6 Muslin Imams remove from US Airways Flight

[hp_fa]

Unusual behavior on an airplane will get you noticed. It might be perfectly natural for Islamic people to publiclly pray on an aircraft in the Middle East or Asia, but it isn't a normal event in the US.

I was working a BWI-LAS flight on a 757 within a month or two after 9/11. Once airborne we had quite a few passengers get quite upset when, after we had gotten to cruise altitude, a number of passengers started collectively praying, in seats and in the aisle, in a foreign language. We investigated the situation and then asked the people praying to do so silently in their seats. The praying people felt they had done no wrong and could not understand the concern of the other passengers, however after we advised them of the complete circumstances and why it was reasonable for passengers to be concerned about open praying in an aircraft, they finally did as we asked.

Oh, by the way, they were Hebrew scholars on their way to a religious gathering. (I know, why a religious meeting in Las Vegas......)

 

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Yesterday, profiling would have been considered ethically wrong and most Americans find discrimination ignorant and appalling. Its unfortunate that today, that Americans know that radical extremists have infiltrated and are in our society hidden among us, and all over the world. It unfortunate that the world must deal with an extreme religious mind-set that feel they are called to martyrdom.
Profiling, is humiliating to both the individual(s) who are being profiled, and those who feel the need to speak up and bring to the attention of authorities certain appearance and behaviors that maybe threatening.

I can understand the reasons behind it. I do not believe it is to be deliberately malicious, but rather a necessary precaution one must take in today's dangerous environment. It does not just incude muslims. Anyone who acts suspeciously and may pose a potential threat to society are being singled out.

I say, call the authorities to investigate, and then ask questions. Best to be safe, than sorry that no one acted, rather than just a notion.

Very relevant post. Since 9/11 many Muslims or Mideastern individuals have been subjected to profiling. If a group of people, regardless of religious affiliation, were to pray or hold conversations as a group in a language that I couldn't understand, it would certainly raise some doubts in my mind. While they feel offended by the airlines action, they can't be so close minded as not to expect eyebrows to be raised. It is a sad state of affairs when one is suspected of being a threat just because of their religious practices, however; given the history of the suspected threat and the individuals that carried out the 9/11 attacks, I would rather see someone removed from the aircraft/airport, than to see another attack take place.
I would like to hear what would happen in a predominant Muslim country, should a group of non-Muslim individuals say their prayers in the airport. Both sides have to use common sense, and as I see it, the airport/aircraft officials did that.

 

[LCC_#1]

Unusual behavior on an airplane will get you noticed. It might be perfectly natural for Islamic people to publiclly pray on an aircraft in the Middle East or Asia, but it isn't a normal event in the US.

I was working a BWI-LAS flight on a 757 within a month or two after 9/11. Once airborne we had quite a few passengers get quite upset when, after we had gotten to cruise altitude, a number of passengers started collectively praying, in seats and in the aisle, in a foreign language. We investigated the situation and then asked the people praying to do so silently in their seats. The praying people felt they had done no wrong and could not understand the concern of the other passengers, however after we advised them of the complete circumstances and why it was reasonable for passengers to be concerned about open praying in an aircraft, they finally did as we asked.

Oh, by the way, they were Hebrew scholars on their way to a religious gathering. (I know, why a religious meeting in Las Vegas......)

That's funny, I've seen praying for years. America, educate yourself already!

 

[LCC_#1]

:cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold: :cold:

 

[PHL]

I lived in a rough area of Philadelphia for a while. A very high majority of the thefts, crimes and other varying forms of violence and unlawful behavior was overwhelmingly being perpetrated by African Americans. I witnessed it. I saw it on TV. So, when walking down the street and seeing a group of black youths, do you think I should have called the cops because they just looked like they were up to no good??

 

[LCC_#1]

I lived in a rough area of Philadelphia for a while. A very high majority of the thefts, crimes and other varying forms of violence and unlawful behavior was overwhelmingly being perpetrated by African Americans. I witnessed it. I saw it on TV. So, when walking down the street and seeing a group of black youths, do you think I should have called the cops because they just looked like they were up to no good??

EXCELLENT POINT!!

 

[PITbull]

I lived in a rough area of Philadelphia for a while. A very high majority of the thefts, crimes and other varying forms of violence and unlawful behavior was overwhelmingly being perpetrated by African Americans. I witnessed it. I saw it on TV. So, when walking down the street and seeing a group of black youths, do you think I should have called the cops because they just looked like they were up to no good??

