Thread: California Airbnb host banned for naming President Trump as reason to refuse Asian-Am

California Airbnb host banned for naming President Trump as reason to refuse Asian-American guest

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Saturday, April 8, 2017, 12:04 AM

A President Trump-invoking Airbnb host in California has been permanently banned from the short-term rental site for refusing to host an Asian-American woman because of her race.

Dyne Suh, a 25-year-old law school student from Riverside, said in a video posted to YouTube that she was excited to spend Presidents' Day weekend at popular ski resort Big Bear Lake with her boyfriend and their two friends.

But when the group was just minutes away from the lodging, they had pre-booked nearly a month prior, Suh got a devastating text message from their host.

"She said 'we're done' and canceled the trip," Suh says in the video, which displays screengrabs of the text conversation.

Suh complained to the host that she had confirmed the booking ahead of time, and asked for a reason for the sudden cancellation.

"And she said, 'One word says it all: Asian. It's why we have Trump,' " Suh said, choking back tears.

A stunned Suh said she told the host that she would report her to Airbnb.

"We can't have foreigners telling us what to do," the host responded, according to Suh.

Suh is an American citizen who emigrated from South Korea when she was only 3. She said the U.S. is the only country she considers "home."

"It stings that after living in the U.S. for over 23 years this is what happens," she said. "No matter how well I treat others, if you're Asian you're less than human, and people can treat you like trash."

Suh reported the host, prompting swift action from Airbnb, which has recently undergone an overhaul amid numerous reports of racial discrimination.

"We have worked to provide the guest with our full support and in line with our non-discrimination policy, this host has been permanently removed from the Airbnb platform," a spokesperson said in a statement, adding that the company considers the host's behavior "abhorrent and unacceptable."

Last year, Airbnb launched a three-month "comprehensive review," which concluded that "minorities struggle more than others to book a listing." Subsequently, the site implemented a new policy requiring hosts to treat all guests "with respect."

"We believe that no matter who you are, where you are from, or where you travel, you should be able to belong in the Airbnb community," the company's new policy reads.

But in Suh's experience, a serious obstacle remains.

"People thought with the election of President Obama, racism is over in this country — no, it's very much alive," she said. "It exists, and it can happen to anyone."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.3032358

Fake new? I think so.