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[Updates: WARNINGS About Usernames + New Video] What has become of our nation?

By SusanUnPC on January 2, 2009 at 9:39 AM in Current Affairs

We have another person who is USING the name workingclass artist who is NOT the same person who we all got to know and liked very much. They are two separate people, with two separate e-mail addresses and IP#s. The “imposter” will be banned. We do not tolerate the exploitation of a devoted reader’s username. (So, if you wondered why some of us were reacting negatively to the person posting today, it was because we thought it was the imposter, which it was. Special thanks to Reverend Amy for uncovering this; she should be a sleuth! If people wish to post here, they cannot use other people’s usernames. – Susan

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UPDATE: This is the newer video of the family members describing their experiences. The two gentlemen are quite articulate in expressing their concerns and describing what occurred.

Original Video:

The AirTran airline has refused to allow this family of Muslims (8 family members and a friend) to fly, despite the fact that an FBI agent directly interceded on their behalf. It’s abhorrent to me that a U.S. company would behave in this manner and I would hope that, if we have a choice, we all avoid flying on AirTran. We have enough REAL problems in this country without creating imaginary threats. As an American citizen, I apologize for the behavior of this un-patriotic American company.

The family’s spokesman is Atif Irfan, a U.S. citizen and tax attorney.

What does this mean? If ANYONE complains about you, no matter how ridiculous and biased the complaint, you can be denied boarding an airline. I hope this group sues the pants off AirTran. And I’d like to express my gratitude to the FBI agent who went to bat for these passengers.

But can you imagine how this story is going to play around the world? I remember a book that was a best-seller when I was a small child, which both of my parents read: “The Ugly American.” I guess we haven’t learned much in the years since, have we. For more, see today’s Paul Krugman column, “Bigger Than Bush,” in which he asks, “Did Alberto Gonzales, the former attorney general, really say, ‘I consider myself a casualty, one of the many casualties of the war on terror’?”


There is another, longer interview of two of the men who were refused boarding which just aired on CNN’s “American Morning,” and I hope that that video is up shortly. Both men are very articulate, very rational and calm — especially considering the gross insult they have just endured. But the woman in this interview explains exactly what happened very succinctly. Below, the news story:

From CNN’s “‘Safest’ seat remarks get Muslim family kicked off plane”:

A Muslim family removed from an airliner Thursday after passengers became concerned about their conversation say AirTran officials refused to rebook them, even after FBI investigators cleared them of wrongdoing.

Atif Irfan said federal authorities removed eight members of his extended family and a friend after passengers heard them discussing the safest place to sit and misconstrued the nature of the conversation.

Irfan, a U.S. citizen and tax attorney, said he was “impressed with the professionalism” of the FBI agents who questioned him, but said he felt mistreated when the airline refused to book the family for a later flight.

AirTran Airways late Thursday said they acted properly and that the family was offered full refunds and can fly with AirTran again.

“AirTran Airways complied with all TSA, law enforcement and Homeland Security directives and had no discretion in the matter,” the company said in a prepared statement. Watch how Muslims find climate of fear at airport »

Family members said FBI agents tried to work it out with the airline, but to no avail. iReport.com: Share your story

“The FBI agents actually cleared our names,” said Inayet Sahin, Irfan’s sister-in-law. “They went on our behalf and spoke to the airlines and said, ‘There is no suspicious activity here. They are clear. Please let them get on a flight so they can go on their vacation,’ and they still refused.”

“The airline told us that we can’t fly their airline,” Irfan said. … Read all.

  • Texas Playwright

    Air marshals, FBI did their job and cleared this family. All other passengers removed and rescreened, along with their luggage. Seems to me the system worked. So AirTrans, apologize and put that family back on one of your planes for their vacation.

    Common sense, America.

    • timb

      If you read it again, you’ll note that AirTran refused, even after FBI personally assured them the family was clear, to sell them a ticket. That’s discrimination and a violation of their civil rights. It’s also why a later spokesperson for AirTran, apparently after talking with corporate counsel, released a statement saying they were welcome to fly on AirTran again. AirTran acted irrationally based on the fears of passengers. If you think that means the “system works,” then you’ve never sat in a conference room listening a two year old cry and four year ask why “everybody hates because we dress different, Mommy?

