GM of Tennessee hotel that fired gay HR director terminated as well

No Management Positions For Fundies

I don't believe religious people of any sorts should be in a management position: they can fire somebody for being gay, fire a woman because she takes birth control, or any other fucked-up reason to take away their income "because it conflicts with their religious beliefs".  

Many years ago, I had a pentecostal manager who spent most of her time talking about her religion, and was always trying to convert employees.  If her trickery didn't work on them, she'd fire them, or cut their hours so ridiculously short that they would have no choice but to look for other employment.  

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by: bluegrassfool @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 14:37:15 PM CST

They should consider moving to Monterey, California

The Monterey Peninsula is a tourist location. There are always jobs in the hospitality and tourism businesses.

Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Pacific Grove and Carmel Valley are loaded with hotels. And, this is one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

With the economy as it is, it is a good time to buy here. I've never seen real estate this low priced.

We need more openly gay folks here, too.

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 14:41:52 PM CST

If only it was true

There are always jobs in the hospitality and tourism businesses.

Not in this economy.

Cause any fool knows, a dog needs a home; a shelter from pigs on the wing

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by: QueerInSoCal @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 15:09:00 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I didn't mean in general

There are lots of jobs posted for local hotels here on the Peninsula.

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 15:41:43 PM CST

[ Parent ]

And BTW

There's a five-bedroom house across the street for sale for $500,000. It would have sold for close to $1 million a few months ago.

I group of young gay men from Tennessee could afford to buy that house. Two couples perhaps. It could be the perfect time to move.

The house is 5 minutes from Pebble Beach.

Pebble Beach Company Recruitment
2130 Sunset Drive
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
(831) 649-7659
M - F 8:00AM - 5:00PM

I'm just sayin' that there are options to living in an oppressive state.


When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 16:44:17 PM CST

[ Parent ]

How about here instead?

The Antelope Valley here at the north end of L.A. county has a severe shortage of three things: LGBT people (who all seem to leave town as soon as possible), engineers (who generally can choose not to work in the desert) and home buyers (meaning 3-bedroom houses can go for under $100k).  It would only take a few queer families with engineers (or machinists, or welders, or...) to turn the local NASA facility distinctly pink (just in time for the repeal of DADT at the attached Air Force base!).

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by: M @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 21:10:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

...or not.

It seems that NASA, as a federal entity, doesn't recognize even the domestic partnerships that Prop 8 has left behind, and so offers gay & lesbian employees compensation of several thousand dollars a year less than the heterosexuals.  Looks like I'll have to go private-sector after all...

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by: M @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 22:15:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

There may be hope

"I am here in the office and shocked to hear what you had said to the media," Surti wrote in the email to Stoddard. "If it is true that you told media that David was fired because he is gay, you obviously told them a lie. Such behavior is subject to immediate termination and I would like you to restrain from coming to the hotel."

Protesting may be the only thing that can help Hill.  Like it or not, we all know what the status of sexual-orientation-based employment discrimination claims are under current law.

However, this tirade by Surti may offer a glimmer of hope that this thing can end up in court nevertheless.  Surti made a specific assertion about Stoddard: that he told a lie about the Hill firing.  That goes directly to Stoddard's moral character (is he a liar?  or is he not?).  It is a long shot (read: New York Times v. Sullivan), but I hope that Stoddard considers going after Surti for defamation.  He doesn't need ENDA or a state equivalent for that - and, assuming that he could at least survive summary judgment, he could make it really painful for Surti by forcing him to answer questions under oath about what his reaons really were for the Hill firing.

>^..^<

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by: KatRose @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 14:46:31 PM CST

to win a defamation suit

i thought you had to prove that damage was done by the libel.  that's a really tough thing to prove, especially in a bad economy where people aren't being hired anyway.  it's worth looking into, but i wonder if the guy violating the company non-discrimination contract would be an easier road.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:36:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I've already

entered a bad review for this hotel on tripadvisor.  I would suggest everyone do the same thing for any travel sites that they contribute to.

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by: Sikes @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 14:58:15 PM CST

Excellent suggestion

Its quick and easy to do. If Surti isn't completely ruined yet, he will be soon.

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by: kegbot1 @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 13:05:51 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Not surprising

I was sure that the employee-supportive manager would get the boot-o-the-bigot when he talked to the press. At least his karma - not to mention his conscience - is clear. Best of luck to a good person!

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by: Julien Sharp @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 16:14:44 PM CST

And so it goes...

Surti claims the gay guys are lying and since there's no ENDA, there's no way to prove it.  That's the way employment discrimination works.  They get rid of you but just claim it's for another reason.  

I can't wait to get out of TN!

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by: callie @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 19:34:50 PM CST

Hi Callie

I did just that (left Nashville) 3.5 years ago to Vancouver and it was the best decision of my life.

