usmarine2007
Banned
+374|6795|Columbus, Ohio
"Some passengers also said that the men spoke of Saddam Hussein and cursed the United States; that they requested seat belt extenders with heavy buckles and stowed them under their seats"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17874497/

I wonder why anyone would be suspicious.
Bubbalo
The Lizzard
+541|6990
Yet it would appear that only some passengers made these claims, suggesting that they may have been making it up, and that the security sweeps found nothing suggests they should be allowed on.

Having said that, the passengers shouldn't be punished for reporting what they felt was suspicious behaviour.  The airline, however, should be punished if they were inappropriately removed from the flight.
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6957|Global Command
The men were acting erratic.

They should be banned from commercial flights, forever.
Bubbalo
The Lizzard
+541|6990
Ah, there's the ATG we all know and love.
TrollmeaT
Aspiring Objectivist
+492|7101|Colorado
Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
Bubbalo
The Lizzard
+541|6990
Not if they've paid for a service, and they certainly shouldn't be able to refuse service to anyone they please.

Further, I fail to see how we can judge their decision.  All we know for certain is that they prayed beforehand, which certainly isn't grounds for refusing them.  If they took other unsettling action, then perhaps the airline did.
aardfrith
Δ > x > ¥
+145|7221
If you and your mates/colleagues buy airline tickets but you're a bit late and can't all sit together, are you going to avoid each other in the flight lounge and prior to boarding?  No, you're going to want to talk.

What's the primary topic in the US?  The War on Terror, the war in Iraq?  I bet criticism of Bush and mentioning Saddam would come up occasionally.  Heck, I think I've even seen Americans on here criticising Bush and praising Saddam for not allowing terrorists to run rife in Iraq before the war.

IMO the law suits against the airline and the airport are justified.  Not certain about the lawsuit "potentially against the passengers" though.
JahManRed
wank
+646|7056|IRELAND

ATG wrote:

The men were acting erratic.

They should be banned from commercial flights, forever.
Rubbish,................one over weight Racists perception of what is 'suspicious' is normality to most people.

Racist mob rule, ATG, your always quick to jump to conclusions based on religious bigotry............disgusting and is the very reason thousands of young Muslims are running into the arms of extremists.




TrollmeaT wrote:

Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
When its based on the colour of someones skin, their dress and religious beliefs it is thankfully illegal. I have done quite allot of flying and I have seen people do some crazy shit without anyone pointing the figure....... they were all white right enough.
Braddock
Agitator
+916|6719|Éire
That's funny because on a recent flight to England I was talking quite openly with my brother about Iraq, how the US conduct themselves on the world stage, Saddam Hussein, the Taliban and Islamic fundamentalism and nobody asked me to leave the plane, but then I suppose I happen to be white.

Why didn't these Muslims speak in Arabic, or whatever their native tongue was, to discuss their 'subversive' ideas? ...I somehow don't think the Bernard Manning lookalike (he's a famous racist English stand up comedian btw) in the link is fluent in middle Eastern dialects.
JahManRed
wank
+646|7056|IRELAND

Braddock wrote:

Why didn't these Muslims speak in Arabic, or whatever their native tongue was, to discuss their 'subversive' ideas?
Because they would have been accused of discussing how to blow up the plane armed with a plastic forks in Arabic and probably thought that by using English they being transparent.

Tell you what the airline company should have done............removed the Family Guy look alike people from the plane who had 'issues' with the Innocent passengers, even if it was 99% of them.
UGADawgs
Member
+13|6749|South Carolina, US
I don't think the passengers themselves should be sued, but the airline should. I'm not necessarily against passengers reporting suspicious behavior; I just want them to be smart when they do it. Regardless, even if passengers are just reporting any Arab guy, the airlines should have more responsibility to make sure that the Arab guy reported has done nothing more than speak Arabic.
PureFodder
Member
+225|6714
I was in America in a massive winding queue at an airport talking about how stupid it is to pack people into such a tight mob before they go through the security. Stuff blowing up the plane, blow up the queue, there's more people there.

Nobody cared.
Hurricane
Banned
+1,153|7059|Washington, DC

I don't see why people are so fucking surprised. Who were the guys who hijacked the planes on 9/11? Muslims. Are all muslims terrorists? No. Are all terrorists muslims? No. Have we had it instilled into our minds that the stereotypical terrorist dresses in a white robe and prays madly before boarding a flight he's going to destroy? Yes.

