A Facebook video is going viral of a lady who was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight from Baltimore to Seattle this past Saturday. Here’s how the guy who sat next to her (a Trump supporter, who was being attacked) describes the event on Facebook:
Just had the craziest experience ever on an airplane:
I’m boarding my flight from Baltimore to Seattle and approach my seat. I had an upgraded seat that I paid a little extra for because of the long 6 hour flight. As I approach my row I smile and motion to the husband and wife sitting in the aisle and middle seat that Imy seat was next to the window. I put my backpack in the overhead and the wife with a very stern voice says to me:
“Did you come here to cheer or to protest?”
“I came here to celebrate democracy ma’am”
… I knew this was going to be a long flight at this point. She then proceeded with: (somewhat paraphrased as my memory allows)
Her: “You put a crazed man in charge of the nuclear codes! You should be ashamed!”
Me: ‘Well we’re all entitled to our opinions here ma’am.”
Her: “And I’m entitled to get drunk and puke in your lap! I’m going to throw up right in your lap! You make me sick! Don’t talk to me! Don’t look at me! Don’t you dare even put your arm on that rest. You disgust me! You should be ashamed of yourself! You put a maniac’s finger on the button” (assuming she’s means nukes). You are a bigot. You should get off this plane!”
Me: “ma’am, by definition, bigotry is disparaging someone prior to knowing them simply by their beliefs and opinions. Thank you for being the very thing you preach against.”
She the proceeded with other various rantings such as my lack of critical thinking and other insults. Finally a flight attendant came over as you will see in the video followed by a supervisor informing that she would have to deboard the plane per captains orders.
After much fuss, airport police came and removed her from the plane. The lady across from me filmed that and was gracious to sent it to me. Many others around me defended me insisting the lady had caused all the commotion and was verbally assaulting not just me but others wearing various Trump apparel boarding the plane.
As the lady was removed I saw that I was surrounded by blacks, Latinos, Asians, and whites, all who had chimed in asking her to be removed and who had defended me. I was touched and moved knowing later that not all these people were trump supporters. The black man who took the seat next to me was a registered Democrat and he and I had a very good discussion about the beauty of free speech and coming together when people insult and commit acts of violence just for having differing views.
It truly was a great demonstration of AMERICA and its people coming together and standing up for one another. Hope you enjoy.
Here’s the video:
Regardless of where you stand politically, I think we can all hopefully agree that a plane isn’t the time and place to go on a political rant. This applies to both sides — recently a guy got banned permanently from Delta for going on an anti-Clinton rant.
Understandably a lot of people have strong feelings right now, and are emotional. Over the weekend we saw one of the biggest demonstrations in U.S. history. The right to express your opinions and protest the government in a respectful way is one of the greatest parts of living in a democracy. However, the way she approached it doesn’t seem especially respectful, and also isn’t the time and place to do it.
The dynamic with her husband is interesting. She keeps talking about how her husband’s mother died, though he seems mostly embarrassed by how she’s acting, as he remains quiet.
Based on what we know, it sure seems like Alaska handled the situation pretty well.
(Tip of the hat to Live and Let’s Fly)
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