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But it was a false alarm! According to Reuters, a crew on a United flight from Los Angeles to JFK Airport (with Cairo as the final destination) was suspicious of two Middle Eastern men because "one of the men got up to use the plane's restroom just before take-off, ignoring orders from the flight crew to remain in his seat."
Some more details: A passenger said that "A fellow passenger jumped out of his seat, said he had to go to the bathroom, and then went inside the lavatory, even though the flight attendant told him that everyone needed to remain in their seats for takeoff. About 30 seconds later, the man returned to his seat without closing the bathroom door." Authorities removed them from the flight, questioned them (they were cooperative) and then decided they weren't threats. Still, passengers and their luggage had to be screened again while the two men were allowed to get another flight. Lesson: Obey the flight crew!
For a little levity, here's part of Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay:
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It's just like black folks driving, we wouldn't have this racial profiling problem if they would just follow every rule exactly...
You saucy bastard.
Bless you.
Another lesson: some people are scared sheep. They should stop being so scared.
Great use of Kumar.
"Heh, heh, heh. Wooooooooooo-KBOOSH!"
Great use of Kumar.
"Heh, heh, heh. Wooooooooooo-KBOOSH!"
Grrr, sorry for the DP.
Sounds like a reasonable precaution. We need to watch out espeically with the recent arrest of the muslim bomb maker.
You sound like George Bush. Let's be suspicious of every single Arab looking person. Let's wire tap. It's ok to racially profile Arabs because, well, they're not white.
Sorry, but you're a racist if you take that perspective. And just like Bush, you use US Security as an excuse to justify racism.
In case you haven't noticed, Bush isn't president any more.
And now that I look at your username, I realize I've been successfully trolled. Strong work, sir.
You think I don't know Bush isn't president anymore? I'm just saying, you SOUND like him. And no, this is not a troll. Just because I side with civil rights doesn't make me a troll.
It would be an incredible waste of time, money, and resources not to profile who are acting suspicious.
They were not removed from the plane because they're Arab. They were removed because one of them did not follow the rules, and was Arab.Please put your personal feelings aside and absorb the facts.
well said.
"It would be an incredible waste of time, money, and resources not to profile who are acting suspicious."
You think going to the bathroom is suspicious activity? Would a White person going to the bathroom be considered suspicious?
"They were not removed from the plane because they're Arab. They were removed because one of them did not follow the rules, and was Arab."
You're admitting that the Arab man was removed from the plane in part because he was an Arab. You think my comments are based on feelings rather than fact, but you admit his race was a factor? You just admitted that it's OK to reprimand Arabs because of racial prejudice. Sorry, but your perspective is not one which upholds the basics of civil rights if you believe this action is justified.
"one of the men got up to use the plane's restroom just before take-off, ignoring orders from the flight crew to remain in his seat."
Mr. Farleft,
He got up when he wasn't supposed to. They were ready for takeoff and he was instructed to NOT get up until cruising altitude.
THATS WHY he was detained. He didnt follow the regulations. White guy or not, his behavior was suspicious.
Look, I've been on many flights and I see white people getting up when they're not supposed to. And you know what happens? They get asked to sit back down. End of story. If it's an Arab, they get removed from the plane and questioned as if they're terrorists. I really would not care one bit if there is a policy to remove ALL people to do not follow directions. That's equality. But when one race is subject to greater punishment for the same violation, there's injustice at work...and yes, it is racism at play.
You never know - maybe he was going to the bathroom to assemble the parts to his explosive vest. You know, like you see in the movies?
Ok, I see. Arabs don't pee in the bathroom. They only make bombs there.
Arabs sometimes have explosive diarrhea, but that's not a crime either.
No no, don't use logic when addressing farleft.
He's blinded by social injustice and is too jaded to open his fucking eyes.
You're calling civil rights illogical. Brilliant.
Typical.
if they stopped white guys when they went into government buildings on the grounds that timothy mcveigh was white, then you might be able to argue that it is ok to only take arab folks off a plane when they get up to go to the bathroom at an inappropriate time. however, they don't. and lots of people use the restroom on the plane when they aren't supposed to because they really have to fucking go to the bathroom. i've done it myself, but i'm a white lady.