  • workingclass artist

    Hmmmm…I read the article and it seems as if the airline offered a refund right?
    I don’t fault the other passengers for being upset…Sometimes a little paranoia is understandable if lamentable.
    given this occurred when there is major conflict in Israel/Gaza…Demonstrations all over the place…More anti-american blather…
    A group like this discussing “safest seats” in this climate is not very common sensical…Just plain sounds weird…

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      What????????

      When I’ve flown, I’ve often worried about which seats are the safest in case of a crash.

      You’re making up some VERY WEAK excuses for outright xenophobic bias.

      • NoTrollZone

        I’ll have to second your “what?????” Susan.
        I’ve had that discussion several times and heard other passengers have it several times. It is as common as asking “why don’t they serve peanuts anymore?”

        • NoTrollZone

          So some people overheard the family’s comments and got upset. Okay.. that’s within the realm of human nature (rather sad because its seems highly probable that the distressed people who reported the family probably were upset by their conversation because of their perceived nationality– seeing as the conversation of,
          “where is the safest place to sit” is so commonplace). The FBI investigated the incident and that’s fine.. that’s the system at work when a passenger reports a possible threat.

          But the fact is that the FBI cleared the family and the airline still refused to let them
          continue on with their trip. And that’s a big problem. That’s flat-out discrimination.

          • http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

            yes, refusing to rebook them is wrong! i missed that the first read through.

      • JulieD

        How sad.

        During a discussion of discrimination you’re threatening workingclass artist’s being able to voice an opinion.

        I would have expected better from you Susan.

        BTW: Some of us had loved ones who were killed on 9/11 and never noticed this Muslim family giving press conferences about how wrong that was.

        Does anyone know if there is a Muslim airline they could use which might make them feel more comfortable in the future?

        • Miss H

          I am not an attorney. But I think a privately owned aircarrier should be allowed to say who can fly on their airplane. Do you think the federal government should control all American businesses?

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      What are you doing at this blog anyway? You belong at FreeRepublic.com

      • workingclass artist

        Hmmm…will CTN be banned for stating the obvious as well?

        • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

          Well, if i had not received so many e-mails about your comments in other threads — those e-mails have come from both other readers and writers — I might have not been as harsh. Several people have been upset by your comments in other threads. That said, I apologize for being so blunt. But those other complaints were fresh in my mind as I wrote what i did above. Again, though, I am sorry if you found my bluntness objectionable.

          • JulieD

            You’re a good egg Susan. You have a big ‘ole heart/a big ‘ole brain/a big ‘ole work ethic.

            I think that several of us comment and post to share experiences and knowledge and occasionally to “vent” because a post is provocative (well done!).

            So, sometimes it feels like you got smacked in the face when someone comes back with an over the top or hateful/juvenile response or any response that isn’t a kudo.

            Some people complain to you about it and some people don’t.

            Now back on point:

            Is this isolated incident really a fair indictment of our nation? (Eg.: Haven’t airlines treated people of all races like shit for years?)

            Do you recall your refusing to let people use PEBO’s middle name? Do you think that it’s possible that as overly sensitive one way as these folks who complained at the airport were – maybe you are overly sensitive the other way? Of course not!

    • Mercedes

      I think it sounds weird too. Not all of the immigrant families from around the world living in the US are poor and downtrodden. Many of them work for federal and state governments and defense contractors. Some of them like to play games with each other, with our government, with their neighbors and co-workers, and with their native governments. Anyone who has seen these games in action may have a hard time taking ANYTHING at face value under current world conditions. Sadly, it is usually the upright, innocent people who suffer under these circumstances. On the other hand, safety should always be a priority for the airlines.

  • CTN

    Larry,

    NEWSFLASH: The United States of America has declared war on terror, which is a euphemism for saying that the US has declared war against radical Islam. Just check the FBI’s “most wanted” list — every one of them is a Muslim wanted for terror-related crimes.

    Unfortunately, however, we live in an age of political correctness that proscribes profiling based on race or religion, which means that 80-year-old women get strip-searched and olive-skinned middle-aged men with beards wearing skull caps and speaking with thick Arabic accents get a pass. Consequently, some folks get alarmed when they overhear questionable remarks from some Muslims on board an aircraft. I don’t blame the airline one bit, however I do blame the anemic cultural mores of our society.

