FR is all over the place on this one, from "Idiot got what he was asking for", to "United's HQ should be burned flat and its management should be drawn and quartered as a warning to other airline execs". I'm in the middle, maybe more on the side of the latter, given the facts that there was no need to escalate the situation like it was, the ease of avoiding the entire incident to begin with, and the general arrogance of United's management in their initial response. All the apologies afterwards were just spin control; the initial response is what they were *really* thinking.
All that being said, your point is an interesting one. "Insisting politely on your rights", certainly, is important. But everywhere? And every time? That's where it gets more sticky. At 2am on the side of the road when a cop pulls you over for a broken taillight? Maybe. Depends. How about the latest racial outrage from (fill-in-the-blank) urban area? "HE was a good boy! He wasn't doing nothing!" is insisting on his rights, even if it's 100% BS.
Regardless of the situation and who was right and wrong, there will be people lining up on both sides. Sad, but there it is.
Personally, I'd like to see the gov't get out of things entirely, and let the market settle the issue. Issues like the one being debated would drive companies out of business overnight, forcing them to put customer service as the top priority, always.
Sometimes you don’t insist. Sometimes it isn’t worth the downside, you think about the people depending on you and bite your lip while bowing your head.
Sometimes it comes over you...not this time.. and then you go for it. I can understand the impulse, he may be thinking the better of it now. People get tired of being pushed around and they take a stand. I do believe that’s why we are not Brits.