<p>it seems to me that a lot of the mistrust or paranoia stems from the fact that Muslims, for the most part, seem to choose to remain silent and let the extremist do their talking. The default position of most Muslims “appears” to be passive acceptance of the more vocal radical Muslims. The religion “appears” to be very intolerant of US citizens who are not Muslims. Intolerant to the point of killing us. Where are the vast majority of Muslims standing up and marching in the streets on TV condemning this point of view. The Muslim people have created this environment, not the US citizen. I am sure that there are many very good Muslim people who would never harm anyone and would certainly object to any one doing so, but where are they in masses voicing their opinion.
Until we see Muslims stand up and take back their religion in the United States of America at least, we will see people who are scared of their Muslim beliefs to the point of being fearful for their life. These very Muslims are intimidated to the point of being scared for their own life due to the radicals in their religion. Why don’t the Muslims in this country who love this country wear a United States Flag “pin” on their wardrobe or something to try and assure citizens of this country where their allegiance lies. I would suggest to you that many are scared to even do that simple thing. If they are scared to do even that simple thing to identify themselves as supportive of the United States due to fear from the radicals, then surely we, as non Muslim US citizens, have a right to be scared of them as well.
The political correctness by some people is dangerous and weak. Why are we always blaming ourselves when logic and common sense clearly supports a healthy fear of radical Islam at best or the entire religion if the religion requires the rest of us to conform to Islam or die.</p>
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<p>I didn’t know that. How many times can a pilot do that a year or per week? On any ground?</p>
<p>In this particular case, a Muslim might not feel it’s justified, just a guess.</p>
<p>Smile12157-why should Muslims have to wear a pin to “prove allegiance?”</p>
<p>In that case, everyone should have to wear a pin</p>
<p>wow just like Jews had to sew stars ! and I don’t see church leaders separating themselves from the wackos, either.</p>
<p>It would appear this happens regularly and with other airlines:
Southwest: [Southwest</a> apologizes to Muslim woman kicked off flight | abc7.com](<a href=“http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=8017579]Southwest”>http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=8017579)
Airtran: [9</a> Muslim Passengers Removed From Jet - washingtonpost.com](<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/01/AR2009010101932.html]9”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/01/AR2009010101932.html)
Delta: [Family</a> in Muslim clothing ejected from flight at MEM - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee](<a href=“http://www.wmctv.com/story/13392236/family-in-muslim-clothing-ejected-from-flight-at-memphis-international?redirected=true]Family”>http://www.wmctv.com/story/13392236/family-in-muslim-clothing-ejected-from-flight-at-memphis-international?redirected=true)</p>
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<p>Wow. these ARE US citizens.</p>
<p>And yeah, the idea that some people need to “wear a flag” to prove their allegiance is bizarre. First of all, because why should any citizen need to prove it? Have we not moved beyond loyalty tests and oaths?</p>
<p>And secondly, what, for goodness sake, would it prove? Do flag pins have MAGIC powers? Do they light up and set off sirens if non-allegiant “citizens” wear them? Do you have to pass some kind of background check to get one?</p>
<p>I mean–really.</p>
<p>Ok first of all, why the hell should Muslims wear a pin just to show that they are not terrorist. That just doesn’t make any sense. As you know it, “Muslims”, come in all shapes and sizes and colors. And even if you were white and had a name like Mohamed, you would have a hard time in security. From this, I can accurately say that this prejudice is not from looks, but religion. What many Americans are ignorant about is the true message in Islam. The word terrorist automatically refers to someone Muslim. Americans (especially white middle class) are so stricken by the propaganda shown on television that they become clueless to what a terrorist really looks like. And this is a TRUE word of advise to you all that have fallen under this propaganda (you all agreeing with the pilots actions), terrorism can come from anyone. Matter fact, Osama bin ladin can actually use this prejudice as an advantage by striking a terrorist attack with someone who fits the opposite stereotypes of a terrorist.(using a Christian white male with a name like john) yes! I can say that something like that would be possible. Point is, anyone can be a terrorist and everyone should be on the watchlist and not only Muslims. the Pilot was ignorant in my eyes.</p>
<p>First, I think this thread needs to disappear, because it is not merely a discussion of the legal rights of airplane travelers. It has gone into the political realm.</p>
<p>Next, I think many here have jumped to conclusions without nearly enough of the particular facts as to what reasons the pilot actually used to base his decision on. The article at the beginning of the thread is brief and without any actual quotes of the pilot.
Yes, IF YOU ASSUME, that the article covers it all, that is one thing. I don’t know how you can assume that.</p>
<p>Lastly, airlines have been taking people of all skin colors and religions off flights for all types of “security” reasons since way before 9/11. I use quotes because many of the screened people were guilty of nothing more than being rude, nervous, loud and unpleasant. Many of you seem to have forgotten that.</p>
<p>The scene in the movie “Meet the Parents” where Ben Stiller must get off the plane because he wants his bag to stay with him and not be checked (and I think he may have said the words “no bomb” in the bag is not just Hollywood. This had happened pre 9/11. In fact the movie was released in 2000, quite a bit before 9/11. I know people who this happened to pre 9/11.</p>
<p>My elderly mother in law, who can not walk well was searched and she won’t fly any more. Recently there was an article of a man in a wheel chair who was denied boarding because the airlines felt that he would not be able to assist himself in the event of an evacuation. I have no clue whether that is in compliance with US law, but I can see why it would be a problem for the airlines. </p>
<p>I would not be so quick to condemn.</p>
<p>So your comparing a comedy movie to this incident… wow?
