Cell phone video is kryptonite to racist people

www.nbcnews.com...

An African American guest who was ousted from a DoubleTree hotel in Oregon after talking on his cellphone with his mother in the hotel lobby is seeking $10 million in damages.

Every time I see a cell phone video of a racist person getting caught in the act, I laugh and laugh. I have zero pity or sympathy. They have probably been racist and have done unjust things for years. Now it's payback time. Cell phone videos don't lie. For many years it was a he said she said, type of situation. My guess is that the victim never got justice. It's good for some people to see that yes, there are racist people that are racist for absolutely no reason.

I know people feel like 10 million is a lot for being harassed and embarrassed at a hotel. I'm all for it and hopes he gets it.
I understand a hotel wanting to secure their property, but the facts are this guy wasn't doing anything that would spark that kind of inquiry or a call to 911. BTW, I think they should be a lot more strict on 911 calls. If it is found out that it was called frivolously, there should be a hefty fine.
The only way to make a hotel like this change is to hit them where it hurts, in the pocket.

This seems a bit too one sided.

All we have is his video that happened AFTER the incident so we really don't know what took place before that. We only have his word.

If the guy refused to give information or proof of being in the hotel, then maybe there was a legit reason. We should get details of both sides before knowing what really went on. For all I know, that guy could have trolled and baited that security guy to get into that exact situation.

Besides... side note... Why would you put your feet all over the furniture in a place you don't own? I would have told him to get his feet off of the couch. The fella was plainly laid out on the couch like it was his personal room.


Racist issue? I don't know. I only saw one side after the fact.

I mean... The old man IS a 'SECURITY GUARD'. I've never been in a hotel with a security guard present. Maybe the area has its own reputation. Don't know the situation or the facts, can't determine where I stand on the issue.

a reply to: JAGStorm

$10 fricken million!

Seems excessive.

I don't see racism here. If the security guard did in fact ask if he was a guest, to which the young man answered "yes" and when asked what room he was staying in and answered "I don't remember" then what was the security guard supposed to assume?

He only showed the card sleeve after the initial confrontation took place apparently. This seems like a fake complaint that could've been avoided had the young man respectfully cooperated from the beginning.

Just my .02

originally posted by: Anathros
I don't see racism here. If the security guard did in fact ask if he was a guest, to which the young man answered "yes" and when asked what room he was staying in and answered "I don't remember" then what was the security guard supposed to assume?

He only showed the card sleeve after the initial confrontation took place apparently. This seems like a fake complaint that could've been avoided had the young man respectfully cooperated from the beginning.

Just my .02

Give me a break.

Well, then please explain why when he did show his card they didn't stop.................?
because they were ............................racist!

There was nothing he was doing to cause a scene. They actually caused a scene.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: JAGStorm

$10 fricken million!

Seems excessive.

Is it though?

I value myself pretty high. If I pay to do business with a hotel. To provide comfort and accommodations while I'm staying there, that is what I expect. I don't expect the inquisition from Earl. I don't expect 911 to be called because I'm making a phone call there.

Days after the incident, DoubleTree by Hilton Portland apologized to Massey in a tweet and said they had "terminated the employment of the two men involved."

He's a slam dunk for a settlement at least. The hotel as good as admitted guilt when they fired those 2.

a reply to: JAGStorm

My observation, at the end of the video, you see the man making the video take his feet off the couch, then puts them back on again. If you were born in a barn, it’s okay to put your shoes on someone’s couch. Any other circumstance, it’s not okay.

We also don’t get much of an idea of the guys appearance, as he only films the other two gentlemen. Did he look like a thug?

Why was the guy laying on the couch like he owned the place? Was he possibly using profanity in front of children?

To me, the guy filming the video seems pretty entitled. Hence, a 10 million dollar law suit.

I’m not defending racism. But this video shows no context as to why the cops were called on him.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Anathros
I don't see racism here. If the security guard did in fact ask if he was a guest, to which the young man answered "yes" and when asked what room he was staying in and answered "I don't remember" then what was the security guard supposed to assume?

He only showed the card sleeve after the initial confrontation took place apparently. This seems like a fake complaint that could've been avoided had the young man respectfully cooperated from the beginning.

Just my .02

Give me a break.

Well, then please explain why when he did show his card they didn't stop.................?
because they were ............................racist!

There was nothing he was doing to cause a scene. They actually caused a scene.

It shows a manager trying to politely get to the bottom of the issue. Nobody was raising their voice or making a scene. It would have ended had the young man not insisted "you know what, let's just wait for the cops!"

You can escalate or de-escalate a situation. Which path did you see the young man choose?

a reply to: StallionDuck

Why would you put your feet all over the furniture in a place you don't own?

Yes that is a manners issue that is happening too frequently everywhere, not just this case. Recently I was in first class and this nasty woman put her bare feet up on the rail in front of her. Yuck!

For all I know, that guy could have trolled and baited that security guy to get into that exact situation.

The guy repeatedly said I'm just sitting her making a phone call, the security guard never denies that.
He says multiple times he's a guest, he does eventually provide a card. Maybe he didn't show it when first asked, he said he told the guy, the guard says he didn't. Even so, is that a requirement to be there in the first place?
Many hotels have restaurants, stores, bars. Do they require everyone to show a card?
The hotel immediately fired both those workers, that tells me they were in the wrong.
The hotel has video cameras everywhere, show the whole video if the guest was being "rowdy" or anything.