    Welcome to America — where the innocent pay the price to accommodate the guilty.

    • timb

      olive-skinned middle-aged men with beards wearing skull caps and speaking with thick Arabic accents get a pass.

      And, have any of them done anything on those flights? No more terrorism on airplanes has been committed by these gentlemen (hint: most terrorist don’t commit acts with wives and three children in tow) than by your eighty year woman. Both are treated equally, because neither are guilty, CTN.

      Meanwhile, in your world, it’s fine when eight American citizens are drug off a flight and “questioned,” because they are Muslim? Leaving aside the obvious point that Pakistanis are not Arabs, what are to make of the last terrorist attempt to bonb an airliner, i.e. Muslim white guy Richard Reed? Maybe Muslims should wear a yellow crescent so we know who’s a Muslim? Or, maybe we should restrict “olive-skinned middle-aged men with beards” from flying without papers?

      Sort of a slippery slope, heh CTN

    • CentralMass

      I was on business last year and had my wallet stolen. For my return flight, after making the necessary calls, I was asked to arrive at the airport 4 hours early to undergo any necessary screening.

      When I arrived they had me stand in a special line. They were also randomly pulling people out of normal check-in lines for this special screening. Among the people they picked was a grandmother that I would place in her late 80′s traveling with her grand daughter. She was obviosuely an American citizen. The women was frail and walked with a cane. The granddaughter spoke with the TSA guards and explained that her grandmother had difficulty standing for long periods and asked if she could be excused. They politely refused the request, so she then asked if she could stand in line to assist her grandmother and they politely refused that request as well. It was obvious that the event was taxing to the women but she managed the best she could and said thank you to the screeners on the way out, as did the majority of us.

      From what I can tell, the TSA plays no favorites based on race or ethnicity

    • propertius

      Prior to 9/11, the worst terror attack on US soil was committed by Timothy McVeigh, a redheaded Irish Catholic from New York state. Should redheaded Irish Catholics scare me? Should New Yorkers scare me even more? Should the airlines refuse to sell them tickets – they could be terrorists, after all. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

      There are over a billion Muslims in this world, CTN. 19 of them committed the 9/11 attacks – that looks like 1 in 50,000,000 to me. I don’t know how many redheaded Irish Catholics are in New York state, but I know it’s less than 50,000,000. Are you sure that Irish Catholics are a safer bet?

      Come to think if it, this might be a good reason to oppose Caroline for Senate. ;-)

      • workingclass artist
        • ritamary

          And what is the point? This riot in Belgium is an excuse for an American airline to throw a Muslim family off a plane? After they were cleared by FBI agents and the TSA? Or it is just generally ok to mistreat any Muslims anywhere because a few are rioting somewhere? Please explain.

          • workingclass artist

            the point of my comment was to simply state the obvious and to be skeptical. Like it or not these are the times we live in and I never voted GWB into office in both elections. This is the result of the Patriot Act…
            I don’t agree with the actions and yet I certainly understand them. I’m sure this family will get a tidy $ettlement from the airline etc…
            To me the airlines actions speak as much about skepticism of the US GOVT. (FBI) as it does anything else…

            With regards to posting the rampaging link…I think it’s useful to point out that all kinds of things are going on…and to state another fact…JEWS are outnumbered everywhere it seems…so it was a response to the numbers quoted by propertius…that’s all…

          • stodghie

            you can also be so politically correct that you border on downright silly too. the family along with other americans have been pulled off flights also. they should have been put on the next possible plane with apoligies after being cleared. enough already!

      • /www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibsP6XN2dIo&eurl trixta

        Weren’t/aren’t the Kennedys sympathetic toward the IRA?

    • Jim S

      Here’s “the list” and other than Osama Bin Laden I have doubts about the remainder being Muslim.

      http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm

  • Peggy Sue

    This incident is unfortunate for the family and the message it sends [which will be utilized by those eager to point out fault lines in any and all security systems].

    Do I wish this weren’t the case? Absolutely. But illusion or not, people feel threatened in insecure times. We’re all reading the headlines and feel the bad winds blowing. There were a number of humiliating cases like this after 9/11. It doesn’t excuse the incident. It’s a cautionary tale, of sorts.

