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Dear Mr. Campbell: I am writing in response to your article on the "childish and immature acts" of the protestors in front of the Marriott on Friday afternoons. I cannot believe that simple people, waving banners and honking horns in a peaceful demonstration would give you a "great sense of anger". Why? Why on earth would you call it "boorish behavior of modern day hippies"? Because these people are trying to get the Marriott Corporation to pay their employees a decent wage? Why would that make you angry? I'm sure in your VERY prestigious job you never go hungry, your electricity has never been shut off, your phone works, your bills are paid. Why would you deny the employees of this huge organization a living wage of only $8.00 an hour? So what that you have to put up with a little horn honking once a week for a mere two hours. So what? Torture you call it? I hardly think so. Torture is what the employees of the Marriott Corporation have to put up with everyday. You say you are all for the 1st amendment and for honorable acts of civil disobedience, well usually, from what I have seen myself, these acts are not the quietest and, for more effect, ARE noisy and chaotic-for very good reason. I also laughed out loud when I saw what you said about "malicious material" being passed out in Virginia Beach--terrorists??? Pleeezzzz. Living Wage Issue Now lets go back to you, eleven years ago, making minimum wage and barely able to support yourself. What if you hadn't had ANY opportunities to "climb higher in the job market"? I can guarantee you'd still be experiencing some "personal and financial difficulties". There are many for which there are no opportunities, mostly because huge corporations like the Marriott don't afford their employees any decent opportunities for training, education, climbing higher in the corporation, etc. These people work hard, everyday, doing jobs you and I probably wouldn't care to do. I just can't understand how someone like yourself, probably a decent person, can be so tough against a group that is fighting for another group to have a decent life? And as far as the $119 a night versus really $89 or $99 a night, that is hogwash. The hotel makes plenty of money from their customers BECAUSE of the hard work of the housekeepers, bellboys, front desk personnel, laundry personnel. If these people weren't there Mr. Campbell, the hotel would cease to operate. I'm sure the Marriott is making quite a "reasonable profit"-at the expense of their lower paid workers. How much money a year do you suppose the CEO of Marriott earns a year? I would love to know just what the general manager of this particular hotel earns a year. I bet that would be an eye opener also. So I don't think a little picketing once a week is really going to ruin your life Mr. Campbell. Hey, eventually the Marriott will see the light and begin paying their people a decent wage like the University of Virginia, Albemarle Co., the city of Charlottesville, and numerous other employers around this area. Oh, and by the way, the Marriott Corporation is under fire all over the country for their employment practices, they have many lawsuits pending against them. So perhaps before you decide to "patronize" this hotel, why don't you take a moment and check into the many problems of the Marriott Corporation? Come on, be a good human being, check it out. I think it would open your eyes a bit. MAYBE it may even make you go outside one nice Friday afternoon and walk the picket line yourself!! And maybe a quick honk of your horn as you go home from work? Before you make such public and widespread assumptions, please check the facts-you may be surprised at what you would find out. Sincerely, Jan Cornell (electronic mail, May 25, 2001).
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