wfn.org | Executive Council Votes Not to Use Hotel Accused of Discrimination

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

3-February-2000 
00059 
 
    Executive Council Votes Not to Use Hotel in Chain 
    Accused of Racial Discrimination 
 
    by James Solheim 
    Episcopal News Service 
 
    On the day that much of the nation was celebrating the birthday of 
slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., the Executive Council of 
the Episcopal Church voted unanimously not to use the Denver hotel of a 
chain accused by the Justice Department of a broad pattern of racial 
discrimination as headquarters for next summer's General Convention. 
 
    "The church had intended to hold many of its hearings, meetings and 
events in the Adam's Mark hotel facilities and had also reserved a large 
block of guestrooms at that hotel," said the January 17, statement signed 
by Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold and Pamela P. Chinnis, president of 
the House of Deputies (text in News Features) 
 
    "We were disturbed to learn just prior to Christmas that the United 
States Department of Justice had filed suit against the hotel chain in 
federal court in Florida alleging a broad pattern of racial discrimination 
in providing a variety of guest services," the statement said. "Subsequent 
discussion with hotel officials both in Denver and corporate headquarters 
in St. Louis, coupled with reports by diocese of Colorado representatives 
of discussions with local community and church leaders in Denver, failed to 
allay our concerns." 
 
    The statement said that the church was not in a position "to assess the 
merit of the discrimination suit against the hotel chain," but said that 
the allegations, coupled with "other reports from local leaders citing 
similar problems with the Adam's Mark in Denver, led us to recommend to the 
council that the church not go forward with the planned arrangements to use 
any of the facilities of that hotel." 
 
    The action was "the most appropriate response," especially in light of 
the church's "profound commitment to eradicating racism in our church and 
society," the statement concluded. 
 
    Church leadership was disturbed not only by the announcement of the 
suit but also by a December 17 Washington Post article alleging that the 
Justice Department had conducted an investigation that revealed black 
guests were overcharged, turned away or segregated into inferior rooms, 
which prompted the unusual step of filing suit. Further, the article quoted 
Attorney General Janet Reno as saying, "More than 30 years after the 
passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the sad fact is that some 
Americans are still treated differently because of their race." 
 
    Early conversations revealed a strong sentiment that the church should 
not use the hotel but participants urged wide consultation with church and 
community leaders. 
 
    Griswold set up a conference call with 19 church leaders on January 12 
to discuss the issues.  After hearing staff reports, the Rev. Robert 
Franken of the Diocese of Colorado said that he had spoken with the Denver 
mayor's office, the Urban League, the NAACP and many local church leaders. 
While there was a range of opinion, with some suggesting that it may be 
possible to negotiate some promises of change, the consensus was not to use 
the hotel. Several suggested that the church really had no choice, that it 
was crucial that the church make a witness, maintaining its moral integrity 
even at the risk of some financial loss. 
 
    Bishop Barbara Harris of Massachusetts reminded those participating in 
the conference call that in 1955 the church had moved a whole General 
Convention, from Houston to Hawaii, over the racial issue. "It can be done 
and it should be done," she said in arguing against using the hotel. 
 
    When asked about the logistical implications of a move, the Rev. 
Rosemari Sullivan, executive officer of the General Convention, said that 
there would be complications in the loss of nearly a thousand rooms and 
meeting space at the hotel. "But the move can be done. We will find a way 
to make it happen." In light of the council recommendation, her staff must 
now scramble to find alternatives. 
 
    Hotel officials refused to discuss the financial implications of the 
decision but did tell the Denver Post that the contract signed by the 
church calls for a cancellation penalty of $1.2 million. 
 
                         Reactions in church vary 
 
     As news of the decision filtered throughout the church, reaction ran 
the full spectrum. Some argued that the decision was hasty, that the suit 
was based on allegations. They deplored what they characterized as "a rush 
to judgment." Others contended that the decision was a moral one, not a 
legal one, based on the church's deepest convictions to fight racism. Some 
worried about how the decision would affect the church's programs, 
suggesting that a fundraising effort might soften the blow. 
 
    "Even the NAACP and the U.S. Justice Department can be wrong and are 
considered to be so until they have proven their case," said the Rev. 
Zabron Davis, a deputy from the Diocese of Mississippi, in a fax to 
Chinnis. "Wouldn't we be a better witness to meet at the Adam's Mark and 
show them by the way we treat each other how Jesus wants all of us to 
behave?" asked Kate Stirk, an alternate from the Diocese of Central 
Florida. 
 
    The Diocese of Upper South Carolina decided not to hold its diocesan 
convention overnight at the Adam's Mark in Columbia the first weekend in 
February, limiting the meeting to a single day and canceling the annual 
banquet scheduled for the hotel. "It is a far-from-easy path for us but, we 
feel, a necessary one," said the Rev. Beth Wickenberg Ely, head of the 
diocesan deputation to General Convention. Staff at the headquarters of the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which recently voted for full 
communion with the Episcopal Church, were following the issue closely--and 
were considering some cancellations of its own to express solidarity. 
 
                         Dealing with the money 
 
    In expressing concern about how the $1.2-million cancellation fee might 
affect the church's ministry, Andrew Green of San Diego said that he was 
"glad that we are standing for our beliefs and not dollars." The Rev. 
Gregory Jacobs, a delegate from the Diocese of Ohio, said that he had 
"never been prouder," adding that the decision "signals a new awareness and 
a coming of age that we did not exhibit at Phoenix. This church has finally 
taken a principled, meaningful action against racism in this country." 
 
    Bettye Jo Harris of Hawaii described the racial discrimination she has 
suffered over the years. "My fellow deputies, this boycott is just a 
loosening of the yoke around my neck, it does not take the yoke off." 
 
    "Who's going to be paying the cost for breaking the contract?" asked 
Tom Kerr of Delaware. He suggested that church members contribute, to "put 
our money where it belongs and give, borrow or beg to pay as much of the 
cost as possible." The church's treasurer, Steve Duggan, said that "the 
potential loss of such an amount would be painful but not debilitating. 
Underspending in 1998, as a result of the new administration evaluating all 
existing programs, will allow for at least some of the penalty to be 
absorbed in 2000," he said. That would mean that "some new initiatives 
would be temporarily scaled back or delayed until 2001. If the penalty were 
paid in part or whole out of existing surplus, future annual income might 
be reduced by up to $50,000." 
 
    Ray Duncan of the General Convention Office reported that the 
treasurer's office is receiving some contributions to offset the 
cancellation penalty. There are also indications that the language of the 
contract itself opens the possibility that, if the hotel rents the space 
reserved for the church, it may mitigate the size of the penalty. 
 
--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of News and 
Information.   

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  This note sent by Office of News Services, 
  Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
  to the World Faith News list <wfn-news@wfn.org>.
  For additional information about this news story,
  call 502-569-5493 or send e-mail to PCUSA.News@pcusa.org

  On the web:  http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/

  If you have a question about this mailing list, 
  send queries to wfn@wfn.org