Report says men speaking Arabic removed from flight at Boston airport

[Charisma Veteran]

It's happened before. This isn't the first time I've read stories on here of Arabic speaking people being removed from US flights because other passengers felt uncomfortable.

Personally, I'd remove the ones feeling uncomfortable and tell them to take their racist asses elsewhere.

I don't disagree with you--but I have started to question the real motivation. It's usually uninformed fear and learned hatred.

The average person around here watches too much TV and they aren't bad people, they just aren't educated and don't have the right perspective. They're inundated with this idea that Muslims/Arabic people are out to get us and they hate us and we should hate them back and be afraid. So yes, if they're out somewhere and they see this "enemy they've been told about over and over on TV" (from a sensationalist media, btw) then yes, they'll be worried, and some will react appropriately.

Yes, it's a form of racism, but I don't think it's generally stemming from anything malicious, it's more of the form that human preservation instinct takes when it's been shaped as such. Couple that with the fact that a lot of people are nervous in airports anyway because they don't fly often and are worried about other things, and I'm not surprised this happens. But I don't think the people feeling this way are inherently scumbags.

tl,dr; I blame the media for this **** and in my humble opinion, nobody should watch the "news" stations in the US.

[FloatingFatMan]

^ Sure, but why should someone innocent have to suffer from their media induced paranoia? If they're uncomfortable with a particular passenger's presence, THEY should be the ones to get off the plane.

[Charisma Veteran]

^ Sure, but why should someone innocent have to suffer from their media induced paranoia? If they're uncomfortable with a particular passenger's presence, THEY should be the ones to get off the plane.

Of course. But again, they aren't really seeing it that way. In their minds, they haven't done anything wrong--this other person has, "why should I move?" etc. Once more, I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just pointing out that we're very quick to assume the people involved here are ignorant, hateful, aggressively-racist types, and the majority of the time they are not.

[Astra.Xtreme]

^ Umm.. I'm not sure who's posts you're reading, but they're clearly not mine. Nowhere in this thread have I "railed" on Blank; at all. Nor do I generalise it to all Americans. I specifically stated the ones that were made uncomfortable by the Arabic speaking passengers.

If you like, I'll rail at you though, for your reading failure. :p

You kind of were. Blank was basically saying the same thing I did, in that it makes no sense to generalize based on this occurrence And then your response is a making further excuse that it's happened more than once. I don't disagree with what you said, but I think your response to Blank didn't really fit the point he was making.

Of course. But again, they aren't really seeing it that way. In their minds, they haven't done anything wrong--this other person has, "why should I move?" etc. Once more, I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm just pointing out that we're very quick to assume the people involved here are ignorant, hateful, aggressively-racist types, and the majority of the time they are not.

Exactly.

[Dick Montage]

I didn't know Nazi Germany was against foreign languages.

No but they did have a bit of a boner for oppression. Don't you recall that little footnote?

But hey feel free to time travel back to early 1940's Germany and speak Yiddish. Am sure that will work out just fine for you :)

[Richteralan]

and the majority of the time they are not.

How did you come to this conclusion?

[Ice_Blue]

This reminds me of the aircraft scene in "Harold and Kumar go to Guantanamo Bay".

This would be hilarious if these people were not so uninformed.

[Charisma Veteran]

How did you come to this conclusion?

As I stated before, it's an observation I've made after being here for a while. Most people anywhere you go are just people, like me and you. We go about our lives, we wake up, shower, eat food, interact with those around us, try to acquire money and someone to rub genitals with, and worry about our hair and what the funny sound the car is making might mean and etc. Actively hating a person or group of people takes more anger, energy, and dedication than most people have or care to give.

[Scroogled]

Of course it is. You're discriminating against someone based on their race and the language they speak. That's Racist. I find racism offensive.

Race wasn't mentioned as a reason. Only the language spoken was referenced. That technically wouldn't be racist. It would be linguist. :)

[Richteralan]

As I stated before, it's an observation I've made after being here for a while.

I sense the extreme defensiveness so I'll stop right here. :)

[compl3x]

Yeah and sometimes you have garbage like that NY Post article that claimed 12 dead. Hence the desire to see more than one source.

Never trust early media reports. Never, ever read the NY Post. I'm sure google works on your browser as it does on mine. You're welcome to search for more sources if it pleases you.

Race wasn't mentioned as a reason. Only the language spoken was referenced. That technically wouldn't be racist. It would be linguist. :)

I am sure a couple of white Dane tourists would have been kicked off the plane for speaking Danish just as quickly. :rofl:

[Richteralan]

Race wasn't mentioned as a reason. Only the language spoken was referenced. That technically wouldn't be racist. It would be linguist. :)

O How about Arabic guys speaking Japanese...will they get kicked off the plane?

