Nine Muslims Kicked off Plane in DC
Friday, January 2, 2009
A family of 8 Muslims were kicked off there plane [AirTran] that was outbound from Washington, DC to Orlando, FL because passengers got frightened when the family was discussing which seats were the safest places to sit. The FBI cleared the family but AirTran still refused to let them fly on that plane.
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4 total comments, leave your comment or trackback.
I wonder if the same thing would have happened if the family was the typical White Anglo Saxon Protestant looking American. What is scarey about this issue is I have had conversations on a plane about the safest place to sit (over the wing, window seat, back etc) but then I don’t ‘look’ like a Muslim. I can understand the necessity of security after 9/11, but this went to far with the airline refusing to let the family board after the FBI went to bat for them and told the airline they were cleared.
As Americans, we are all directed to be observent and to talk to someone if we hear or see anything suspicious, but to take a whole conversation totally out of context is a bit much. That isn’t being observant, it is being a pain in the butt. I hope the people responsible for this was totally inconvienced by having to get off the plane to be re-evalutated, just as they had done to an innocent family. Maybe next time they will attempt to get a bit more information, perhaps by listening in and paying attention to the whole conversation rather than take snippets and pronounce people suspected terrorists simply because they don’t look like the typical American.
My first and only question is: How were they identified as “Muslim” ? I believe “Muslim” is a religion and unless they were wearing some outward sign (such as Christians wearing a cross or Jews wearing a yamulke) identifying them as such, then the accusations brought by paranoid passengers is wrong and a crime based on bigotry. Although we may have the right as individuals to bring into question any concern that may warrent investigation of incidents pertaining to personal safety and national security, we cannot do so irresponsibly. In this case, the question was raised and investigated. There is no reason, whatsoever, for that family to be refused a chance to take that flight. It would have been easier and less trouble for AirTran to offer the accusing individuals the chance to deplane and take another flight with some incentives thrown in for good measure. Now AirTran faces a lawsuit and (I hope) the irresponsible parties who brought such frivolous charges be made part of the lawsuit, also. As a side note, I remember taking a flight to Hartford from Orlando, and, as I was raised, I blessed myself with the sign of the cross. You wouldn’t believe the turmoil that that single action caused among other passengers. And that was long before 911
When people stop being paranoid and suspicious, planes will be blowing up everywhere. Let’s hope your family isn’t on the plane that security is neglected on!
This is definitely cultural discrimination. I’ve had the same conversation with friends of mine who work for airlines and with people sitting next to me on a plane. I wasn’t hauled off the plane and investigated. But then, I look like a caucuasion from America even though I’m mixed with Native American and God only knows what else…I am from the South after all. LOL!