When I was coming back from France last year, in early August, the entire Boeing 737 or whatever it was must've been drenched in nervous sweat. You see, this was just a few days after the guys at Scotland Yard foiled the terrorist plot to destroy all those planes mid-air. I was sitting at the gate waiting for it to open, and there were like 8 muslims there. In robes. Praying. Nervous-looking. I don't know who were more nervous: the other passengers or these guys. I admit I was pretty damned nervous about it, although I reassured myself that if they can't get into the cockpit and can't bring liquids, they can't really do anything. And, it's a French airline.

So we land at Dulles, not a single scratch. It was bloody hot and humid, as summers always are in DC. Anyways we get through customs, we get through the luggage carousels, and we're at the exits to take a cab back home. As I'm dragging my suitcase, I see some guys from the State Department holding up fancy signs with arabic-sounding names on them. Well I'll be darned, most of those muslims were on the flight because they were on some sort of exchange program. I felt really bad then, being suspicious about them only to find out they were students.
JahManRed
wank
+646|7056|IRELAND

Hurricane wrote:

I don't see why people are so fucking surprised.
Sadly I'm not.
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6833|North Carolina

TrollmeaT wrote:

Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
Badaboom badabing...  100% agreed...
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6833|North Carolina

Bubbalo wrote:

Not if they've paid for a service, and they certainly shouldn't be able to refuse service to anyone they please.

Further, I fail to see how we can judge their decision.  All we know for certain is that they prayed beforehand, which certainly isn't grounds for refusing them.  If they took other unsettling action, then perhaps the airline did.
If the airline gives them a refund, then most of the issue is resolved.  It's very hard to sue a company that refunds you for refusing you service.
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6833|North Carolina

JahManRed wrote:

TrollmeaT wrote:

Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
When its based on the colour of someones skin, their dress and religious beliefs it is thankfully illegal. I have done quite allot of flying and I have seen people do some crazy shit without anyone pointing the figure....... they were all white right enough.
Not necessarily...  First, you have to prove it was racism.  The company can defend itself by stating that it had to do with their erratic behavior, not their race.
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|7186|Argentina
They should sue the Airline, not the passengers.  If I'm about to take a flight and I see six Imams talking about Saddam and against US, I dont't think I would take it.  Yes, Islamophobia got me too.  Most Musllims aren't extremists, but what if those are?  Boom and down.
usmarine2007
Banned
+374|6795|Columbus, Ohio

sergeriver wrote:

They should sue the Airline, not the passengers.  If I'm about to take a flight and I see six Imams talking about Saddam and against US, I dont't think I would take it.  Yes, Islamophobia got me too.  Most Musllims aren't extremists, but what if those are?  Boom and down.
Wow.  I am suprised...or not suprised m3troll, bubbles, or somebody elese did not jump on you for that.  If I would have said that................................. ATTACK!!!
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6957|Global Command

usmarine2007 wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

They should sue the Airline, not the passengers.  If I'm about to take a flight and I see six Imams talking about Saddam and against US, I dont't think I would take it.  Yes, Islamophobia got me too.  Most Musllims aren't extremists, but what if those are?  Boom and down.
Wow.  I am suprised...or not suprised m3troll, bubbles, or somebody elese did not jump on you for that.  If I would have said that................................. ATTACK!!!
QFT
deeznutz1245
Connecticut: our chimps are stealin yo' faces.
+483|6921|Connecticut
Well, middle eastern men do kind of have this thing with airplanes and making them blow up. Can anyone deny that?
Malloy must go
Ryan
Member
+1,230|7271|Alberta, Canada

ATG wrote:

The men were acting erratic.

They should be banned from commercial flights, forever.
All Muslim people? They would nuke us for sure.
jonsimon
Member
+224|6924

TrollmeaT wrote:

Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
Price discrimination is illegal. So, no, they can't refuse business to anyone.
ATG
Banned
+5,233|6957|Global Command

Ryan wrote:

ATG wrote:

The men were acting erratic.

They should be banned from commercial flights, forever.
All Muslim people? They would nuke us for sure.
No, the ones in trouble.
TrollmeaT
Aspiring Objectivist
+492|7101|Colorado

jonsimon wrote:

TrollmeaT wrote:

Last time I checked any business can refuse service to anyone it pleases. They made the right call.
Price discrimination is illegal. So, no, they can't refuse business to anyone.
Where does price discrimination come into play? Maybe they will be more careful next time not to open their mouths while in an airport.

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