[Rippleman]

I myself am not a racist. I highly doubt language alone would trigger a removal from a plane. Everyday millions of Arabic speaking people fly in the US and they are not detained. A lot of you are crying foul for something that most likely isn't the actual reason for the removal and/or detainment.

[COKid]

You guys have obviously never flown into or out of Israel. This sort of thing is an everyday occurrence there. And are you that surprised that things in Boston are rather tense right now? Better safe than sorry. Heck, one of the 9/11 planes was from Boston.

Besides, this week of the year holds a special significance to many groups that hate the US government. Ruby Ridge, Waco, OKC bombing, etc.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

And I am saying based on what we know so far there is nothing here that would justify kicking them off a flight.

Frankly, it wouldn't at all surprise me if talking in Arabic was all they were doing.

I agree. I could see these men easily spooking certain people out. Obviously I do not need to state the fact this in itself is wrong but I will just FTR, but yeah, I can easily see them just being guilty of being the wrong skin color and speaking the wrong language at a time when people are extra sensitive due to what happened at the marathon.

Again is that right? Absolutely not.

But I can EASILY see it being the case.

[dead.cell]

Detained for speaking a foreign language? That's ridiculous. Is the US trying to model itself on Nazi Germany?

There are many ridiculous/wrongful arrests made every day, in the US and otherwise. Local incidents have zero bearing on what the country is doing as a whole.

"Several of the people on that flight were marathoners."

Obviously, people are scared. As bad and racist as it may be, some people are on edge. Hell, even my ex admitted being a bit fearful to go to the upcoming concert here in Houston. Not saying racism is acceptable by any means, but that it's worth noting that not everyone has thick skin, especially when events like this take place.

This is terrorism people. Things like this are to be expected, and it's generally the aim of terrorists, as they create fear and doubt among the people for whatever purpose they serve. We must remember that we are one, to love each other, help each other, and also to not give up any freedoms or rights in the name of our "safety", as we did with 9/11.

[theyarecomingforyou]

Obviously, people are scared. As bad and racist as it may be, some people are on edge. Hell, even my ex admitted being a bit fearful to go to the upcoming concert here in Houston. Not saying racism is acceptable by any means, but that it's worth noting that not everyone has thick skin, especially when events like this take place.

This is terrorism people. Things like this are to be expected, and it's generally the aim of terrorists, as they create fear and doubt among the people for whatever purpose they serve. We must remember that we are one, to love each other, help each other, and also to not give up any freedoms or rights in the name of our "safety", as we did with 9/11.

The problem is that businesses and people aren't standing up for what is right. It doesn't matter whether other people are scared or concerned, people shouldn't be taken off the flight and detained simply for speaking a foreign language.

[adrynalyne]

Never trust early media reports.

I don't. Hence, I question the credibility of this one. They more than likely left something out to create sensationalism. Won't be the first time, nor the last.

[Brian Miller]

The media will never refer to this guy as a "Christian Terrorist" but we all know he is.

Here's the guy the FBI suspects to be the Boston Bomber...

[adrynalyne]

The media will never refer to this guy as a "Christian Terrorist" but we all know he is.

Here's the guy the FBI suspects to be the Boston Bomber...

How do 'we all' know he is?

[dead.cell]

The problem is that businesses and people aren't standing up for what is right. It doesn't matter whether other people are scared or concerned, people shouldn't be taken off the flight and detained simply for speaking a foreign language.

I'm not arguing that. It's still far from "Nazi Germany" though, and this stuff happens on a more frequent basis than you think, regardless of race as well.

Hell, I just got done watching a video of a guy being wrongfully arrested because he was carrying a firearm legally, while walking with his child. Bad training and bad business procedures will lead to stupid things like this happening. There isn't some national agenda going on though. If there was, well... it wouldn't matter anyway because our government wouldn't be capable of carrying it out successfully. :laugh:

[theyarecomingforyou]

I'm not arguing that. It's still far from "Nazi Germany" though, and this stuff happens on a more frequent basis than you think, regardless of race as well.

I don't disagree, but socially the US is becoming more radicalised and there are clear parallels with Nazi Germany. Numerous intellectuals have made that case.

[jerzdawg]

I don't disagree, but socially the US is becoming more radicalised and there are clear parallels with Nazi Germany. Numerous intellectuals have made that case.

The leading leftwing intellectual says this and that makes you on board with his thoughts on the us and fascism?

[theyarecomingforyou]

The leading leftwing intellectual says this and that makes you on board with his thoughts on the us and fascism?

No, he is simply one of numerous sources that support what I have observed for myself.

[+Raze Subscriber²]

No, he is simply one of numerous sources that support what I have observed for myself.

You have observed this while in the US?