Couple charge under patriot act for kissing?

It seems that the patriot act can become very versatile, not only for fighting foreign terror but also for fighting couples in airplanes, kissing and getting to loving for everybody else comfort.

The couple was confronted because it seems that the man had his head into his girl lap and looked to intimate for the people around and the fight attendants.

He claimed that he was napping because he took a pill and got sleepy, but the confrontation was seen as an act of terrorism.

The Southwest airlines flight left from LAX and by the time it arrived in North Carolina, authorities were waiting for Carl and Dawn. They were arrested and charged under the Patriot Act and if convicted, now face up to 20 years in prison for what happened that day.

www.insideedition.com...

Well next time you get in an airplane and want to get to loving beware . . . because you could be charge under the patriot act with an act of terrorism.

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[edit on 22-11-2006 by DontTreadOnMe]

So....the attendants believe they were having sex and ask them to leave the plane. I would tell them to leave as well since its inappropriate. Misleading title Marg, kissing is not the same as having sex. I don't want to say this, I know that people have sex in the airplane bathroom. I should know.

Scary how just about anything you do could deam you a terroist under the Patriot Act. I dont care if they were getting groovy on a plane,i dont even care that they argued or threatened a flight attendant.Were they in the wrong?Yes.And should be arrested.And charged as if if happened in a McDonalds parking lot.The fact it happened on a plane,makes no difference.They should be charged with disordely conduct,jailed for a few days and fined,period.Nothing the did makes them to be a "terrorist", and shouldnt be punished under the Patriot Act.

This is just a case of fall in line or else examples being made of the American public.Makes you wonder you the Paatriot Act was made for.The "terroist" or us.

[edit on 22-11-2006 by Black_Fox]

Well they could no leave the airplane because it was on the air already. If you read the article is actually the confrontation what brought the charges.

Still is their word against the attendant.

Now, I find kind of weird that too many charges has been going around lately in air planes when it comes to people getting uncomfortable around others.

I guess that everything is coming to the point of my word against yours, but bringing the patriot act to for charges I find that extreme.

Is the patriot act been misused? and its that fair?

[edit on 22-11-2006 by marg6043]

A recent make-out session on a Southwest Airlines flight led to a confrontation with flight attendants, and ended with a couple being charged with interfering with flight attendants.

Maybe they were trying to fight their way through the attendants while having sex.


In anycase, if you are tackling or fighting or arguing, or whatever, chances are you will be charged under the Patriot Act. You can never be sure it was a diversion or something, they take it seriously.

I wonder how this couple would have been treated if there were no such thing as the patriot act?

Would they have been then charged under "FAA regulations"?

Suspicion of sexual activity, and not doing what a flight attendant asks you to do.
Probably same result.

Well the man was asked If he was having sex in the airplane he said that doing something like that is impossible in an airplane, specially in a seat, because that is where they supposedly was doing something, He had his head in his girl's lap.

Now that was seen by others and the fight attendant as to intimate for comfort.

So the confrontation came from him denying any wrong doing.

So again is like anything my word against yours, and too many people becoming to uncomfortable about others around specially in air planes.

This is another fine exemple how ppl all over the world are getting just crazy and irracional!, that things happen,,,but the world continue to spin...nobody cares for real, and nobody do absolute nothing about it.That's the problem, and that will be the cause of the end of the world, by our hands. pure madness
The government decretes, and all the "sheep" folow blindly..so....pray continue!

Marg,

I agree that this probably escalated more than it should have.
But I think this would have happened pre-patriot act too.

Flight attendants have no sense of humor when it comes to even a perception of unruliness. "not on MY plane"..

Originally posted by spacedoubt
I wonder how this couple would have been treated if there were no such thing as the patriot act?

Would they have been then charged under "FAA regulations"?

I will tell you this much . . . they will not have gotten the possibility of having to face up to 20 years in jail for no even been terrorist and Americans citizens to the fact.

What is next . . . strip them from their citizenship status and make them enemy combatants and keep them in jail indefinitely.

You know how ridiculous that sounds?

But guess what, they are charge for terrorist act and that is not a joke.

They were arrested and charged under the Patriot Act and if convicted, now face up to 20 years in prison for what happened that day.

This is one of those cases that we may have talk about since the patriot ac was enacted but dismissed, now see how things can get out of control.

