Posted on 08/20/2006 2:10:04 PM PDT by World_Events
Passengers on a Manchester-bound flight have described how two men were removed from the plane because other travellers thought they were speaking Arabic. Heath Schofield, a passenger on the flight from Malaga, described it as being a "bit like Chinese whispers".
Monarch Airlines said passengers had demanded the men were removed because they were acting suspiciously.
Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood said it was disgraceful the pair seemed to have been judged on their skin colour.
The men - reported to be of Asian or Middle Eastern appearance - were taken from Wednesday's flight ZB 613 and questioned but were allowed to fly back to the UK later in the week.
Refusal to board
Mr Schofield, who was travelling with his wife Jo and their children, said: "We all started boarding the flight.
Heath and Jo Schofield were on the Manchester flight
"Our daughter noticed a couple of guys that were perhaps acting a bit strange. They went to the front of the queue, went to the back of the queue, and then they went and sat down by themselves.
"Anyway, we got on the plane and we boarded and it became apparent after we were already supposed to be flying that several of the passengers had refused to board the craft.
"A few rumours went round, it was a little bit like Chinese whispers, and then some more people decided they were getting off."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
The unanswered question: Why were the two men in question taken off the plane? There are answers implied, but it's interesting that none are given directly. Were the passengers correct?
Yea, whatever....it's about time that people stood up for their concern against those "religion of peace" members. It's their own fault...let's hope it happens more often.
Meadow Muffin
The passengers were absolutely correct. Even if these two were not carrying contraband and were as pure as driven snow, the passengers were absolutely correct.
When people start acting suspiciously and are dressed inappropriately for the climate, this is what you are supposed to do.
Actually, what you are supposed to do is start jumping up and down and demanding the police, or taking them down yourself. But, failing that, the passengers did the right thing.
As far as whether or not these two have anything to do with terrorism, my give a damn is busted on this one. If they were thrown out an Emergency Exit at 30,000 feet, I might be able to work up some concern, but it would be a big effort.
When the leaders fail to lead the people, THE PEOPLE MUST LEAD THE LEADERS.
If they don't like it, they should take it up with their local Imam, who is advocating terrorism.
Under the same kind of circumstances, I would be nervous, too and I would want the airline to boot off the suspicious passengers.
Of course, the Muslims are complaining that these passengers were victims of racial profiling. Well, when the so-called moderate Muslims start taking meaningful action against their extremist co-religionists, then maybe we can think about not offending their delicate sensibilities with racial profiling. Until then, they can just endure the indignities that their fanatic brethren are causing them to undergo.
And the emergence of an outraged Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood gives me a dead lock on any bets.
They should be - but aren't always. or how did all those other hijackings and bombing attempts occur?
Stay vigilant!
The public is waking up. Unfortunately, the forces of PC will shut them up and tell them that they are racist. This is unfortunate.
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Love that tag line. Put a smile on my face.
Only if the passengers undertook actions demonstrably against their own interests could we say they were IRRATIONAL.
As they acted in what they saw were their interests, they acted RATIONALLY.
Customers are entitled to feel safe, and hopefully there will be many more of these incidents.
"That is not what we want. The colour of your skin shouldn't identify what you are. It is a sad state of affairs that that has happened."
It is a sad state of affairs, but it is not one of our making. The Muslims have brought this upon themselves. Unless they reform, it is going to get a heckuva lot worse.
Here is another: "Muslim doctor wants apology from U.S. airline" http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/08/18/doctor-winnipeg.html
I would post it myself, but with all the restrictions on posting, I'm not sure what's allowed anymore.
I consider both of theses stories good news stories, the kind you want to read with morning breakfast to get the day off to a good start.
"Uh, that's not what happened. It was ok for the two guys to fly but the other passengers didn't want to fly with them. The pilot made the final decision though. What's interesting to me is that they were removed and questioned and the passengers were not told to fly with them or get off. Even luggage was searched and everyone re-screened. Officials obviously saw something that needed checking out too.
Time and time again companies or the authorities have made people bear burdens, the only comfort being, "This is for your own safety...!"
Yet, when the masses undertake measures of their OWN ACCORD, this is lambasted as INTOLERANCE.
How unfortunate that the media and the airlines wishes for us to have unsafe flights.
"Clearly we can't have a situation where ONE passenger decides that another passenger isn't going to fly."Obviously the person making the statement is confused.I believe the desire to have the two men removed from the aircraft was unanimous.
The Muslims have made their bed ...
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