International politics

[Bosun]

The story is a bit misleading as it says "No one volunteered, so United decided to choose for us. They chose an Asian doctor and his wife."

As I understand it - four passengers were chosen at random - this quote suggests they were colour coded!

I do not under any circumstances believe that passengers were chosen wholly and completely at random, someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.  Would the security have treated a white person like this, I think not. The airline could have done what they normally do in these circumstances,  offered an increasing level of inducement to find a volunteer, hotel accommodation, expenses, upgraded following flight etc. This passenger and his wife were doctors, and had to be at work the following day and I can understand them being unwilling to leave. However, they were Asian, and the staff thought that they could get away with a wholly unwarranted degree of force.

The conduct of United Airlines in this case is completely and utterly unacceptable, and as I said in my original post, tacitly endorsed by Trump and his rhetoric because the passenger was Asian.     

[DaveR]

someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.

How do you know he has a 'foreign name' when he hasn't been named?

[born2run]

The story is a bit misleading as it says "No one volunteered, so United decided to choose for us. They chose an Asian doctor and his wife."

As I understand it - four passengers were chosen at random - this quote suggests they were colour coded!

I do not under any circumstances believe that passengers were chosen wholly and completely at random, someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.  Would the security have treated a white person like this, I think not. The airline could have done what they normally do in these circumstances,  offered an increasing level of inducement to find a volunteer, hotel accommodation, expenses, upgraded following flight etc. This passenger and his wife were doctors, and had to be at work the following day and I can understand them being unwilling to leave. However, they were Asian, and the staff thought that they could get away with a wholly unwarranted degree of force.

The conduct of United Airlines in this case is completely and utterly unacceptable, and as I said in my original post, tacitly endorsed by Trump and his rhetoric because the passenger was Asian.   

They did - they offered everyone $800 but it was still declined

[SDQ]

The story is a bit misleading as it says "No one volunteered, so United decided to choose for us. They chose an Asian doctor and his wife."

As I understand it - four passengers were chosen at random - this quote suggests they were colour coded!

I do not under any circumstances believe that passengers were chosen wholly and completely at random, someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.  Would the security have treated a white person like this, I think not. The airline could have done what they normally do in these circumstances,  offered an increasing level of inducement to find a volunteer, hotel accommodation, expenses, upgraded following flight etc. This passenger and his wife were doctors, and had to be at work the following day and I can understand them being unwilling to leave. However, they were Asian, and the staff thought that they could get away with a wholly unwarranted degree of force.

The conduct of United Airlines in this case is completely and utterly unacceptable, and as I said in my original post, tacitly endorsed by Trump and his rhetoric because the passenger was Asian.   

They did - they offered everyone $800 but it was still declined

So they should raise it to $1200 and try again!

[Bosun]

someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.

How do you know he has a 'foreign name' when he hasn't been named?

How many Vietnamese do you know called Jones?

[born2run]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4401980/Dr-dragged-United-swapped-drugs-secret-gay-sex.html

Funnily the Daily Heil have a different outlook on it 

[TheMedz]

I was really surprised they let anyone on the plane before getting 4 people willing to get a price that was acceptable to them before they would be willing to volunteer. It's a lot easier to persuade people not to get on the plane than it is to persuade them to get off.

A while ago I was regularly flying  between Manchester, Edinburgh and London and there were plenty of times when before we got on the plane the announcement would come out asking people who would be willing to go on a later flight.

It got to the stage where you expected it to happen and played a game of volunteer roulette with the other passengers to see who could hold there nerve long enough for the airline to up their price but for there still to no takers.

[Bosun]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4401980/Dr-dragged-United-swapped-drugs-secret-gay-sex.html

Funnily the Daily Heil have a different outlook on it 

Ah, that makes it all right then. All thanks to your beloved Daily Heil for putting us right.....,. WWW

[TheMedz]

Doing  the rounds on social media.

[Ian]

I hadn't seen anything about the incident, which is why I didn't comment yesterday. But assuming there's any validity in the material garnered by the DFM it does tend to confirm my initial impression that the person concerned appear to be suffering from some sort of psychiatric issue. I was astonished to discover he'd actually been the US equivalent of a GP.

None of that, of course, excuses the deplorable actions taken by the airline staff who, far from ameliorating the situation, created a crisis which will cost them dearly. What's of greater concern, now the White House has been forced to apologise for stating yesterday that Hitler never used chemical weapons, the entire holocaust having apparently slipped whatever passes for their minds, is whether that individual in particular was targeted because of the implicit Presidential sympathy towards those of a racist proclivity.     

[DaveR]

someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.

How do you know he has a 'foreign name' when he hasn't been named?

How many Vietnamese do you know called Jones?

The point is you didn't know his name, you just made an assumption, just as you made an assumption that all the staff involved on the plane had a racist motive in selecting the particular passenger, rather than just pointing randomly at a passenger list. It may have been the case, it may not have been the case, we just don't know, yet you portrayed it as a fact.

[Bosun]

someone would have run a finger down the passenger list and chosen the names, and they selected a 'foreign' name.

How do you know he has a 'foreign name' when he hasn't been named?

How many Vietnamese do you know called Jones?

The point is you didn't know his name, you just made an assumption, just as you made an assumption that all the staff involved on the plane had a racist motive in selecting the particular passenger, rather than just pointing randomly at a passenger list. It may have been the case, it may not have been the case, we just don't know, yet you portrayed it as a fact.

.....I really don't think that you have read or understood my post....... Try again.....

[Bosun]

.....because of the implicit Presidential sympathy towards those of a racist proclivity.     


Possibly the finest words written about the situation caused by Trumps racist rhetoric to date. Simply excellent. 

[SDQ]

I hadn't seen anything about the incident, which is why I didn't comment yesterday. But assuming there's any validity in the material garnered by the DFM it does tend to confirm my initial impression that the person concerned appear to be suffering from some sort of psychiatric issue. I was astonished to discover he'd actually been the US equivalent of a GP.

None of that, of course, excuses the deplorable actions taken by the airline staff who, far from ameliorating the situation, created a crisis which will cost them dearly. What's of greater concern, now the White House has been forced to apologise for stating yesterday that Hitler never used chemical weapons, the entire holocaust having apparently slipped whatever passes for their minds, is whether that individual in particular was targeted because of the implicit Presidential sympathy towards those of a racist proclivity.     

When they dragged him out of his seat his head struck an arm-rest so his demeanour could be put down to a head injury and the subsequent shock he would be suffering from so I think you're being a bit unfair saying you're shocked that he is/was a GP.

[Ian]

In fact I was 'astonished'; little shocks me, and in any case I was referring to the documents the DFM had published on their website.  If those are even remotely accurate I would have major concerns.