    We all need to keep calm, clear heads, so that reasonable uneasiness doesn’t turn into flatout paranoia.

  • http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

    it’s a tough one… I find my self so paranoid whenever i enter an airport. I go out of my way to not mention anything that can be misconstrued. Hyper-paranoid. (I had a friend (typical white dude) 20 years ago who was making stupid jokes with a flight attendent and got escorted off by marshalls, and spent the weekend in jail. She even told him she knew he was joking, but it was the law. they have to report anything and everything. And, as a former flight attendent, it is the requirement..)

    I do agree that it isn’t fair to profile, but I think some people are truly scared, and paranoid. We hear daily about abandoned packages, bomb threats, terrorist attacks, etc… and it does seem that most cases are coming from muslim extremists, or at least as reported. Hence the hightened sensitivity.

    The flight was leaving DC…maybe the people who complained knew victims from 9/11 and are super paranoid.

    I do think that a lot of people are honestly scared and paranoid. It isn’t fair to profile, but maybe the conversation really did freak them out??

    But, I agree, I have discussed which seats are safer, as well. but I don’t do ANY of that anymore anywhere near an airline.

    Hopefully there was nothing ugly and sinister at hand, but just some scared people who overheard something that freaked them out.

    What a nightmare for all involved! ugh! And I am sorry that family was embarrased like that.

    • workingclass artist

      I find it the height of irony…that after recently posting an article about being chased off Daily Kos because of your expression of dissent or criticism that you would accuse me of being a so called “freeper” and tell me to go there?

      I commented on a simple and obvious fact. editorials are designed to provoke consideration and comment.

      • http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

        you talkin’ to me?

        • workingclass artist

          no…American girl in Italy…
          I enjoy your articles and Susan’s. As far as I know Susan is the moderator…an I have landed on her S&*% list for some reason that puzzles me…
          *sigh*

          • http://americanpumainitaly.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

            there are two *workingclass artists* posting here. perhaps there is confusion happening.

            • workingclass artist

              Hmmmm…I take full singular responsibility for what has been written under this moniker on this thread anyway…
              Audio, Video, Disco…
              I hear, I See, I learn…

  • The Robot

    I understand why the passengers were upset – discussing the “safest seats” on an airplane is suggestive of a crash scenario IMO. This is not something for public discourse as one is making their way down the aisle of an airplane.

    However, I don’t see why the family was not allowed to continue on with a flight. I wonder if we are getting the whole story.

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      You make a good point. If they had been more self-aware, they would have realized that such conversation might have been misinterpreted.

      I will look for the other video that i saw, but which wasn’t available when i posted this.

      In that video, the man — the tax attorney — speaks at length. It is obvious that the guy is a BRAIN. His vocabulary alone is wonderful. It could be that they are all so intellectually inclined that they were jabbering amongst themselves utterly unaware that what they were saying might affect casual listeners.

  • I’m a Linda too

    OMG, that’s horrible. And what is the reasoning behind this horrific conduct by the airline? How embarrassingly ignorant and low.

    Sorry friends, I am as totally dumfounded at this airlines conduct to you as you must be.

  • http://vbonnaire.wordpress.com vbonnaire

    I love my country. It is my homeland — but these events escalating have the potential to wreak havoc in the fabric of the psyche of the world.

    Massive interventions are needed by the United Nations.
    Or the world will never be the same. The world loved us, and we loved the world.

    The media has inflamed the public for 8 years now — I see the events of this week as the last straw. The whole world has to come to the fore right now — and I just hope we have the diplomats on board.

    This is the moment that the United Nations MUST come to the fore, for the globe’s sake.

    They have a branch called the “Alliance of Civilizations” working on this right now — based on that book “Clash of Civilizations” –

    It is up to the DIPLOMATS to restore order all over the world — they are the only ones who can.
    It is up to each country from now on in to stop terror all over the world. Only the educated diplomats of this world can do that.

    You know, I think the FBI is pretty great, especially here and also Robert Grant on Blago.

    Not everyone in the world is a bad guy are they?

    The media must be responsible citizens as well instead of air heads. A little investigative journalism is never a bad idea, is it?

    And where are the human interest stories of late?

