Arabic-speaking student kicked off Southwest flight.

a reply to: TonyS

They actually just printed me and the lady tickets for the next flight at no charge. I think the way they handled it, quietly, respecting us and the other passenger was an excellent way to appease everyone and avoid a public / newsworthy situation.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

No, not a moron. Just taught to be scared. Remember, Islam is dangerous.

Truly sad, and an example of where we are, and where we're headed. Scared of our own shadows.

Inshallah, indeed.

originally posted by: HawkeyeNation

originally posted by: Psychonautics
Don't yell fire in a movie theatre?

Don't bring up the prophet on a plane?

I get what you are saying and I have to agree here.

The fact of the matter is everyone in the World right now is very vulnerable and very sensitive to anyone who may be from the middle east.

I'm not. And people complain about 'special snowflakes'.

originally posted by: HawkeyeNation
...
I can't say that what the woman did was right but I don't want to get to the point where we are blind to everything and we don't report. If you are in America those who speak a different language need to be the responsible one's.

"If you see something, say something!"

You can never be too yellow-bellied in this day and age, that's for sure! What we need is thinner skin, more cowardice, distrust and paranoia, and less reasonable thinking, respect and freedom.

The Land of the Besieged Mentality and the Home of the afraid! (cue total silence in place of applause)

Maybe I'm taking a more extreme than appropriate interpretation of your statement. I guess there's nothing wrong with reporting someone speaking in a language other than English, but the response to such reporting shouldn't be to remove the person from the flight. They should simply allow the paranoid person to switch flights until they are able to get on a flight without anyone who scares them on it.

originally posted by: Hazardous1408

I don't blame Islamophobia...

I blame a lack of education.


The woman who complained is a f#ing moron

I don't think a lack of education was the problem. I'd say she is getting plenty of negative education from the media outlets she consumes.

You can't expect someone to educate themselves with the truth if they live in an echo chamber of denial.

this happened in the U.S. ... im surprised and appalled.

this is uncharacteristic for the U.S.






/insert whatever

originally posted by: Hazardous1408

The woman who complained is a f#ing moron.

She's probably one of those women who won't go to a non-English speaking nail salon for fear of not knowing what's being said.

Oh yeah, those women definitely exist.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

Now I can't be bothered to look for the photo so look yourselves.
It reminded me of a lovely photo of young students at an English university, just regular students having a good time. Oh, who was that lovely young man at the back, smiling and having a good time with his English friends.
Oh yes it was a young Osama Bin Laden. I wonder what happened to him.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

Lack of education? Is Arabic even an elective in the public school system?
No . She panicked when she heard Allah ... that is islamophobia.

This is exactly what the terrorists want. They want everyone to panic and to be afraid. They want to alter our way of living to allow for their existence. They want us to be prisoners of fear.

originally posted by: sHuRuLuNi

originally posted by: Psychonautics
Don't yell fire in a movie theatre?

Don't bring up the prophet on a plane?

What?

He only said "Insha'All-llah" - i.e. "God willing".

may as well have been Allah akbah.

Some broad complains, you get kicked off a plane and interrogated by the FBI.

Place a phony phone call and you can have someone's home SWAT teamed.

I dont blame the individuals as much as I do law enforcement for going insane.


a reply to: Sillyolme

More than the so called terrorists, I would argue that its our own government along with the propaganda matrix (the media) which wants us scared.

Fear = control.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Sad but true. Arabic is not a common language. If the kid was saying God willing the way we sometimes do he could have sounded upset. It's not beyond the realm of possibility.
I'm not making excuses. I'm saying I understand how it could happen.

originally posted by: sHuRuLuNi

originally posted by: Psychonautics
Don't yell fire in a movie theatre?

Don't bring up the prophet on a plane?

What?

He only said "Insha'All-llah" - i.e. "God willing".

yeah....and....that's also what is said just before hitting the triggering device

originally posted by: HawkeyeNation

originally posted by: Nexttimemaybe

originally posted by: HawkeyeNation

originally posted by: Psychonautics
Don't yell fire in a movie theatre?

Don't bring up the prophet on a plane?

I get what you are saying and I have to agree here.

The fact of the matter is everyone in the World right now is very vulnerable and very sensitive to anyone who may be from the middle east. Nothing is going to change that until terrorists stop doing what they are doing plain and simple. How many times have we heard in the media about a terrorist action and with that them saying "Allah Akbar"? A lot...so it's unfortunately embedded in our brains anything with "Allah" is going to raise a concern.

I can't say that what the woman did was right but I don't want to get to the point where we are blind to everything and we don't report. If you are in America those who speak a different language need to be the responsible one's.

As long as you are also aware that this line of thinking makes YOU the problem, not the average Arabic speaking person.

Yes I am fully aware that it is my problem to get over however it's not that simple for a lot of Americans. It's the fear of unknown...most Americans can't understand Arabic so they don't know what is being said. Most know for sure what one word means and that is Allah. Some may call it ignorance but I just call it the reality we live in. I don't like it but it is what it is.

That was a very honest and intelligent response, thanks.

Unfortunately the media seems very divisive, sensationalist and directed.

It will likely take a lot of time to reverse.

Lots of little kids growing up hearing their parents paranoia. Scary stuff.

a reply to: dogstar23

Only some, not all.

Let's not fall prey to the same problem of thinking all of a group are one thing, eh?

a reply to: jimmyx

Is it? Are you sure about that? When was the last time we heard a recording from inside a blast that contained that phrase I wonder? Do any of us know what has, and has not been said just before a bomb is detonated? Can any of us show in any other way than anecdotally, that this is the exact phrase used?

More to the point, does being blonde, muscular, wearing black and speaking German make one a Nazi? If not, then speaking Arabic does not make one a terrorist. It makes one an Arabic speaker, and that is all. To assume anything else based on nothing at all, other than the circumstance of an Arabic speaking gentleman on a plane, speaking Arabic, is rather narrow and stupid. Given the number of Arabic speakers all over the world, it is inevitable that now and again, someone might just encounter one. Do you suppose the situation would have been differed if the person speaking Arabic was, in fact, a shiny shoed suit jockey, from some big wig oil firm? Would he have been thrown off the plane?

What utter nonsense. This reaction is exactly as stupid as being wary of Japanese speakers on the phone, in case the call is about a Yakuza hit, or being leery of big, White American fellows in case they have a pistol secreted about their person, and intend to shoot every person carrying a passport issued by any nation other than the US ,or being terrified of Buddhist monks, because you really, REALLY do not want to see a good man set himself on fire!

This is absolutely absurd!

Well, if Inshallah should be banned from being spoken on a plane, then.....JESUS HELP US ALL!

Moreover, if Allahu Akbar was being yelled on the plane, then I would be more concerned

originally posted by: Psychonautics
Don't yell fire in a movie theatre?

*****Don't bring up the prophet on a plane?*****

(Sadly, this post needs a disclaimer. No, I'm not advocating this, implying that, or following an agenda of some kind. Unfortunately some adults cannot interpret satire)

Where was it that he mentioned a prophet of any kind on that plane again? I must have missed it...