Airline gives passenger seat to Rep. Lee; she blames anger of passenger on racism

Let's say you have a first class ticket on an airplane.

You are about to board and you see someone get taken to the front of the line.

When you go to board, you find out that person taken to the front is given your seat, and you no longer have one.

You then find out that that person is a member of Congress.

How would you feel?

I would be angry at the airline, and mad that the politician for the seat probably because their position gave them an influence and power that gave them that seat.

Now if I was that politican, even if the incident wasn't my fault, I would understand the perception that my job and position of authority is what led to the airline giving me that seat.

That's it.

Now I read this story and just breezed theougj and felt bad for the woman that lost her seat, but didn't pay much more attention to it.

Then I read more about it today.

It turns out that the politician who got the seat was Shelia Jackson lee, and she KNOWS why the woman that lost her seat made a big deal out of it.

Because Lee is black. Yep, you got it

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who was accused by a United Airlines passenger of bumping her from a first-class seat, said in a Twitter screed on Tuesday that she believes the incident is all about race.

“Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice,” the Texas Democrat wrote in a post. “This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people.”

“But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry,” Jackson Lee continued. “But as an African American, I know there are too many examples like this all over the nation.”

nypost.com...

It couldn't be the woman was angry to lose her seat, and was angry it was to a political. Nope, it's because Lee and the flight attendant are black.

This isn't some hack website making these claims.

This is a member of Congress.

She is so hyper racialized that even this situation where she got a seat that another was kicked out for, even then she is a victim of racism.

Truly a disgusting delusional person.

a reply to: Grambler

I post over on one of the frequent flyer forums and the story that's popping up there again is back before the United/Continental merger when she flew on Continental out of Houston she became so onerous that the Continental VP gave her a Delta schedule and told her to fly them.

a reply to: Grambler

Agreed, nothing to do with race. It does have everything to do with abuse of privilege though, IMO. Congress should have to follow the same societal rules that the rest of us follow. Being an elected politician is being a servant of the people. And bumping someone off of a holiday flight...well, that's just wrong, no matter who it is that is doing it.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Grambler

I post over on one of the frequent flyer forums and the story that's popping up there again is back before the United/Continental merger when she flew on Continental out of Houston she became so onerous that the Continental VP gave a her a Delta schedule and told her to fly them.

Sounds about right.

All she has to say here was "I am sorry that lady lost her seat, but I really had nothing to do with it"

But instead, she has to make herself the victim.

So I would not be surprised based on these comments to find she has been trouble for airlines in the past.

originally posted by: Grambler
All she has to say here was "I am sorry that lady lost her seat, but I really had nothing to do with it"
.

To that point, United still hasn't determined what happened, if the woman in question cancelled her own itinerary by accident or that a United employee went in and cancelled it proactively. They did give her a seat on the flight in E+ and a $500 ETC which seems odd to do if someone cancelled their own ITN, but I will withhold judgement.

So I would not be surprised based on these comments to find she has been trouble for airlines in the past.

There was an actual quote from the Houston Press on the forum. I'll see if I can find it.

If I were the first class passenger and I got bumped, and a black, congresswoman got my first class seat? I would be pissed off to the nines. Not because it was a woman,or a black, or a congressman,. But because it's sh!tty thing to do me after I played by the rules and paid in advance for my seat. I used to travel a lot on business, this sort of thing happens every day. Thank god I don't have to fly much anymore. The airline industry is circling the drain.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yes Lee may be totally innocent in this.

But anyone should realize that if you end up in a seat that someone else thought they jad, that person will proobably be a little mad.

I would have cast no blame at all on Lee unless it comes up she actively worked with the airline to kick someone out.

But she had to make herself the victim here, which shows a lot of her personality I feel.

a reply to: Grambler

Since this was not any fault of mine

Huh? Like the airline just plucked he name out if thin air for that persons bought and paid for First Class seat?

I've heard Sheila Jackson Lee before..... a quiet unassuming person, she is NOT!

