic armed encounters. They are still out there, primed by their re-living Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the Bundy bs. Past mistakes by FBI, ATF and more on handing these incidences live one in the fevered minds of the armed horde. Time will tell.

Dead enders not in a biblical way. But, to a reasonable person, overrunning the Capitol was at best a long shot (though there are some damn near tragic results) and would only succeed in ending their lives as they knew them. Changed, ended for all time for them.

[Lokee11]

60. Me too

✊🏼FDT!

[StClone]

61. Hi Lokee11

Welcome to DU, I've been here since 2002. Wish I could donate more often-if you can go for it!

[Joinfortmill]

38. Omg. What is this 1950?

[BigmanPigman]

39. 150 years of Racism since the Civil War

and there are still assholes who want to keep fighting. GET THE FUCK OVER IT!!!!! They've had 150 to accept reality but that isn't something these cretins want.

[Dukkha]

43. Why were they allowed to check in?

If we have no fly lists there should be other restrictions against known terrorists and enemies of the state.

[MyMission]

44. Richmond, Capital of VA is 2 hours from DC

Last edited Mon Jan 18, 2021, 01:32 AM - Edit history (1)

So these guys were likely heading towards one or the other to "protest" or coming from one or both.

The clerk did this doctor a great service.

Kind of like letting him know there'd been an infestation at the hotel, best to stay somewhere else because we haven't gotten rid of it yet; if you choose to stay you could end up with bedbugs, roaches, exposed to mouse droppings, or in this case getting assaulted and maybe lynched

I corrected my title. Meant to write 2 hours but wrote 2 miles by mistake. Woops.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

46. Its 2 hours from DC

You wrote 2 miles.

[IronLionZion]

68. Richmond is around 110 miles from DC, so 2 hours. nt

[Algernon Moncrieff]

45. Soledad should relay that to TPTB at Marriott Corporate

The Courtyard is most likely a franchise. Nevertheless, Marriott corporate should be prepared to ensure the safety of their guests by any means necessary.

The correct response by the Courtyard would have been to find another Marriott property in the area of equal or better quality and accommodating the guest there.

[DENVERPOPS]

48. And

COMP'ed him the room for the inconvenience............

[elleng]

50. People traveling between DC and Virginia can expect major re-routes and traffic delays,

as the Secret Service closes most of the bridges connecting the two areas.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/virginia/northern-virginia-braces-for-road-closures-added-inauguration-day-security/65-57308748-909f-4a9b-b382-28b5dc12c938?

[Yoyoyo77]

51. There's a second admendment rally there, I think tomorrow?

An armed rowdy group? That might account for the attitude of the desk clerk. I don't the average courtyard has a lot of security normally.

[BobTheSubgenius]

55. I don't know why this would surprise anyone,

in this age of blunted outrage and desensitization.

That lack of outrage is the macro to the racist situation's micro. Not that it is a micro issue. You know what I mean.

[Nitram]

62. Say hello to Jim Crow. This is a war for America's soul. We have the numbers and we have the good

people on our side. Keep the faith, brothers and sisters.

[ecstatic]

63. WTF? So Courtyard Marriott allowed a big, rowdy group to check in

but is telling respectable (black) customers to keep it moving?

[BrightKnight]

70. I would not assume the desk clerks were all white.

It is possible but it sounds like the hotel was full of open carry Magats and they were just warning their guests. I imagine the clerks we uncomfortable with it too. You can’t really cancel a reservation for anyone just because they are a magat.

[DFW]

75. This is very much possible

Plenty of hotel staff is black. The check-in clerk might have caught some of the conversation of the people already checked-in, and thought he was doing the doctor a big favor by suggesting he keep on going.

With such a crowd, I would probably have kept on going, myself. No one makes a reservation in advance saying, "I'm with an armed rowdy group of racists." They reveal themselves when they arrive. And if the clerk calls the cops, who come and find only a group of white guys drinking beer and carrying arms that are perfectly legal under Virginia law, what do you think happens to the clerk once the cops are gone? I'm sure Marriott would commend the guy for keeping cool in a tense situation, acting in everyone's best interests, and they would probably be right.

[treestar]

92. Put him on a different floor

Who interacts with other hotel guests?

I've stayed in those hotels and never seen another guest for more than a few seconds.