Post by High Priestess on Mar 10, 2016 16:17:48 GMT
The process of developing short term rental regulations in MOntgomery County Maryland is unexpectedly now being effected by AIrbnb listings in the West Bank, in Israel.
SEe the article:
www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/Web-2016/County-Council-Airbnb-Hearing-Generates-Debate-Over-West-Bank-Settlements/
Montgomery County Council members likely anticipated many of the complaints heard Tuesday night about an effort to legalize and regulate room-renting service Airbnb—including concerns about losing on-street parking spaces and protecting single-family neighborhoods from rowdy guests.
However, what they probably didn’t anticipate the proposals—a zoning code change and bill to create a county licensing process for the rentals—would, was a debate on Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
“I don’t want to be melodramatic about it, but this is a company that is unfortunately profiting off something that is actually quite close to a war crime,” said Saqib Ali, a Gaithersburg resident, former state delegate and leader of the successful campaign to get Montgomery County Public Schools to close school for students on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
Ali and three other county residents testified during Tuesday’s council public hearing that the council shouldn’t go forward with regulating Airbnb and other online room rental services such as HomeAway and Loft because doing so would be a tacit endorsement of Airbnb, the San Francisco-based company that has come under fire recently for West Bank listings on its website by Jewish settlers.
“I’m concerned that we’re considering essentially giving a stamp of approval to a business that profits off illegal settlements in violation of human rights for Palestinians,” said Silver Spring resident Alison Glick, who has a Palestinian-American daughter. “Yes, it’s a long way away but there are business ethics to consider. What signal does it give to Montgomery County residents if we essentially allow them to operate in our community?”
My two cents: I have to say I think that it would be absolutely ridiculous, and a case of political correctness gone fanatically awry, to consider not allowing Airbnb hosts to list short term rentals in Maryland, because some Israelis are posting Airbnb listings in the WEst Bank in ISrael!! I mean, come on folks, it's insane!! To reduce all of the millions of short term rentals everywhere in the world, to the politics of a few listings in the WEst Bank, is an idiotic perspective. This would be like saying we should not have any gas stations in our city because all the oil companies engage in questionable politics and financial games. Or that we should prohibit the banking industry from setting up any banks in our city because we *know* how the big banks are!!
Is anyone calling for Airbnb to remove all Airbnb listings in Russia because, well, we know how Putin is and what he's done, in the Ukraine and Syria? ? Or remove Airbnb listings in nations that discriminate against gays (you'll find Airbnb listings in some nations which are not kind to gay and lesbian individuals, not to mention, women...)? What about removing AIrbnb listings in China because, well haven't you heard what China did in Tibet?
Sadly, there are many injustices around the entire world, and I think reasonable people will understand, that Airbnb is not responsible for all of them. So get off your soap box Saqib Ali and Alison Glick and others and please dont' try to blame or scapegoat Airbnb for any nation's politics or actions.
SEe the article:
www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/Web-2016/County-Council-Airbnb-Hearing-Generates-Debate-Over-West-Bank-Settlements/
Montgomery County Council members likely anticipated many of the complaints heard Tuesday night about an effort to legalize and regulate room-renting service Airbnb—including concerns about losing on-street parking spaces and protecting single-family neighborhoods from rowdy guests.
However, what they probably didn’t anticipate the proposals—a zoning code change and bill to create a county licensing process for the rentals—would, was a debate on Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
“I don’t want to be melodramatic about it, but this is a company that is unfortunately profiting off something that is actually quite close to a war crime,” said Saqib Ali, a Gaithersburg resident, former state delegate and leader of the successful campaign to get Montgomery County Public Schools to close school for students on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
Ali and three other county residents testified during Tuesday’s council public hearing that the council shouldn’t go forward with regulating Airbnb and other online room rental services such as HomeAway and Loft because doing so would be a tacit endorsement of Airbnb, the San Francisco-based company that has come under fire recently for West Bank listings on its website by Jewish settlers.
“I’m concerned that we’re considering essentially giving a stamp of approval to a business that profits off illegal settlements in violation of human rights for Palestinians,” said Silver Spring resident Alison Glick, who has a Palestinian-American daughter. “Yes, it’s a long way away but there are business ethics to consider. What signal does it give to Montgomery County residents if we essentially allow them to operate in our community?”
My two cents: I have to say I think that it would be absolutely ridiculous, and a case of political correctness gone fanatically awry, to consider not allowing Airbnb hosts to list short term rentals in Maryland, because some Israelis are posting Airbnb listings in the WEst Bank in ISrael!! I mean, come on folks, it's insane!! To reduce all of the millions of short term rentals everywhere in the world, to the politics of a few listings in the WEst Bank, is an idiotic perspective. This would be like saying we should not have any gas stations in our city because all the oil companies engage in questionable politics and financial games. Or that we should prohibit the banking industry from setting up any banks in our city because we *know* how the big banks are!!
Is anyone calling for Airbnb to remove all Airbnb listings in Russia because, well, we know how Putin is and what he's done, in the Ukraine and Syria? ? Or remove Airbnb listings in nations that discriminate against gays (you'll find Airbnb listings in some nations which are not kind to gay and lesbian individuals, not to mention, women...)? What about removing AIrbnb listings in China because, well haven't you heard what China did in Tibet?
Sadly, there are many injustices around the entire world, and I think reasonable people will understand, that Airbnb is not responsible for all of them. So get off your soap box Saqib Ali and Alison Glick and others and please dont' try to blame or scapegoat Airbnb for any nation's politics or actions.