We all know how this played out:

"Do you know who I AM!" , "Get me your supervisor! "

Got I hope there is video of the whole thing.....

a reply to: Grambler

i would have been super pissed and skin color would not have been a reason why or even a thought quite frankly.

originally posted by: Grambler
Yes Lee may be totally innocent in this.

But anyone should realize that if you end up in a seat that someone else thought they jad, that person will proobably be a little mad.

From what I am reading she does have pretty high status and that can often get you an upgrade into first. The issue was how did Ms. Simon lose her seat?
Was it from pressure from the Lee's people or did she accidentally cancel it herself? That will really be the major point once it comes out.

But she had to make herself the victim here, which shows a lot of her personality I feel.

In early March, Burruss got a phone call from Rebecca Cox, a Continental Airlines governmental affairs vice president at the airline's Washington office. According to Burruss, Cox bluntly declared, "We have been dealing with the congresswoman for three years now, and we are tired of her bad behavior. Something has got to happen." Not the first time she has exhibited poor behavior on an aircraft.

a reply to: pavil

Look how Shelia Jackson Lee cares for her Consituents, she loves them

originally posted by: Grambler

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Grambler

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who was accused by a United Airlines passenger of bumping her from a first-class seat, said in a Twitter screed on Tuesday that she believes the incident is all about race.

She would like to make it about race, not special political favoritism, just like you are doing carrying that racist torch for her here.

But I'm used to that from you.

I will not be baited by your personal attacks here.

Have a great holiday season!

She was a bumped because of political favoritism, not race. Quoted from your own OP...

It turns out that the politician who got the seat was Shelia Jackson lee, and she KNOWS why the woman that lost her seat made a big deal out of it.

Because Lee is black. Yep, you got it

I didn't 'got that', you did.

Yeah, right away it's the race card. What a f'ing loser.

a reply to: pavil

We all know how this played out:

"Do you know who I AM!" , "Get me your supervisor! "

Got I hope there is video of the whole thing.....

Political favoritism. Then the good senator cries racism! to cover it up.

"I was privileged enough to be given a first-class seat, but not white enough to argue why I'm entitled to it."

Rats, we almost had a winner.

originally posted by: intrptr

originally posted by: Grambler

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Grambler

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who was accused by a United Airlines passenger of bumping her from a first-class seat, said in a Twitter screed on Tuesday that she believes the incident is all about race.

She would like to make it about race, not special political favoritism, just like you are doing carrying that racist torch for her here.

But I'm used to that from you.

I will not be baited by your personal attacks here.

Have a great holiday season!

She was a bumped because of political favoritism, not race. Quoted from your own OP...

It turns out that the politician who got the seat was Shelia Jackson lee, and she KNOWS why the woman that lost her seat made a big deal out of it.

Because Lee is black. Yep, you got it

I didn't 'got that', you did.

SJL made it about race though! Instead of just apologizing like she started out doing SHE made it about race when she realized she had an opportunity to call someone a racist.

If it was a white male who got dumped, oh Jesus above, the tick sheet would be hit the moon with buzzwords..


Personally I see little reason why she could not sit in economy like the rest of the great unwashed... I know heads of state that fly with the punters even though they are advised not to..



This is taken from the passengers twitter

twitter.com...

Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in seat 1A the one I paid for dearly, and the one United gave to her without my consent or knowledge! Fellow congressman on same flight said she does it repeatedly. @united 12:37 PM - Dec 23, 2017

According to Simon, Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) was given the seat by United without informing Simon at all. What’s more, according to Simon, this first-class seat stealing is something Lee does often.




Other people on the flight claim they have witnessed the congresswoman carry out similar behavior at least three times before.

‘I’ve seen Lee and IAH cutting in line and rudely taking advantage of her status before. United knows she will play the race card if she isn’t treated like royalty so they just give in. They don’t care about a hard working teacher vs a privileged idiot,’ one person tweeted.

Lee released this statement,

Lee released a statement about the incident, saying that she asked for nothing “exceptional” or “out of the ordinary,” and as was warned by the former witness, Lee said all of this outraged was caused because she was a black woman.

If that is the case and then we have a hate crime with copious amounts of witnesses, I wonder if charges where filed?, where the Police called on to deal with the hate crime??...


RA