[edit on 22-11-2006 by marg6043]

I recall reading recently that a gay married couple from Canada were prevented under the Patriot Act from doing a speaking tour of the United States, under the auspices that they were promoting a form of "cultural terrorism". I haven't been able to substantiate the claim however.

But none of this should come as a surprise - give the authorities a tool intended to combat a specific "public menace", and creative prosecutors will find ways to adapt it to all sorts of things. Look at the asset forfeiture laws, originally passed in the name of fighting the "War On Drugs" - now they are used for just about everything (but mainly revenue enhancement).

It's a sad fact, but any form of authority will typically attempt to accrue as much power to itself as possible.

[edit on 11/22/06 by xmotex]

Well things happen, but the problem with the patriot act is . . . that like everything our government take into law its open to loopholes.

The patriot act was for the reason of 9/11 and to help fight terrorism foreign terrorism, then it became for terrorism here in our own nation.

But only for terrorist.

Now you see how the boundaries of Terrorism can be stretched to about anything with the right push.

How far can this go and long we the people will let it get into about anything concerning our everyday lives.

People is aware of what is right or wrong.

But the kissing and been overly intimate deserve the posiblility of 20 years in prison?

Spacedoubt has nailed it. Would this have been an issue before the Patriot Act was enacted? Absolutely. Would the penalties have been the same? Can't say, but I know there are not too many other ways to get the attention of the authorities than to argue with a flight attendant or pilot.

People have to realize that air travel has changed forever because of 9/11. Don't blame the Patriot Act, blame al Qaeda.

Originally posted by jsobecky
Spacedoubt has nailed it. Would this have been an issue before the Patriot Act was enacted? Absolutely.

I agree, anytime that you get into a confrontation in an airplane will be deemed as dangerous.

But the confrontation came when somebody thought that the couple was having sex in their seats.

Well If I am accused of something that I am not guilty off, I will disagree with that person that is accusing me.

But be charged for defending myself that is when the problem starts.

Everything has to have a limit and right now is only one way.

Things has change since the 9/11, but we Americans are still the same, so I see too much power now a days in airplanes for my word against yours and usually the passengers is the loser.



[edit on 22-11-2006 by marg6043]

Originally posted by marg6043
Still is their word against the attendant.
[edit on 22-11-2006 by marg6043]

No it is them against the flight attendants and passengers.

A federal complaint says the couple was "embracing kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable." They were arrested because they allegedly threatened a flight attendant who told them to stop - something the couple denies.
Inside edition

The moral of the story is you do not fool with flight attendants you obey them

I wonder how this couple would have been treated if there were no such thing as the patriot act?

They'd probably be facing some kind of charges, but something a little more in keeping with the offense. Not a set of laws designed to be applied to murderous terrorists.

Should they be charged with "creating a public nuisance" or something similar?
Maybe - depending on what was actually be going on.

Should they be charged as "terrorists" and be facing 20 years in prison?
No, that's completely absurd.

Still is their word against the word of the attendants and the com paining passengers for too much kissing? that may look like sex.

But Patriot act charges?, I think they should be charged but bringing the patriot act is an over kill, and misused of the patriot act itself and the purpose of it.

Originally posted by shots

No it is them against the flight attendants and passengers.

A federal complaint says the couple was "embracing kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable." They were arrested because they allegedly threatened a flight attendant who told them to stop - something the couple denies.
Inside edition

The moral of the story is you do not fool with flight attendants you obey them

From the article you posted.

Southwest call themselves the 'Luv' airline but they and federal prosecutors claim Carl Persing and girlfriend Dawn Sewell went a lot further than just kissing.

Luv airline? Looks more like tough Luv to me. What a joke.

Administration say that terrorists are attacking American way of life. But looks like that Patriot Act is doing much better job.

The patriot act was never intended to attack terrorists, but more to attack citizens. You just see one of the multiples cases of this abuse and more abuses when the government take more and more control and being more and more opressive. Wake up.

And made other passengers uncomfortable could be almost anything depending on the passengers morals... if they are some nutjobs christians... anything a little ``wild`` could be view as uncomfortable... Hell, muslims were kicked out because they were only muslims and they prayed before boarding the plane!

[edit on 23-11-2006 by Vitchilo]

The whole thing is stupid. If they wanna join the Mile High Club, then go into one of the lavatory's. It's a tight fit, but it can be done.

They were told to stop more than once and they didn't. But terrorists? How can officials say that with a straight face?