Kudos to Katherine Kersten, columnist at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, for writing about the insane lawsuit filed by the boisterous imams who scared the bejebus out of fellow passengers last fall with their odd behavior on a USAirways flight.
(See http://www.startribune.com/191/story/1055656.html)
These imams behaved in ways that seemed designed to draw attention to themselves: they prayed loudly in the gate area, expressed criticism of the United States in angry tones audible to others in the area, they changed seats on the airplane in a manner reminiscent of the hijackers on September 11th and also requested seat belt extenders, which could be used as weapons in a variety of configurations, even though they didn't seem to need them.
The pilots took action, requesting authorities remove the imams from the plane because people expressed discomfort. This was not a hasty decision, it occurred after much discussion.
Our government continues to have us on high alert. We are warned to pay attention to those around us and report odd or suspicious behavior. The reasonable person in America understands the need for controlled behavior when travelling by plane. We don't make jokes about box cutters or bombs. We don't encourage fear in our co-passengers. Kersten notes that an internal memo released the very day of this incident described the increased risk faced at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, noting "this very real and deliberate threat" required heightened vigilance.
The world has changed. These changes are the result of the actions of 19 Middle Eastern Islamic fundamentalists. I would concur that religion and ethnicity played a role in their removal from the plane. This is not evidence of discrimination, it is evidence of common sense. We should be vigilant in the same way women walking alone at night are encouraged to fear big bulky men walking behind them at night or African Americans are allowed to assert their continuing fear of the police because of the historical claims of police brutality.
When a group wants to push an issue into the courts, they often need to create the forum. Groups will often actively seek a friendly plaintiff to help ensure the success of a potential claim designed to influence public policy and opinion. These imams behaved in an irresponsible way and they did so as a group. Is it possible these men knowingly and purposely behaved in a manner that would cause their removal so as to create the stage for this lawsuit.
These imams misjudged. They have over-reached with their efforts to draw the passengers into their lawsuit.
Americans, including lawyers and judges, must not encourage people like these imams to abuse our justice system like this.
If Muslim people support this lawsuit and believe that this is the way to build bridges with Christians and improve relations with the average American, they are sadly mistaken.
Lets hope the defendants have secured a talented attorney who can convince a judge to dismiss this case so our justice system can focus issues that actually matter. And by the way, attorneys fees would be nice, as well.
(See http://www.startribune.com/191/story/1055656.html)
These imams behaved in ways that seemed designed to draw attention to themselves: they prayed loudly in the gate area, expressed criticism of the United States in angry tones audible to others in the area, they changed seats on the airplane in a manner reminiscent of the hijackers on September 11th and also requested seat belt extenders, which could be used as weapons in a variety of configurations, even though they didn't seem to need them.
The pilots took action, requesting authorities remove the imams from the plane because people expressed discomfort. This was not a hasty decision, it occurred after much discussion.
Our government continues to have us on high alert. We are warned to pay attention to those around us and report odd or suspicious behavior. The reasonable person in America understands the need for controlled behavior when travelling by plane. We don't make jokes about box cutters or bombs. We don't encourage fear in our co-passengers. Kersten notes that an internal memo released the very day of this incident described the increased risk faced at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, noting "this very real and deliberate threat" required heightened vigilance.
The world has changed. These changes are the result of the actions of 19 Middle Eastern Islamic fundamentalists. I would concur that religion and ethnicity played a role in their removal from the plane. This is not evidence of discrimination, it is evidence of common sense. We should be vigilant in the same way women walking alone at night are encouraged to fear big bulky men walking behind them at night or African Americans are allowed to assert their continuing fear of the police because of the historical claims of police brutality.
When a group wants to push an issue into the courts, they often need to create the forum. Groups will often actively seek a friendly plaintiff to help ensure the success of a potential claim designed to influence public policy and opinion. These imams behaved in an irresponsible way and they did so as a group. Is it possible these men knowingly and purposely behaved in a manner that would cause their removal so as to create the stage for this lawsuit.
These imams misjudged. They have over-reached with their efforts to draw the passengers into their lawsuit.
Americans, including lawyers and judges, must not encourage people like these imams to abuse our justice system like this.
If Muslim people support this lawsuit and believe that this is the way to build bridges with Christians and improve relations with the average American, they are sadly mistaken.
Lets hope the defendants have secured a talented attorney who can convince a judge to dismiss this case so our justice system can focus issues that actually matter. And by the way, attorneys fees would be nice, as well.
posted by Susan Shogren Smith at
3/16/2007 10:06:00 AM
1 Comments:
I am tired of hearing about how theses imams fell about how they were targeted by everybody involved in this because of there national, and or religious background. Well i am tired of being afraid for my family life because of my national background. I am tired of felling as if I’ve been profiled not by the police or by other citizens but by people of another country or religious community. By the way, if you are from another country and you are here complaining about how bad our country is then LEAVE. And if capitalism is so bad, why did you move from your great country and why are you accepting the benefits offered to you by our horrible capitalistic system
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