Posted on 01/03/2002 1:10:30 AM PST by kattracks
An Arab-American Secret Service agent assigned to protect President Bush has hired an attorney after being kicked off a commercial flight on Christmas Day, officials said yesterday.
The agent, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was questioned about his identity before being barred from the American Airlines flight.
Civil rights attorney Christy Lopez of the Washington law firm Relman & Associates has taken the case, said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The council has filed a civil rights complaint alleging the pilot ordered the armed agent off the plane only because he was an Arab-American.
Bush said last week that he would be "madder than heck" if his bodyguard was booted from the flight because of his ethnicity.
The American-Islamic group announced yesterday that a passenger who was sitting next to the agent on American Airlines Flight 363 has come forward alleging the agent was "kicked off the plane because of his race."
Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin declined to comment.
American Airlines claims the pilot ordered the agent off the flight to Dallas-Fort Worth because his paperwork contained "inconsistencies."
Ultimately, the captain is in charge of the airplane but the airline will probably pay for the guys early retirement out of court.
My feelings exactly
AA had one since 911. They also had the shoe bomber. They are just a little on edge and who can blame them. If the "AGENT" got his feeling hurt, so be it. Where was he when The TOON was using Monica as a humidor?
I hope the guy nails AA to the wall.
Just think... pretty soon this will be nation wide, with the Federal government doing the same, only on a massive scale, while folks who have been looking for and busting bad guys all their lives can only sit back and mutter "I told you so" when idiotic incidents like this, or worse, happen.
The entire situation is an accident waiting to happen again, and I hope that the agent to whom this outrage happened wins big in court. This is the only way, I think, that the entire lunacy of airport security procedures can be addressed effectively.
. . . wellllll, many things . . . a man's word was his bond; neighbors helped each other and enjoyed doing it;
AND--honest mistakes were taken as such and quickly overlooked and forgotten. . .
And sometimes, even not-so-honest mistakes were overlooked quicker than warranted in the interest of a peacable community.
I think this guy is carrying things much further than necessary. Most all of us would rather airlines etc. err on the side of being EXTRA cautious. Any Arab American who can't understand that has a number of countries of like souls to live in instead.
If the President wants to avoid so-called insult to his Secret Service protectors, then one would assume that given all our vaunted technology and communications capabilities, provision could be made to minimize such potentialities. If the rush of events has prevented such attention to detail, then the airlines are unlikely to have earned any guilt any more than anyone else involved in adjusting to a new world disorder.
Let the guy take an aspirin; take a walk and calm down. Enough fuss over this already yet!
Should I be harassed anytime I'm within a mile of an abortion clinic because I'm a Christian, and those pesky Christians have blown a few up and killed a few doctors?
If you're driving a truck or van filled with explosives? I would certainly hope so!
As I understand the problem with the SS agent, it was because he was carrying a gun. We don't know the details but his behavior (arrogant?) could have been the root of the problem.
The SS agent is Dubya's bodyguard; the pilot was responsible for everybody on that plane.
Secret Service Agent Denied Flight
As far as bigotry goes, how far do we have to be pushed to get tough? How long are we going to allow groups like CAIR to operate subversively under the guise of "tolerance"?
BTW, the agent sought out CAIR on his own, according to this story.
We have a family wedding coming up, and the largest contingent -- from New York City -- is booking on American Airlines, as a show of patriotism. They're being hammered by more than terrorists.
No insult intended to individuals of this or that nationality--but would we have tolerated too easily Japanese or German Secret Service agents in WWII? Did we? How do we insure something won't snap in their spiritual/emotional/relational/philosophical/political values some day and instantly end them up on the side of the enemy? Are they REALLY VETTED all THAT well? Is it possible to vet that well short of supernatural Holy Spirit insight?
I've never given it a lot of weight but a number of prophet type people for decades have had images of a president assasinated by sleeper Secret Service agents.
I'm just not sure it's possible to be TOOOOOO CAUTIOUS in the current climate. . . . not need to be unreasonably paranoid--but logically cautious--why not!!!?!!!
The agent reportedly offered to contact his supervisors to assuage the pilot's concerns.
Yeah, after losing a few multi-million dollar lawsuits the pilots will stop all this nonsense of trying to make their planes safe.
Doesn't do much to ignore the rational fear that non-Muslims have of Arab-looking men (who have sworn to kill us). At least the millions of innocent Arab-looking men who are being grouped with the terrorists could/should come out against the terrorists. That's not happening though, which only serves to cement fear.
Although I am wearing asbestos, I hope that you try to bridge this with me- I don't understand why you are angry at non-Muslims for something being done to you by Arab-looking men claiming to be Muslim. Why aren't you angry at those Arab-looking men claiming to be Muslim?
Which paperwork requirements? The on-file Secret Service policy? The agent's compliance with that policy? The specific notification form required by FAA Regs?
Unless you were there, you have no place in making such an assertion.
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