And about the guy in the wheel chair, he was simply unable to fly because of a fire hazard he would cause and probably was given another flight shortly but to be booted out of a plane because of your religion… and then give you no reason to why they are not allowing you in, and on top of that, to make you 9 hours late, yeah no where close.</p>
<p>Well, we know from the article that they were put on another flight eventually, so I think we can safely presume that no, they really were not a risk.</p>
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Yes. That was the point I was trying to make. It is wrong to assume that because someone is Muslim or appears to Middle Eastern, that they are terrorists. And it wrong and dangerous to assume that someone who appears to be white and Christian ISN’T a terrorist. Timothy McVeigh certainly didn’t look the part of the terrorist as many people visualize one.
If someone acts suspiciously, they should be given special attention, regardless of the color of their skin or their name. Otherwise, IMO, everyone should be screened with equal vigor, even old ladies and children (not everyone will agree with that but I think that terrorists will and can use the most unlikely vehicles to carry out their plots.)</p>
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This may be what the pilot thought (unless he was ignorant and racist). Retraining may be necessary to change the perception and response.</p>
<p>I like asking other passengers if they want to deplane if they’re uncomfortable. :)</p>
<p>I don’t hear any politics, conservative vs. liberal, Democrat vs. Republican, being discussed here.</p>
<p>Delta is an international airline. Surely the pilot knows he is regularly flying people who are Muslim around but he cannot tell by how they are dressed? </p>
<p>From what I’ve read, I think the pilot was out of line.</p>
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<p>The pilot was flying for a regional subcontractor, not mainline Delta. While inexcusable, ignorance and prejudice in this matter is not as surprising as it would be from a pilot of mainline Delta (especially the ex-Northwest part based in Detroit) or a pilot of a regional subcontractor shuttling people to and from Detroit. People in the Detroit area are probably used to seeing things like [url=<a href=“http://www.icofa.com/index.4.jpg]this[/url”>http://www.icofa.com/index.4.jpg]this[/url</a>].</p>
![http://www.icofa.com/index.4.jpg]this[/url](http://www.icofa.com/index.4.jpg%5Dthis%5B/url){kind=link}
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This is the failure of the United States.</p>
<p>There was a “war on terror.” They, the terrorists, won; we lost. Yes, we may be killing them at a slightly higher rate than they are killing us, but that’s not what this is about. We handed them their victory when we abandoned our principals, forsook our liberties, and alienated human rights, all because we were scared.</p>
<p>Many airlines leave the final decision as to who is allowed on a plane to the pilot. He does not have to have a reason for not wanting to have any given passenger on a plane. There are safety reasons for that, as the pilot has his back to the passengers and has to focus on the flight. </p>
<p>What exactly happened is not likely to be known. There is a fear of anyone Muslim these days, and it does lead to a lot of discrimination of those identified as being such. History has shown this to happen with any group of people who get identified with danger. </p>
<p>There was a time when you couldn’t greet a friend at the airport saying “Hi, Jack” and make a flight regardless of how you looked, so sensitive the airlines were of those two syllables. We got pulled from a flight because an aluminum letter L in my son’s suitcase. Came up on the screen looking like something else. My 80 year old mother got the nth degree carrying 40 bags of green tea for us in her suitcase. There are any number of things that can get one pulled from a flight or searched to the inch. </p>
<p>It’s not just here in the US either. I’ve flown out of both Frankfurt, Germany and Hanada Airport in Japan, and anyone looking the slightest bit suspicious is in for a tough time. Israel, forget it. Not justifying discrimination, but I have no solutions about this sort of thing.</p>
<p>Well, here we go:</p>
<p>[Flight</a> diverted over security threat - CNN.com](<a href=“Flights diverted over security threats - CNN.com”>Flights diverted over security threats - CNN.com)</p>
<p>CNN reports that a suspicious note was found in a lavatory. A person is being questionned as we speak.</p>
<p>Why is that “here we go”? Stuff like that note happens occasionally (seems like every few months, anyway)… not sure what it has to do with this particular incident on this particular flight.</p>
<p>**Ok first of all, why the hell should Muslims wear a pin just to show that they are not terrorist. **</p>
<p>my point is that Muslims seem to fly under the radar when it comes to patriotism. I certainly am not saying that Muslims should or should not wear anything. I am saying that I believe that many Muslims are “afraid to wear a USA pin, T-Shirt or any other indicator” that they support the USA rather than the extremist Islamic groups. Where are the Muslim organizations condemning radical Islam??? I believe that most Muslims in the USA are against radical Islam, but are to scared to come front and center and say so. If the Muslim citizens of this country are to scared to stand up and denounce radical Islam, then why can’t they understand why others may be scared too. The people taken off the airplane pretty much said as much. The Muslim citizens taken off the plane said something along the lines of “we understand why others may be apprehensive in this environment”.</p>
<p>People, please think back to your high school civics classes. Much of the stuff posted here is antithetical to our country’s laws. Remember that Reagan (!) appealed to “the better angels of our nature.” We need to be better than those who wish to destroy us, or we will destroy ourselves.</p>