Where are you going with this?
was it a female flight attendant? that would explain why they no listen to instructions.
Now THIS will get you a full cavity search:
http://www.thecleverest.com/countdown.swf
United Airlines doesn't fly to Cairo. This was actually an Egyptair flight, with a United codeshare agreement.
It was a United flight. The men who were removed were connecting to an Egyptair flight at JFK, which United has a codeshare on. :)
using the can to take a wizz is always suspicious except if your a white guy.
but we can assume that a flight to cairo probably isnt full of them.
airplane paranoia is crazy.
people have been thrown off flights for wearing transformers shirt and another guy got the boot for arabic writing.
I'm a big fan of personal responsibility and awareness of your surroundings. Being appropriate per the situation is something that these slobs who get removed from airplanes don't understand.
While boarding don't say trigger words that sounds suspicious like bomb, or say "Hi, Jack!"
While aboard don't say "this salmon has an explosion of flavor" or "this chicken is the bomb".
Yes I understand that you crave the freedom to say and do whatever you want, where ever you feel. Why do people think that the 51st state is Entitlement?
LOL...I now want to describe whatever my next airplane meal is as "the bomb."
""Authorities removed them from the flight, questioned them (they were cooperative) and then decided they weren't threats.""
I guess they actually turned out to be Israeli's then? Just like Sivan Kurzberg and his friends.
it's not racial profiling, it's criminal profiling. if arabs would stop blowing themselves up in the name of allah, and leave us alone then we'll be happy to leave them alone too.
Actually, what you wrote would be considered racial profiling.
" if arabs would stop blowing themselves up in the name of allah, and leave us alone then we'll be happy to leave them alone too"
Your government funded Islamic fundamentalists decades ago, and still funds (and support) Arab regimes that violate the human rights of their citizens. The USA gives them arms. They support their wars. And now you want to point the blame on all Arabs, including innocent ones with US citizenship?
In case you haven't read the news lately, White people commit violent, horrible crimes as well. In fact, if you pay any attention, you will notice more White crime than Arab crime being reported. Statistically, there is more violent White crime in the US than there is Arab crime. So, if you truly support a racist policy, them maybe you should redirect your energies in support of one which targets White people instead.
What really makes me laugh is that no one in these comments really gets it. The problem with racial profiling is that it doesn't work very well. It's radical Islam that causes people to blow themselves up, not the color of their skin. Not all Arabs are Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs. Not to mention a lot of people can't seem to tell the difference between middle easterners and people from the Indian subcontinent. You don't think terrorists know not to dress/act suspiciously when they're getting on a plane? Please. Most Arabs could shave and dress in a suit and no one would look twice at them. This crap is just another pathetic attempt to make us feel "safe" with measures that don't really help prevent more attacks.
You're talking about why it doesn't work, which I agree with.
Others are talking about why it shouldn't happen, even if it did work.
Good points nicemarmot and farleft.
how come no one replied to comment (1)?
I agree. I try my best to be saucy and still nothing from you people.
you guys dont get it.
Racial Profiling WORKS.
when Tim McVeigh blew up the fedeal bldg in Oklahomo City,
tons of white people were looked at with suspicion, pulled over, arrested, prevented from getting on planes,
pulled out of classrooms, strip searched, sent to prisons with no charges as enemy combatants, dont you remember that they also corralled all the white people on reservations just like they did to the japanese in WWII.
Ive personally refused to get into cabs driven by white people, you never know which one is a terrorist.
Ive also refused to shop at white owned stores, who knows maybe that untaxed pack of marlboros could be used to support terrorism.
Because of Tim McVeigh, I almost had a heart attack on a plane, i was surrounded by white people, everytime they spoke their language amongst themselves, changed seats and went to the can I thought my life was over right there.
Couldnt we have separate airlines for these folks. That way, they'd be blowing up their own kind...or not.
We already do. It's called United Airlines.
this whole world needs to just smoke some weed and chill the fuck out.
careful - that kind of sentiment will get you in hot water with some people.
to hell wit em.
infidel.
Thats PROUD infidel!
Muck FIslam!
You really should be banned from Gothamist with this type of post.
