isn't it weird that the article only used a single source? That's not very good journalism is it? Don't you think some pertinent facts might have been left out? Perhaps the fellow was making a show of the book to tweak people and be cute? I recall some previous articles written with an eye towards demonizing those who ejected suspicious passengers, omitting key facts revealed in other articles that made the ejections seem much more sensible. The couple who opened the exit door? The guy who asked to leave the plane (after cabin door shut) to "get some papers" after other unusual behavior...


What we know is the guy wanted to board a plane with a book featuring a terrorist on the cover holding dynamite. The book itself was about a person whose primary activity consisted of bombing various things. That is a valid reason for arousing suspicion and extra attention no? Can you sympathise with the employees who were not comfortable boarding with him? I can. I don't know whether that means he should be denied boarding, but the employees are fully within their rights to make that call...

I think that airport and airline personnel were right to act on their suspicions. I would rather they stop people and ask questions than give every passenger the benefit of the doubt. Given that the kid's ticket showed a purchase date of September 11, that he had a book about ecoterrorism bombings, that he was unemployed and a recent college dropout, why not take the extra time and make sure that this kid isn't trying to pull a copycat incident or a copycat hoax?

And I do agree with Mike that there probably was more to the story. The article admits that the 22-year-old involved is the brother of an employee of the alternative paper that wrote the article. The whole article is the kid's recollection of the events; there's nothing from the national guardsmen or security officers involved. I would suspect that the kid showed some rudeness towards the security personnel that didn't help his case.


[This message has been edited by bry99 (edited 10-19-2001).]

Does anyone remember the signs in restaurants and bars?

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SERVE ANYONE

or something to that effect!

Sounds like something posting from "The Onion"

Does anyone remember the Kinky Friedman song, "We reserve the right to refuse service to YOU"?

The article clearly states that they spoke to:

1) Philadelphia Police department spokesman Cpl. Jim Pauley
2) Burt Zastera, supervisor of airport operations for United
3) United Airlines spokesman Chris Bradwig
4) A supervisor with Aviation Safeguard (the company United contracts to man security checkpoints in Philadelphia)
5) Philadelphia International spokesman Mark Pesce
6) FAA spokeswoman Arlene Salac

Whoe else should be inteviewed? God?

If the only thing the airline and security people were willing to say was "we don't comment on security," then there's not a whole lot of ways to use that critical information in the article.

As it says in the article -- and we all KNOW that it is 100% correct -- if this guy had made any clear, overt or even joking threat in any way, shape or form, he would have been handcuffed and arrested on the spot.

I agree that I'd love to hear the other side of the story, but there's no way this guy made a bomb threat and walked out of the airport under his own power. If anyone really believed he was a "potential" threat, he'd be in an interrogation room for the next 48 hours.

Seeing as all they did was make him leave the airport, he clearly didn't do ANYTHING that they could nail him for, which in today's climate isn't exactly a high bar.

benoit wrote:
I'm counting more than one source:

1) Neil Godfrey
2) Burt Zastera, airport ops sup for UA - who seems to admit something happened, but that he can't say more
3) several other folks saying they can't comment on security matters
4) Airport PR guy who says airlines can decide who does and doesn't fly and that stories like this may become more common

The paper appears to have contacted all the appropriate sources, but some have chosen not to comment.

Benoit asked:

"isn't it weird that the article only used a single source? That's not very good journalism is it?"

It appears that the City Paper reporter tried to get comments from other sources, such as United and the airport authority, all of whom would only say some variation of "no comment".

And one of the things they teach in PR101 is that if you don't give a reporter your side of the story, the reporter's going to write a one-sided story.

Hey artboy you beat me by a minute!

Hey, ask all the questions you like -- he's not complaining about questions. He's complaining about not being allowed to fly. And then being told that he could fly, showing up at the airport, and being told that he isn't allowed to fly AGAIN. And not being told why he's not allowed to fly.

I cannot confirm anything re the author or re the story. I can confirm the nice "newspaper" is a fluff freebie, is obtained from the rusty white kiosks on many flthy Philly street corners, and the latter half of it is exclusively ads for 900 numbers, out call lovelies, porno joints, 50 kinds of kinky massages etc........well you get the message. A NYT it aint in case you are interested in subscribing. I picked up a copy about 2 weeks ago. The price was right, and FWIT, I did not purchase any services advertised in it. Info at: http://www.citypaper.net/aboutus.shtml

MisterNice

What type of publication is City Paper?


Oops, I guess I was a minute tool ate with that question. Thank you, MisterNice, for confirming my suspicions.

[This message has been edited by cactuspete (edited 10-19-2001).]

LOL -- it's 4:15 on a Friday! What else do I have to occupy my time till we go drinking?

So I guess that means no more mystery or crime novels, since they are about people murdering people, and that could be dangerous and uncomfortable.

No more political novels, since there will always be someone in airport security or airline staff with opposite political views, and that could be dangerous and uncomfortable.

No more historical novels, since they describe awful events of war and terror, and that could be dangerous and uncomfortable.

The list can be made very long. I guess we all have to buy a romance book if we want something to read on the plane in the future.

Cactus Pete asked what kind of newspaper the City Paper is...

It's a free "alternative" paper, with separate and independent editions published in (at least) Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC. Editorially, I'd compare it to the Village Voice.

They're also known as a launching pad for talented young journalists, with several City Paper alumni going on to major media outlets.