Nope, we are just going to see a hotel guest making a call and getting harassed.

well to my mind thisis just a new shift in "cash in culture"

setup someone to react to your bad behavior then win a payout.

but

it only works for a small segment of folks.

DNA is racist.

originally posted by: thedigirati
well to my mind thisis just a new shift in "cash in culture"

setup someone to react to your bad behavior then win a payout.

but

it only works for a small segment of folks.

DNA is racist.

Making a phone call in a hotel you are paying for is "bad behavior"?

Obviously not, the hotel fired those two people.

I see this and think the guard was probably stereotyping the guy but the filmer could have easily been white and had the same questions asked.

But because he is black it must be racist. Not everything is that black and white.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: thedigirati
well to my mind thisis just a new shift in "cash in culture"

setup someone to react to your bad behavior then win a payout.

but

it only works for a small segment of folks.

DNA is racist.

Making a phone call in a hotel you are paying for is "bad behavior"?

Obviously not, the hotel fired those two people.

Businesses perform damage control and routinely fire employees unfairly to protect the company's image. The video does not show the initial confrontation so it's open to speculation. It does however show the end of a situation that could have likely been avoided with a little common courtesy. I however see no signs of racism though.

originally posted by: JAGStorm

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: JAGStorm

$10 fricken million!

Seems excessive.

Is it though?

I value myself pretty high. If I pay to do business with a hotel. To provide comfort and accommodations while I'm staying there, that is what I expect. I don't expect the inquisition from Earl. I don't expect 911 to be called because I'm making a phone call there.

It is tough? Really
10 million for that, that is greedy and stupid

People are racist, blacks are racists, white, latinos, asians, $10 million, that’s just stupid

I don’t like racism but I don’t like greed and people suing for 10 million over that. Ten thousand, a hundred but 10 mill, that’s destructive to business

Racistband wrong but 10 million, that’s wrong as well

a reply to: JAGStorm

yes if it is in a public area

why didn't he take the call in his room?

that is what he paid for right??

the lobby is not his room

the pool is not his room

the hallway is not his room

he PAID for a room.

Use it.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Yes it's excessive.
And like most stories, there are always two sides.
I'll hold my judgement until I hear what the defense has to say..

That brings an interesting issue as well.
I'm sure the hotel chain lawyers will want to do interviews to build their case but if I was one of the fired employees I might tell them to stick it where the monkey put the peanut.

a reply to: JAGStorm

The guy repeatedly said I'm just sitting her making a phone call, the security guard never denies that. He says multiple times he's a guest, he does eventually provide a card. Maybe he didn't show it when first asked, he said he told the guy, the guard says he didn't.

Saw that but did he say that in the beginning? I think he may have but this is how I kind of imagine it went down (though I'm a little more blunt a assholic in these situations because I don't like to be messed with lol)...

- Are you a guest?

- Yeah

- Which room?

- I don't remember

- Can I see your card?

- Why? I'm a guest here. (this is the change all)


From there things might have gotten stupid.

I mean, sure, I would have been pissy about it but that's how I roll. It's confrontational but it depends on how I was addressed at the start. If the guard was polite and offered some friendly banter (best way to get information), then things might have gone another way.

10 million? Yeah that's dumb. That's more than proving a point. That's just being downright greedy. If the guy was hurt or manhandled, then maybe but depends on what went down.

I say a couple thousand or a couple hundred K tops would be justified, maybe... The video alone could ruin the establishment for good because of a few bad workers. 10 mil? nah

Maybe he didn't show it when first asked, he said he told the guy, the guard says he didn't. Even so, is that a requirement to be there in the first place?

Similar to telling a police officer that you don't have to show him your DL? haha I think that would have went down a little different for pretty much the same situation.

I think, personally, that the guest escalated the situation by not showing his key card. Hell, I think he would have even gotten away with just showing his card while he was on the phone and wouldn't even need to verbally answer the guard while talking to whoever on the other end.

Is the guard racist? Dunno. I didn't see any evidence of that. No telling where they are, what neighborhood or level of crime in that area. I've been to a lot of hotels and I've never once seen a security guard. Makes me think that it's a high crime area.

Prejudice? Perhaps but aren't we all?


I used to have a black social studies teacher that used to say... Not everyone is racist but every single person IS prejudice.

a reply to: JAGStorm

the hotel fired those two people.

Doesn't matter. They would do it either way. Plausible deniability. PR protection.

If you were on the board of say... walmart and were accused of pedophelia. I'm pretty sure that they would can you faster than you could say "It's a lie!", whether you did it or not.


No one wants to associate with bad publicity. Get rid of the connection, you're free from it. Especially when getting sued for 10m. If the hotel wins the case, they may rehire them.

not quite the same as a Police Officer asking for a DL. if you are walking, you do not require and ID let alone a DL.

a DL is only required while operationg a vehicle on the public roadways. that is it.

if you are on a public sidewalk and a cop comes up and asks for a drivers license, you can tell him to pound sand,

Unless you match the discription of an APB.

Know your rights, I do a lot of walking myself.