..."You really should be banned from Gothamist with this type of post."
how do you have "farleft" as a username and criticize someone for exercising their 1st amendment?
or are you "far right" in disguise?
lighten up or light one up.
More than a few times when flying I've seen someone do exactly what this guy did: the "remain seated" announcement is given, but someone gets up to go to the restroom. A flight attendant tells them to remain seated; they pretend not to hear and continue on their way.
I'm sure I've seen it happen at least three times. They each exited and returned to to their seats without incident. But those were all middle-aged white people. I clearly remember one 50-ish woman doing it, and the others were typical airline passenger businessmen in suites.
So be a hero to us all, tackle them!
911 was an inside job folks!
Reno 911?
what is this a bing commercial?
Bing cherries? The Bada Bing?
Bing Crosby. Bling blingin'. Blink 182. Ay, Blinkin. Abe Lincoln?
"Bing, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to go fuck your mother!" —Tommy, Goodfellas
Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.
I'm a white guy and have at least once gotten up while in line for takeoff. Even though we were #26 on a Friday night, the flight attendants said they'd tell the pilot to stop the plane if I got up. I was at the point where my bladder was going to explode, so I finally just did it and they let it go.
Perhaps it was because I made the biggest stink for 20 minutes before acting that the flight attendants knew I had to pee rather than assemble a deadly weapon, or perhaps it's because I'm white. Either way, I sympathize with the fact that an Arab guy wouldn't get away with it so easily, but still agree that the unfortunate reality is that these guys can't pee as freely in violation of the rules as I can.
Sucks, but it's a reality I'm okay with. Even though this is America and all are welcome, there is a specific demographic more prone to assembling weapons than another while on board an aircraft. America is no Cairo, but I'd sure watch my ass if walking around there, being sure not to flout any rules, so it goes both ways. It's not like TSA only confiscates Arab liquids after all, they take all liquids.
I was with you till the last paragraph.
"there is a specific demographic more prone to assembling weapons than another while on board an aircraft. "
What percentage of Arabs in the world have committed acts of terrorism on airplanes? Because it sounds like you are perfectly fine with collective punishment.
Should we extend your demographic policy to other parts of American life? Let's analyze which race is more prone to drive drunk. Which race is more prone to be serial killers? Which race is more prone to be corporate criminals. Which race is more prone to be rapists? Which race is more prone to commit X or Y crimes.
In other words, do you think we should analyze crime by race and take measures to scrutinize one race over another for certain crimes? Or do you think only arabs (and other minorities) deserve this? Because that's the implication with your line of reasoning.
I was once a plane when a white dude demanded to use the lav during landing. The plane couldn't land with him in the lav, so they did a big lap (for lack of a better word) and eventually the asshole got back to his seat and we landed. He was arrested when we landed.
RACIAL PROFILING!
Bort,
With all due respect, you're totally missing the point here. I'm not upset that this guy was removed for disobeying the fight attendant and delaying the plane. I'm saying it is unconstitutional to remove him from the plane AND INTERROGATE HIM UNDER THE PRESUMPTION THAT HE IS A TERRORIST BECAUSE OF HIS RACE. (Caps are not yelling...only used for emphasis). That is what racial profiling is. Not his removal because of disorderly conduct and disobeying a flight attendant.
I seriously doubt that the White dude in your story was also interrogated because they thought he could be a terrorist. That would be a first.
This has nothing to do with the constitution. The captain made the decision to get these guys off the plane, not the government.
Urgh. Again, I'm not saying the Captain was unconstitutional for throwing him off the plane. I'm saying the "Authorities" who interrogated him were violating his rights under the constitution because they assumed he was a possible terrorist because of his race. The 4th amendment's Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution is supposed to protect Arabs, African Americans, other minorities, and all US citizens, from exactly this type of racial discrimination. Police cannot consider race in their enforcement activity under this clause. But they did here.
I give up. You people are morons.
Next time I hope he just sh*ts his pants or pis*es all over the place then asks for some paper towels to wipe with and hands it back to the attendant.
next time I hope he get grabbed with his explosives before he blows up the plane with you and far left on it.
yawn.
Blame the hipsters.
What? You have to hate on hipsters in at least one thread for the day.
They need bike lanes on planes-that will solve all of these problems
It must be great being an armchair activist.
