Student kicked off plane for speaking Arabic.

[SuperNova]

Hiku said:

Normchacho said:

What if his uncle doesn't speak English? Is he supposed to plan his conversations around being in public?

That's what I would do, on an airplane specifically.
I would text message if it had to be in Arabic. And if that's not an option, unless it's urgent, I'd wait until I get off the plane before having the conversation.
I've done similar things, not because I had to or should. For example, one time on my way home at night I went through a narrow forest path, and so happened to be on it behind a woman. I noticed she started walking faster, maybe thinking a rapist might be behind her, so I slowed down on purpose, and even took a different turn than I normally would, just to put her mind at ease. It sucks that we live in a world where women have to see any male as a potential rapist, but that's the reality of it, and it didn't cause me much inconvenience to help her not feel as worried.

Off topic ,I know, but can I just say, that I sort of love you for that? Lots of people don't even think about how women feel going somewhere alone at night. Be it a large empty street or a tiny forest path, and even fewer would have reconized her fear and slowed down for her.

Of course it's unfair. It's an irrational fear. As a woman, (or child for that matter) you're much more likely to be raped by someone you trusted. A friend, acquaintance or family member. But that's not the ones they are the most afraid of. They are afraid to be part of the rather small percentage that gets snatched somewhere and raped (or worse things) by a stranger.

 

On topic, this is just really really shit. It's also one of those things I couldn't imagine happening on a european flight (it probably did, I just have a hard time imagining shit like that). Our Arab community is way too large for someone to get worried over somebody just using the Arab language.

I get that the Airport had to respond to a 'security concern' but it's made even more disgraceful by the airlines subsequent refusal to even let him board on of their flights at all. In their place I'd have apologized for the hassle and lost time and upgraded him to first class free of charge on the next flight. THAT'S how you do customer service right.