recent headlines
United Airlines faces backlash after dragging man from plane
~~ CBS News
United Airlines CEO apologizes for dragging passenger off the flight...
~~ Washington Post
United Airlines says controversial flight was not overbooked...
~~ USA Today
United Airlines shows how to make a PR crisis a total disaster
~~ Money.CNN
Video of United Airlines Passenger Creates Furor in China, Too
~~ NYTimes.com
As United Airlines Stock Falls, CEO Apologizes...
~~ Inside Edition
_______________________________
As I read information about the very odd United Airlines incident which occurred Sunday, I kept thinking of the phrase "I am the dog" ...
Remember -- November 22, 2015, during the "Saint-Denis terror raid" a French police dog named Diesel was killed. To express
sympathy for the dog,
solidarity with anti-terrorism efforts,
and opposition to terrorists,
people were tweeting the hashtag
#JeSuisChien
(which turns out to actually mean, not "I am the dog," but rather "I am dog.")
They tweeted
"Je Suis Chien,"
and
"Je Suis Diesel."
In that spirit, today,
in sympathy for the airline customer
in solidarity with airline customers and all God's people,
and in opposition to freakish brutality and bullying behavior in our society --
"I am Chinaman."
The April 11 New York Times story,
"United Grapples With PR Crisis Over Videos of Man Being Dragged Off Plane" (written by Julie Creswell and Sapna Maheshwari), attracted more than 3000 Reader Comments.
A sampling:
JB Oklahoma
------------ Another aspect of the situation that should be considered is the victim's age. This man is 69 years old, "chosen" to be evicted from his seat on a plane as he sits rightfully expecting to be able to go home.
He is tired, he is more prone than others to stress, possible stroke, heart attack, other infirmities of age -- and younger passengers sit unmolested while this aged man is violently dragged down the aisle and out of the plane.
The fact that his age is not spoken of more surprises and disturbs me; it seems to add to the atrociousness of the deed. This, and his being Asian, do suggest to me that those who "chose" him did so with the thought that he would be ill able to resist. What bullies, unconscionable bullies.
A Lee Oakland
--------------------- I feel ashamed to be flying United again after the way they treat a fellow Asian person. I would like United to show its true contrition by refunding in full any ticket that has been bought for the future.
Refundable tickets and non refundable tickets. For anyone who feels repulsed by such callousness and arrogance. And brutality.
Mike Minneapolis
---------------------- This should have been United's first statement following the incident. That the leadership and their communications people couldn't predict how social media would respond is an indication that they should all be fired. Munoz should be the first to go.
Fabbi Germany
------------------ I was shocked by this video. Flying has become such an unpleasant experience but this tops it all. ...
I think United should be planning their personnel better. To ask paying passengers to leave a plane so extra crew can be transported is an indication of bad planning.
But the real problem is, as mentioned in one of the editorials, the way we treat each other in general. If we can do this to a random person on a plane, how far are we from being able to kill each other over nothing.
In any case, this is not civilized behavior!
Charles Colorado
--------------- The man in the video is very brave.
Most people would just get up and walk off the plane so as not to make a disturbance.
He knew what was happening was wrong and it violated his rights and he stood his ground.
I don't think I would have the guts to do what he did.
Because of him other people will not be treated this way by United.
CF Massachusetts
--------------------- We need to start with the definition of "boarding." Once I'm seated on an airplane, that's it for me. I'm already settling in and preparing for the unpleasant experience at hand.
There had better be a good reason for making people deplane, and that doesn't include United's lack of planning.
T. Fitzgerald New York City
----------------------- You still do not get it. This is NOT an oversold situation. You favored your employees over multiple paying passengers to the point of violence.
"Leaving Ohare On A Jet Plane"
by Charlie Spear
Fine Art America
________________
Bruce Toronto
-------------- Munoz is insincere. He is an opportunist backed into a corner.
United Airlines just simply does not 'get it.'
This apology is way too late and way too little
Boycott United.
LarLI Sioux Falls, SD
--------------------- Munoz ought to resign. He has made a fool of himself and the entire company.
Take your hat and leave. Your utter lack of leadership is a disgrace.
FHC Chicago
------------------------- United gets it wrong - a lot. And the biggest mistake they make is they're NEVER sincerely apologetic.
RK USA
------------------------ People have been posting that this is not going down well with the Chinese. I just talked to my friend in Tokyo. Apparently this is a huge news story there with many Japanese feeling it was racially motivated.
United, you might have lost Asia.
------------------------------- Reader Comment from a Guardian-UK story on same topic:
-- Max
I read that passengers for removal from the plane are selected "randomly".
I also gather that it is less risky to insult docile elderly Asians than stroppy young bearded men.
Is it then just a coincidence that the finger fell on a 69 year old Asian?
Perhaps they are getting increasingly fed up of being picked on?
____________________________
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