[Anonymous]

[SergeantMajor]

Quite a few outlets reporting how the Sultan of Brunei’s properties, which include my favourite hangout in LA, have been dropped by businesses and celebrities as a consequence of his support for harsh and repressive laws which call for punishments such as amputations and death by stoning for offences which include adultery and same-sex belly-rubbing.

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/beverly-hills-hotel-sultan-brunei-gays-women-1201171923/

The Dorchester Collection includes, unsurprisingly, The Dorchester in London and Le Maurice in Paris.

Richard Branson’s Virgin Group has also joined the boycott, though as is typical of his all-talk no action spin, the hotel can still be booked on his VHolidays website:

http://www.virginholidays.co.uk/destinations/usa/los-angeles/beverly-hills/the-beverly-hills-hotel-dorchester-collection

I’m not really one for boycotts; I’d rather rock up spend some money and let my displeasure be felt. Boycotts often disproportionately hit the lowest paid and those without political clout, so are rarely effective.

Possibly noble, but pointless in the scheme of things.

[SergentMajor]

Maybe people in crystal towers should refrain from throwing missiles?

http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/abolish-the-death-penalty

I am sure that your venting your displeasure on the staff at the Beverley Hills hotel really made their day and ruined the Sultan of Brunei’s, keep up the good work, old chap.

[SergeantMajor]

The heavy hitters are joining the fray – Ellen DeGeneres has now joined in.

[DavidGordon10]

I don’t see the point of referring to the AmnestyUSA website. I can’t find anything there that mentions the staff of the Beverley Hills hotel. Am I missing something in an obsure corner of the website?

[SergeantMajor]

There is no point in referencing the Amnesty website – please note that SergentMajor is an impostor mimicking my “handle” and not me.

[KarlMarx]

I can’t see anyone posting as SerjentMajor?

Sergent is the French word for Sergeant, with a root back to the latin servient (to serve.)

Sergeant is an Anglo Saxon corruption of the French.

SergeantMajor (the poster) seems to be lacking in social history, or he would realise that the term is completely inappropriate for someone who sees himself as a cut above others (per some digs in certain posts) and one will find very few sergeants in the Household Cavalry, only corporals, as the tradition is that they are servants to no-one.

SergentMajor is also the name of a kids apparel store chain.

Although not being the poster of the Amnesty site, the post seems to imply that a country that inflicts the death penalty (prohibited here in Europe) does not exactly hold the moral high ground when criticising others for ‘unacceptable’ activities.

[StephenLondon]

Karl,

Think a bit more towards SergeantMajor’s interest in aviation, do a little search on YouTube and voila:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ4qGdtPSog&list=PLr_jN0u7G0CWS8W4sxe52phES2moKR8gj

Nice BOAC advert!

[DavidGordon10]

Nice one Stephen!

[SergeantMajor]

Indeed, StephenLondon.

It would be interesting to learn which former handles KarlMarx has used.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/members/KarlMarx

KarlMarx is busy turning the Board back to the unpleasant, sniping horror story it was a few months ago. I had rather thought things were beginning to improve.

[DavidGordon10]

On the “former handles” question, SM, are you ready to confirm or deny that you were VK? Pots and kettles….

[CrazyCanuck]

I think Richard Branson and some other heavy hitters are missing the point….

I live here in the Middle East….all the Middle Eastern countries have Shariah law as the underlying legal framework with a smaettering of civil law thrown in.

All fo these countries actively use Shariah law and no one seems to bat an eyelid…..

Clearly some parts of the media are having a slow day….so this seems like a good story.

Utlimately it is for Brunei to decide how the rule themselves…..why must we jump in

[SergeantMajor]

I have never denied anything.

Would you like to ask KarlMarx the same question, DavidGordon10?

The unpleasant post-stalking, trolling and sniping from KarlMarx, primarily directed at me but also at other members, is unacceptable.

Very reminiscent of the TetedeCuvee/CallMeIshmael multihandles, and in particular the Henkel.Trocken handle (which may or may not have been the same person).

http://www.businesstraveller.com/members/Henkel.Trocken

http://www.businesstraveller.com/members/Tete_de_cuvee

http://www.businesstraveller.com/members/CallMeIshmael

[SergentMajor]

Calm down, dear, it’s only an entertainment site, don’t take it too seriously, you might give yourself a hernia.

[rferguson]

It’s always interesting for me (as a gay man) to see how certain nations of little ‘strategic’ value are always targeted for boycotts and what not.

What about Saudi Arabia?

Gay rights (or lack thereof) aside it seems to have one of the most oppressive human rights records in the world. And i’m sure they have many many billions of pounds invested in many services around the world like hotel chains and what not.

Yet it always seems, because they are the great friends of the US and have some strategic use in the Mid east that it escapes the wrath of the same stars in the USA and UK that are calling for boycotts of the Dorchester Collection.

Look at the Amnesty International reports of poor immigrant construction workers in Qatar basically being treated as modern day slaves. But again, Qatar is in the ‘in crowd’ so I doubt we will see a call for a boycott of their nations wealth funds various UK investments.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Saudi_Arabia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Qatar

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2113159/Qatar-bought-Britain-They-Shard-They-Olympic-Village-And-dont-care-Lamborghinis-clamped-shop-Harrods.html

Don’t get me wrong, i’m thrilled that countries that abuse the rights to people of a private life (like brunei) are being called to answer in the media. But what about the other ‘big (and rich) guys’ that have had these same kind of laws in place for pretty much ever??

[Author]

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