I don't think you can make general statements or comparisons regarding crime and the mind of a common criminal to a jihad movement. Last time I checked the statistics, the common criminal was ALL races, poor, rich, male, female, Rep. Democ, with no particular boundries. I live in a dominantly white neighborhood and most of the reported thug-crimes are the WHITE youth. However, there is no world wide highly prclaimed movement to destroy or kill the westen culture and those of jewish or christian practice...

There is no jihad movement by the African American community in PHL to commit acts of violence against society or the western culture for religious reasons, and I don't believe or have read an announcement by a any African American group of the African American decent to rise up against the western culture all over the world and commit acts of violence and terror with the ambition to destroy christians and western civilization. and, be a maryr as your reward will be 72 young virgins in heaven...have you?

What's in YOUR mind regarding common criminals, and the real profound world-wide threat are two different elements, and are perceived and responded to by most reasonable folks in society, and federal authorties quite differently.

 

[wildirishrose]

I was raised to believe bigotry is wrong and 52 years later I still believe it is wrong, HOWEVER....if I were working the gate and saw 6 muslims practising their religious beliefs right before boarding my flight I would be concerned. Right or wrong, I would have to think twice.

 

[FWAAA]

I was raised to believe bigotry is wrong and 52 years later I still believe it is wrong, HOWEVER....if I were working the gate and saw 6 muslims practising their religious beliefs right before boarding my flight I would be concerned. Right or wrong, I would have to think twice.

Six muslim clerics hell-bent on flying that airplane into a building would, of course, draw as much attention to themselves as possible, so as to maximise the chances of success, right? Oops - wouldn't terrorists try to quietly slip aboard?

Don't wanna drive while black in plenty of rascist areas and don't wanna fly while Arab or Muslim in too many places either.

Removal of these clerics was nothing short of stupidity and defending their removal is not unlike defending Michael Richards this morning. Shameful.

 

[pilot]

A bunch of politically correct posters lamenting the fact that people who were there determined, FOR WHATEVER REASON, they were not going to take a chance. As far as the ethnic background of the suspicious passengers - Get over it! The safety of the traveling public is far more important than offending the sensitivites of any ethnic group regardless of their race, color or creed. And that includes any American, Muslim, Arab, Black, White, Red, Green or Blue human being on the face of the earth. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.................... We're trying to save lives here. And you cretins are worried about offending someone.

There are people out there that want Americans dead. And the majority of them are of the Muslim faith. That is a fact. Not something someone pulled out of a hat. They will stop at nothing to kill us.

And you worry about offending the innocent ones. I would think the innocent ones would understand our concern. And if they do not then they are offending MY sensibilities.

Islam, educate yourself already!

 

[LCC_#1]

I don't think you can make general statements regarding crime and compare the mind of a common criminal to a jihad movement. Last time I checked the statistics, the common criminal was ALL races, poor, rich, male, female, Rep. Democ, with no particular boundries. I live in a dominantly white neighborhood and most of the reported thug-crimes are the WHITE youth. However, there is no world wide highly prclaimed movement to destroy or kill the westen culture and those of jewish or christian practice...

There is no jihad movement by the African American community in PHL to commit acts of violence against society or the western culture for religious reasons, and I don't believe or have read an announcement by a any African American group of the African American decent to rise up against the western culture all over the world and commit acts of violence and terror with the ambition to destroy christians and western civilization. and, be a maryr as your reward will be 72 young virgins in heaven...have you?

What's in YOUR mind, and the real profound world-wide threat are two different elements, and are perceived and responded to by most reasonable folks in society, quite differently.

Pitbull, you missed the point. This is about prejudices under the disguise of "the ongoing war on terror". You of all people should know that we live in an America that still has it's stereotypes mixed up with reality. Maybe not on as grand a scales as the jihadest movement, but am I, a gay man, to fear ALL Christians because a few punks killed..no CRUXIFIED a gay kid in Wyoming because of their belief somehow that as a Christian, killing gays was acceptable? Or those that bomb abortion clinics or kill abortion doctors because it's what THEIR God, their "Christian" God would approve of?

Not all Christians are closed minded. Not all blacks fear water. Many whites CAN jump. And many gays like sports. Not ALL republicans are Christians and not ALL democrates are bleeding heart liberal.

And not ALL Muslims are jihad terrorist.

