Airbnb has banned Lauren Southern’s parents from their platform, claiming the couple is in violation of the platform’s rules for simply being “closely associated” with their daughter.
In a post on Twitter, Southern, a documentary film-maker, revealed that AirBnB had banned her parents, who were “planning a romantic getaway” using their platform. “They have never booked anything for me. They do not represent me in any way,” Southern said. “They aren’t publicly political in any way. How is this sane in any way?”
Southern herself was banned from the platform in August of 2019, for her “public affilation with certain groups,” which they did not specify. Due to her ban, Southern’s parents were then banned for being “closely associated with a person who isn’t allowed to use Airbnb.”
My parents are some of the sweetest people I know. They were just planning a romantic getaway, they aren't political activists. 🙁
All I've learned is that if governments and corporations can't shut you up by harming you, they'll now go for your families.
— Lauren Southern (@Lauren_Southern) February 7, 2023
“One of the few things that has kept me going in politics is the ability to speak my mind while protecting my family,” Southern said, noting that the “woke mob” are now upping the ante with cancellations, as “it won’t just be your own job, your own life and your own freedom but that of those you love” who would be targeted.
“Family members are now fair game it seems. Innocents being dragged into the battlefield. If you think you’re safe from this you’re not,” she added:
I’m lucky my family love and support me even if we disagree at times. Not everyone has that luxury. People saw during COVID, how powerful the weaponization of families against one another was. How afraid will people be to speak up when one cancellation becomes a generational cancellation? Your parents, siblings and children begging you to be silent for their own futures? It’s a new level of cruelty I hoped I would never live to see.”
Many conservatives were appalled at the action that Airbnb had taken against Southern’s parents, with Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire calling it “insane,” and Jordan Peterson noting that such actions may end up in “costly” results when the tide turns against being “woke.”
This is insane https://t.co/x3eqz6AF8d
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 7, 2023
Hey, there, woke corporations: when the tide turns, and it will, this sort of behaviour will prove costly @Airbnb https://t.co/B6INN3Doeb
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) February 8, 2023
Epstein and Maxwell’s families don’t receive this treatment. https://t.co/4nuOd2K4tu
— Salty Cracker (@SaltyCracker9) February 8, 2023
Gregg Re, a producer for Fox News host Tucker Carlson, noted that last year, Jay Carney, the former White House Press Secretary for Barack Obama, became Airbnb’s Global Head of Policy and Communications under CEO Brian Chesky. Chesky himself launched a scholarhsip together with the Obamas in 2022.
Last year, @BarackObama, @MichelleObama and I launched the Voyager Scholarship to help college students pursue careers in public service. Now, we are accepting applications for our second class. I hope you'll apply by March 22 https://t.co/OdU4pw7IDg https://t.co/8fBYaAG09E
— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) January 25, 2023