    Repair that, and the world will not think we are uneducated imbeciles. Like Susan this event shows us a direction that things could go, the world has to intervene in a HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. The United Nations.

    hugs, and I see this a little differently because of my training — thanks for writing this Susan.

  • MrMike

    Life is not fair and bad things can happen to good people and vice-versa.
    While what happened to this family is unfortunate contrast it to the treatment an unescorted female, dressed in western clothing, would receive in this family’s country of origin.

    • Mort

      Whne does the behavior of a kook justify kooky behavior, in turn?

      You’re kidding, right?

  • Mort

    NOT that this is any way lessens the validity of Susan’s point, but traveling recently, a man and his companion were making a fuss about the snack served on a recent flight to the East Coast (turkey — apparently he was unfamiliar with airline service changes, some airlines charging two dollars now for a soft drink — the turkey was free, the rest of flight amazed at the perk).

    Having yet to take off, the pilot turned the flight around, and kicked him off.

    HE was one of those angry pudgy white guys, (we all know the type, perhaps a poster at soc.men, teh constant scowl on his face a dead giveaway), so I can’t say I wasn’t amused, but, you know, people DO have bad days, and an abuse of power is an abuse of power.

    He wasn’t loud, we really didn’t know anything until the pilot made the announcement.

  • Annie Oakley

    passengers heard them discussing the safest place to sit

    Follow the logic here. They wanted the safest place to sit because they were hijackers. They wanted the safest place to sit because they were going to blow up the plane. That makes no sense to me if this was the basis for this treatment.

    • Andrew P

      It makes no sense at all. The problem is that common sense, which ought to be employed in these kinds of situations, has been replaced by the same kind of herd mentality and group-think that is behind the anointing of our saviour Barack 0bama.

      “Like it or not, these are the time we live in,” someone posted above. “Better safe than sorry.” These are slogans that pass for thinking, just like “Change we can believe in.”

      In the times I’m living in, I can’t recall the last time a group of Muslims with their children who were overheard talking of safety on an airplane went on to commit a terrorist act. When, for that matter, referring to another comment, did an 80 year old granny? Yet we are supposed to feel good about the TSA because they harassed her just as much as Ahmed Mohammed from Dubai?

      What this incident illustrates above all is the willingness of people to let others do their “thinking” for them. Which suits the forces of control just fine. How many lives could be saved across this country with the investment in public health programs of a fraction of the amount now allocated for “security?” How many fatalities do we accept every year in other modes of transportation as the cost of “the times we live in?” Why not zero tolerance for highway fatalities, too? Standing up to terrorists is one thing. Diminishing our capacities as thinking human beings is another. We are steadily becoming an irrational society. And that means that the fanatics are winning.

  • Sonic Ninja Kitty

    I recommend they sue the airline so they can take hundreds of vacations (on different airlines). That would be the American way :)

    • HC

      LOL yes it would.

      • workingclass artist

        could happen…Best be careful of the beaches as they are immodest…lol

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  • Fran

    These people are articulate. They did not even complain about being singled out. Only that they could not continue on their trip after the FBI interceded on their behalf. It was like, at that point, what more do they have to do?

    WCA – No one is stopping you from speaking! But I do not blame them for calling you on what you’ve said here. Sometimes I agree with you, but in this case, I think you response is really ignorant sounding.

  • sayitisntso

    I worked for this airlines in ’07 and they have some of the dumbest and meanest workers from the ticket agents to the ramp people to the pilots. The company is hurting and an assistant manager told me off the record (before Thanksgiving this year) that they are winding down and not competetive. Translation: They will go out of business soon or be bought out. (This incident doesn’t help.) I would never fly this airlines, ever!

  • Asif Sheriff

    If I were in their place I would say the following to myself:

    I dont blame the passengers. It is only my kind that has created this impression of folks that are dressed and talk like me.

    I would scratch my head and ask myself if my family gave others ammunition to label us the way they did?

    I would try to rate myself and my families reaction to the incidence. What could we have done better? Did we act with patience or react with fire?

    I would ask the clergyman in my local mosque. Mr. Mulana XYZ, what steps are we taking as a community to avoid such stereotypes. I dont mean educating the passengers types about my kind….But about my kind trying to fit in the US of A?