All this craziness over Islamic prayers. Read the article again. Some uneducated boob passed a note to a f/a, who never stopped to think about WHERE she was or WHAT these men were doing? Do you REALLY think that the REAL terrorist would make it obvious? If so, take a look back at 9/11. Those men assimilated to American culture and now the entire Arab community must pay?? If that's the case, the next time I see a Christian praying on an a/c, I'm having them removed. I find Christianity a threat to MY life. Much more than those of Islam who were doing nothing more than praying to THEIR God, something if a few Christians would do every once in a while might PREVENT much of the world's woes.

 

[wildirishrose]

Pitbull, you missed the point. This is about prejudices under the disguise of "the ongoing war on terror". You of all people should know that we live in an America that still has it's stereotypes mixed up with reality. Maybe not on as grand a scales as the jihadest movement, but am I, a gay man, to fear ALL Christians because a few punks killed..no CRUXIFIED a gay kid in Wyoming because of their belief somehow that as a Christian, killing gays was acceptable? Or those that bomb abortion clinics or kill abortion doctors because it's what THEIR God, their "Christian" God would approve of?

Not all Christians are closed minded. Not all blacks fear water. Many whites CAN jump. And many gays like sports. Not ALL republicans are Christians and not ALL democrates are bleeding heart liberal.

And not ALL Muslims are jihad terrorist.

All this craziness over Islamic prayers. Read the article again. Some uneducated boob passed a note to a f/a, who never stopped to think about WHERE she was or WHAT these men were doing? Do you REALLY think that the REAL terrorist would make it obvious? If so, take a look back at 9/11. Those men assimilated to American culture and now the entire Arab community must pay?? If that's the case, the next time I see a Christian praying on an a/c, I'm having them removed. I find Christianity a threat to MY life. Much more than those of Islam who were doing nothing more than praying to THEIR God, something if a few Christians would do every once in a while might PREVENT much of the world's woes.

Interesting that your entire rant against bigotry was FULL of bigotry

 

[pilot]

Man LCC#1, you are so far out in left field it's scary.

We're trying to prevent another 9/11 and you're telling us that we're using it as an excuse to be prejudicial to Muslims.

Wow! Good luck with your prejudices pal. From what I just read in that last post you got yourself a problem.

pilot

 

[PITbull]

Six muslim clerics hell-bent on flying that airplane into a building would, of course, draw as much attention to themselves as possible, so as to maximise the chances of success, right? Oops - wouldn't terrorists try to quietly slip aboard?

Don't wanna drive while black in plenty of rascist areas and don't wanna fly while Arab or Muslim in too many places either.

Removal of these clerics was nothing short of stupidity and defending their removal is not unlike defending Michael Richards this morning. Shameful.

You weren't there and are only judging by what you are reading on this board. You really don't know the extent of the potential threat percieved. There is a "fine line", no doubt, and in time, reasonable judgement should/will prevail. But again, trying to compare the blatant discriminatory slurs and insults by Richards, and taking off a plane of a group of suspicious acting folks for questioning in light of the FACT that we are at war with these world-wide terrorists, and if you are watching the events in the middle east, there are govnments collapsing every where.

To date, I have not seen this ground swell uprising protest from the MUSLIM communities around the world AGAINST those extremists of their same religion. As a religion, the Islamic faith is practiced by almost half the world. Don't you think that a damn good portion of these "peaceful muslims" would be protesting against those folks who have "distorted" their religion and practice under Allah??????

Until such time that there is unity, acceptance, and a large degree of stability in that region of the world, brother, you will continue to see this type of vigilence, and perceived threats taken seriously.

 

[LCC_#1]

And that includes any American, Muslim, Arab, Black, White, Red, Green or Blue human being on the face of the earth. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.................... We're trying to save lives here. And you cretins are worried about offending someone.

Pilot, I would be willing to bet my life that if these men were white christians and were pulled off the flight because someone felt THEY were a threat as christians, you, Falwell and the rest of the neo conservatives would be screaming prejudism against christians. Never EVER let me hear you or your like ever question ANYTHING TSA does again no matter how stupid it seems...INCLUDING the tough screening of old people, children, infants, or crew members. You're right here, scrutinize ALL Americans.

Wow, funny how when a white man murdered over 180 Americans in a terrorist plot, there wasn't any stereotyping of adult white men. I can't WAIT to hear your spin on this one.