Charlie_Tuna
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- Sep 29, 2005
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6 Muslin Imams remove from US Airways Flight
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It's ironic that as an industry, and a nation for that matter, we asked the traveling public to be more observant and vigilent and report any suspicious behavior, and now that they do, we lash out with racism and stereotyping accusations. Had no action been taken, and something bad had gone down, everyone on this board would be saying "why weren't those people taken off the plane? Didn't anyone see how they were behaving before take-off?"
Suspicious behavior, in my opinion, is behavior that in and of itself may be harmless, but is out of place in a given context. Had these individuals used the airport's chapel or other private location to pray, there would be no problem. Many people simply aren't used to seeing people pray while waiting at the gate. Skimming magazines, listening to Ipods, playing video games, wrangling kids, looking bored, all of these are expected in the gate area.
As an airline employee, and a frequent traveler, I will take individual inconvenience over mass destruction any day of the week. It is sad that the actions of a few have such an impact on the many, but it is real.
Suspicious behavior, in my opinion, is behavior that in and of itself may be harmless, but is out of place in a given context. Had these individuals used the airport's chapel or other private location to pray, there would be no problem. Many people simply aren't used to seeing people pray while waiting at the gate. Skimming magazines, listening to Ipods, playing video games, wrangling kids, looking bored, all of these are expected in the gate area.
As an airline employee, and a frequent traveler, I will take individual inconvenience over mass destruction any day of the week. It is sad that the actions of a few have such an impact on the many, but it is real.
ClueByFour
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- Aug 20, 2002
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Then the terrorists win. Thanks for your contribution.
hp_fa
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- Feb 19, 2004
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No, the terrorists win if we ever allow them to cause the kind of public reaction we saw immediately after 9/11. Think any of these companies can weather another situation such as that?
Remain vigilent.
Charlie_Tuna
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- Sep 29, 2005
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Hello?? I take it you don't agree with
1. The way this problem (these Muslims) was handled
2. Any type profiling
3. And from you last response above the way TSA is set up.
Well Clue why don't you clue us in to what your answer would be to terrorism. I am sure you got it all figured out. How bout we just pretend it isn't there. Humm that might fix it.
Please enlighten us I am sure since you been the victom of profiling you got all the answers. Well lets hear them!!!
The Terrorists win ??? Whatever happened to good ole fashioned Common Sense..
Since we have Police Forces in this country, Does the Common Criminal "win"?? :unsure:
Or maybe we should disband the Police too.....
Given the hair-trigger sensitivity of the average American to anything remotely connected to terrorism, if there were another terrorist attack in this country, the economy would implode far worse than 9/11.
Instead of "be scared, remain vigilent", how about "grow a pair and get a grip"?
nycbusdriver
Veteran
I flew as a non-rev in uniform on an RJ on Monday evening from PHL to LGA. The flight was about 2/3 full, and there was a young man who appeared to be Muslim (from the white religious cap he wore) seated directly in front of me by himself. As we taxied out for the 30 minute wait for takeoff, he started singing the Koran at conversation volume. The cabin had been darkened for night flight.
Many things crossed my mind, one of which (sadly) was a concern that he was calling for the pearly gates to be opened. Having traveled to the Middle East, I settled into the assumption that it was time for his prayers, and so he was praying (singing.) In principle, I have no problem with that. I am impressed at the Muslim habit of praying 5 times a day. So impressed, I decided to set my watch to chime every hour to remind me to give thanks.
While I never felt physically threatened by this young man's singing (I'm sorry, my western ear finds it grating,) it was quite annoying to me and obviously others in earshot who were trying to read or sleep. What it boiled down to was this rather loud praying was equivalent to someone yakking on a cell phone very loudly. And for this reason it should have been quieted. Not stopped, but quieted.
I rode for about 12 hours from EWR to Dubai several years ago on Malaysian Air, and many were in the aisles praying, but I do not recall hearing them. I wonder what the reaction would have been if my went chime went off and I launched into a rip-roaring rendition of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" every hour? I imagine many would have been offended, and I likely would have been asked to stifle myself. Would it have been for the noise or the content?
And that's the rub!
Many things crossed my mind, one of which (sadly) was a concern that he was calling for the pearly gates to be opened. Having traveled to the Middle East, I settled into the assumption that it was time for his prayers, and so he was praying (singing.) In principle, I have no problem with that. I am impressed at the Muslim habit of praying 5 times a day. So impressed, I decided to set my watch to chime every hour to remind me to give thanks.
While I never felt physically threatened by this young man's singing (I'm sorry, my western ear finds it grating,) it was quite annoying to me and obviously others in earshot who were trying to read or sleep. What it boiled down to was this rather loud praying was equivalent to someone yakking on a cell phone very loudly. And for this reason it should have been quieted. Not stopped, but quieted.
I rode for about 12 hours from EWR to Dubai several years ago on Malaysian Air, and many were in the aisles praying, but I do not recall hearing them. I wonder what the reaction would have been if my went chime went off and I launched into a rip-roaring rendition of "Onward, Christian Soldiers" every hour? I imagine many would have been offended, and I likely would have been asked to stifle myself. Would it have been for the noise or the content?
And that's the rub!
ClueByFour
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- Aug 20, 2002
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The "anyone with dark skin is suspect" is the idiotic public reaction that followed 9/11.
Personal liberty of US citizens is more important than the financial survival of the airlines.
Is it reading that's an issue for you?
1. This problem was completely stupid on it's face (see the fact that one of them was blind and after a thorough interrogation by two federal law enforcement agencies and having their luggage tossed that nothing was found).
2. Profiling guys who are going way out of their way to appear muslim is stupid for any number of reasons (not the least of which being that it stands to reason--as the paranoid lemminglike responses in this thread indicate that airline personnel are too busy looking at the obvious and not considering the truly dangerous).
3. The TSA suffers from the same stupidity. Worrying about liquids, when it would basically take a chemistry set and full-fledged ice bath along with a hour or so in the lav and 5 gallons of liquid to actually down an airliner. Worrying about shoes when one can take enough plastique up one's backside to do three times enough damage. Putting every "Bob Johnson" in the country on a no-fly list and leaving off the truly bad guys (so the latter won't know they are on the list!).
But the lemmings all feel safer. And that's what it's all about.
PITbull
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- Dec 29, 2002
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PITbull
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- Dec 29, 2002
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I wouldn't call Dow Jones over 12,000 and " economic implosion".
700IAM
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- Aug 30, 2006
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Here is a soul who is J_U_S_T starting to wake up--- now if the other millions upon millions of sleeping oblivious Americas do the same maybe just maybe this country will have a future. Evil 6 million Good 1 hundred, so far.....
M&M Morality and Money...this will result in plenty of money for sure, but what does that buy you in hell?
PITbull
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- Dec 29, 2002
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A pass to a day spa, and a date with an angel? B)
Are you referring to the election?
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