anrkitec, I think it is actually simpler than you make it. Many of the people that supported the AA captain did so because they are associated with the airline industry or atleast feel they are associated. Also there is a good reason from the history of aviation, of captains following orders to take off or not stopping a flight because of concerns about aircraft status that resulted in accidents that most want the pilot to have authority to decide all issues. I think that the pilot is most qualified to make decisions about the things that he has knowledge of and security is not one of them.

I also think that most people do not have enough exposure of law enforcement personel except in a negative way and therefore it is easier for them to believe that the officer would be a nazi, because the last officer to pull them over did not believe the reason why they ran that stop sign.

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Robert