You get so much done!
So what if he did go to the bathroom to assemble a machine gun with parts hidden in the vanity, or to activate a vest full of explosives? Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin would have stopped them before any harm was done.
"Sucks, but it's a reality I'm okay with. Even though this is America and all are welcome, there is a specific demographic more prone to assembling weapons than another while on board an aircraft. "
Oh what a load of BS. Can we each just pick a specific crime that's "associated" with a certain demographic and sell out that group's civil rights?
Yeah, I think it's OK for cops to pull over white guys goig hunting in case they're drinking and driving. Yeah, it's too bad for them, but there's a certain group of people in this country who make up most of the instance of hunting accidents, so I'm OK withe police paying extra attention to that. Oh, and BTW since I'm not white I'm double extra OK with that. That's cool.
Ditto for white collar crime. I don't see so many rich black guys doing it, so I'm OK with the feds investigating white CEOs "just in case." Sure, a few black guys do it, but it's mainly older white men. Considering the huge financial crisis, it makes sense to pay extra attention to white guys. Too bad for them, but we've got to think of the country as a whole.
Right on.
lol armchair activists
Some of us so-called "armchair activists" are also in-the-street, organizing the protest, boycotting and divesting, editorial-writing, writing-to-our-congressman, in-your-ugly-conservative-face activists too. The armchair is just one avenue.
By the amount of time you spend commenting here, you obviously don't fall under that category.
divest http://www.thebirdsofnorthamerica.com/birds/birdpics/andi/middle_finger_flame-full.jpg
>this you leftist tool for jihad.
Huh? I talk about racial profiling and civil liberties and now I'm a leftist tool for Jihad? Go get a life (and an education).
is reading the Koran allowed on domestic flights?
Only the King James version.
A few years back, I saw a dude on the N train going over the manhattan bridge at rush hour, reading the koran and rocking back and forth, praying out loud, obviously being very devout. He was wearing a big ass back pack, and the whole way over the bridge, i'm thinking, "holy shit, is this it?". Then I started to feel guilty, I felt like a dick for thinking like that. Then I was thinking, wait, if I was a muslim, in a country that had suffered a major terrorist attack by a fanatical sect or subgroup of my religion, I probably might have a little situational awareness, and courtesy to my fellow humans and read my Koran (Qur'an?) in a way that doesn't attract undue attention. I know it wasn't one of the proscribed prayer times then (I used to work with a Muslim Pakistani, who was cool as hell, and I knew when he'd be away from his desk, doing his thing), but I didn't know if there is something about having to actually speak the words when reading from the Koran, or praying. Either way, it seemed like on a crowded train maybe you could tone it down a little for the comfort of others (and before anyone starts in, EVERYONE in the car was obviously contemplating the thought, looking at each other with a "...ummm, jeez guy..." kind of look, and a circle had sort of cleared around him). I was also thinking, if I was going to attack a train, I wouldn't be drawing attention to myself like that, so I wasn't too worked up about it. Open question, curious to everyone's thoughts, was that a douchy way for me to think, or was dude being kinda inconsiderate, or grey area?
If he has to stop doing that, then the terrorists really do win
There was a great episode of 30 Rock where NBC page Kenneth was spoonfeeding Jenna (so she’ll stay fat and keep ratings high) and he pretends the spoon full of food is an airplane coming into a hangar. Then he says “And now an Indian got up to the use the bathroom and air marshall shot him!”
racial profiling is always wrong.
i commend people like farleft for trying to preach to the masses. but the masses are basically stupid.
put it simply,
upon take off a white guy saying "thank you lord jesus, praise his name, god get us safely to our miami destination" would not be given a second look
a swarthy gentleman saying "Allāhu Akbar, let us get to denver safely inshallah" would be pounced on by 20 people saying crap like lets roll.
simple, and being so simple the masses and stupid gothamist commenters woudl still say if theres a grain of truth or suspicion its justified because of 9-11 and its better to be safe than sorry.
What if they were carrying ass bombs?
To the idiots who keep whining about racial profiling while ignoring Islam's hate crimes against humanity and their bigotry towards non-muslims, pull your head out of your ass and quit being such a libtard PC parrot.
heh heh ass bombs, damn man.