Before you go, if you can, please show up to the protest mentioned in the article this Friday.  Is the planned protest getting any press?  Facebook, the Nashveill Scene, etc?

Good luck.

vanhattan

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by: vanhattan @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 21:41:19 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thought about it

We've thought about the leaving for The Great White North too (or at least north...somewhere far away from the south), but unfortunately, my partner is ABD now so we're stuck until she finishes her doctorate.  Once that's done though...

I haven't seen much press on the protest to be honest.  I'd get there if I could but unfortunately, I'll be traveling for work at that time.  With a Republican run state legislature, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities for protesting in the future.  Sad, but true.

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by: callie @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 08:40:11 AM CST

[ Parent ]

TN Native Here

Growing up in ETN, I KNEW TN was not the place for me, so I left. DC is "Homo" for me. TN does have some great folks, but they'll quickly isolate you if discovered to be one of teh gays.
I feel sorry for David Hill's predicament there.
Some places look better from a rear view mirror.

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by: RogernDC @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 22:47:34 PM CST

[ Parent ]

DC would be a dream for us

We both love DC and hopefully will get somewhere close (NOT VA though!).  You're right, Roger, it's very subtle but even though people are generally friendly and such in Nashville, you still get that feeling that you make people uncomfortable.  They don't even know how to have a conversation with you.  I share an office with about four other people and it's commonplace for them to ask each other about their weekends and talk about what they did and their plans.  I've worked here for almost two years (everyone knew I was gay when I took the job), and I think I've been asked something personal like that maybe twice.  I'm not exaggerating either.

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by: callie @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 08:43:57 AM CST

[ Parent ]

it isn't "scaling back"

when you fire the HR director and the general manager and then replace them with new employees.  That is a transparent lie told by Mr. Surti.

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by: Tom P @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 23:43:16 PM CST

[ Parent ]

No ENDA<> no way to prove it

It just means that it's not actionable.  But he could be hit with a slander or libel suit if he accused the GM of lying, as mentioned in another comment.  That's a separate tort and has nothing to do with ENDA.

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by: bgkev @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 09:50:55 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Picket at Hotel

The picket will be taking place:

-Sat. Jan. 17th, 2009
-9:00am until...
-760 Old Hickory Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37027

Myself (David Hill) and Leonard will be there.  

SO!  Make a sign, grab a couple friends and make sure you are there to support our community!!

Any ideas or questions e-mail me - david.s.hill@hotmail.com

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by: hillds9 @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 23:25:13 PM CST

David (and picketers) bring a camera

Get some shots of the event to share and make sure the media is covering it. Maybe your bigoted boss will show up.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 06:13:12 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Hi David,

This story really touched me.  I have been working hard to call people who do business with Mr. Surti to try to impact his business.

Thank you for speaking out and not just going quietly.

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by: Tom P @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 11:06:45 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Tom P

Please e-mail me.  david.s.hill@hotmail.com  I would love to talk with you.  Thank you very much.

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by: hillds9 @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 17:34:32 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good luck David.

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:11:45 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I called Priceline.com today

and orbitz.  

This hotel comes up on requests at their websites for a room in Brentwood, TN.

The office of the VP of operations from Priceline called me back.  They are going to investigate and may drop the hotel from their roster.  

Orbitz did not call back.  I will work on that tomorrow.  

The owner of this hotel also has a biotech company in the nashville area.  His board of directors has a member of the nashville chamber of commerce on it.  Also someone from the mayors office is listed on his website.  

I am going to spend a LOT of time trying to impact this hotel's business.

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by: Tom P @ Mon Jan 12, 2009 at 23:40:24 PM CST

Excellent work Tom P

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:11:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yes, I agree

Excellent work!

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by: Sikes @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:52:06 PM CST

[ Parent ]

You rock.

'nuf said.

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by: kegbot1 @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 13:08:30 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Yeah go TOM P.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 23:25:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Restrain from coming?

>"I would like you to restrain from coming to the hotel"

Hmm... I wonder what that means....

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by: phelps @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 03:26:37 AM CST

David Hill will be on Mike Signorile @ 3:30 PM today

Tune in to hear the latest updates on the situation.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:28:52 PM CST

Hi Pam...more info please

Hi...thank you so much for this...could you please tell me where I can listen to Mike Signorile?  I live in Santa Monica.  Thank you again.

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by: Tom P @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 12:34:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks Pam

I've got Mike on the Sirius now. The top of the hour news highlighted Stoddard's firing.

Tom P - AFAIK he's on Sirius radio only.

Check out this link:

http://www.msignorile.com/radi...

In the left hand column there's a link where you can get a free three day pass to listen.

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by: kegbot1 @ Tue Jan 13, 2009 at 13:12:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]