“Can you get them to boycott all airlines and air travel? I mean, if Muslims aren’t flying on airplanes, they can’t fly them into any more buildings.”

Heh, I didn’t think of that. Nice one.

These imams weren’t removed strictly because they were Muslims..but because of certain behavior, combined with the fact that they appeared to be adherents of a religion that has many members who condone violence against non-Muslims.
It’s the profile, added to the behavior and the attitude that results in the unpleasantness.

And that’s something Muslims are unfortunately going to have to deal with, given 9/11 and the unfortunate reluctance of a number of Muslims to publicly take our side in the War against Jihad. Now, talk about offensive…

Left by Nazar on November 21st, 2006 at 6:56 pm

I admire your ability to know the truth of what happened, without personally seeing any of it. The spokesperson for the airline says she doesn’t know what they did to trigger suspicion, yet you already have concluded that they acted suspiciously.

Your posting on this adds credibility to the account of the people removed from the flight. Too many Americans are bigots and cowards, frightened into wetting themselves by anything to do with Islam.

Left by Dan on November 22nd, 2006 at 7:42 am

Fair deal, Dan.

I’ll take the word of the crew and passengers:

Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport official Patrick Hogan said that “there were a number of things that gave the flight crew pause” about the imams: some of them had made anti-American statements before boarding the plane, and some asked for seat belt extensions despite not appearing to need them.

And you take the word of a bunch of Imams who have connections to terrorists and terrorists supporting groups:

Imam Omar Shahin was involved with the Islamic charity Kind Hearts, which has had its assets frozen by the U. S. Treasury Department because of its connections to the terrorist group Hamas.

The moment Islamists quit trying to blow planes up with shoe bombs, or with bombs contained in baby formula bottles, or flying our planes into our buildings…then maybe we can let up on the suspicions a bit.

You act like fear is a bad thing. It’s not; it’s quite normal and healthy.

Left by Robbie on November 22nd, 2006 at 9:27 am

The day that our lawmakers put political correctness before safety will be the day that there will be a revolution in this country.

Left by dianne on November 22nd, 2006 at 9:59 am

Plus, it was some of the passengers who expressed concerns, because the immams were openly praying in public, which is said to be standard behavior for a terrorrist about to embark on a jihadist mission. It’s easy to criticize people who have to worry about the potential consequences of getting on a plane with somebody that acts in a suspicous fashion. I have to wonder what they themelves would do.

I have a perfect response to the immams thratened boycott, and that is, all Americans should simply stop flying on planes until the airlines come up with a sensible strategy to deal with this issue, one that is not challenged in the courts by the ACLU, at least not successfully.

That would be the appropriate “revolution” Dianne was talking about.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 22nd, 2006 at 4:00 pm

I wouldn’t be a wuss and complain about people praying. But I’m not a republicoward.

Left by Dan on November 22nd, 2006 at 7:31 pm

If 6 Muslims all stand at the same time and start praying aloud to Allah, and then refuse to follow the orders of the crew and airport security…they deserve to be tossed off by armed officers.

Oh, and best quote from Tucker Carlson tonight while talking to one of the terror-apologist from CAIR: “Being anti-Islam does not make someone a racist”.

Left by Robbie on November 22nd, 2006 at 10:17 pm

Here’s what Dan would do. He would be so inspired by those six Muslims praying, he would say, you know that really makes me feel bad because I haven’t been praying like I should. I think I’ll take some time to do that now. It will cause me to miss this flight, but that’s all right, I can get the next one. I’m not in that big a hurry. HHaHaHaHaHaHaHa.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 22nd, 2006 at 10:30 pm

Robbie, Tucker is technically correct, as Islam is not a race. But that doesn’t mean that you’re not a bigot, does it?

And, PK, I’d take the plane. Remember, I’m not as easily frightened as the republicowards. A little prayer never hurt anyone.

Left by Dan on November 23rd, 2006 at 12:28 pm

You’d be surprised how easily frightened you would be if you thought there was even a small chance that people you are on a plane with would blow it up in mid-air. Since you are such a fan of praying, though, perhaps God will allow your soul to visit your family every now and then, to remind them and encourage them to be loving, understanding, and tolerant.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 23rd, 2006 at 3:23 pm

I agree with Nazar. It was not because of the the religion or the race of the people who were denied boarding. It was their “behavior”. The airline doesn’t know the religion of anybody who boards a plane. Neither do they know the race. An airline can deny anyone boarding if their behavior is not acceptable, including drunks, people who smell or are offensive in any way. Did the airline say to these people they were not going to let them board because they were Muslim or Arab? I seriously doubt that since Muslims and Arabs fly all the time. The issue was the behavior of these guys. They could have prayed silently or separately or sitting down but instead, in my opinion, chose to make a scene and raise suspicion and they deserved what they got.

Left by dianne on November 23rd, 2006 at 8:40 pm

PK - wrong again! I’ve stayed on a boat that was threatened by terrorists, even though I could have gotten off. Those terrorists happened to be Catholics, but it wasn’t who they prayed to that gave me courage. It had much more to do with what I believe than what they believe.

Left by Dan on November 23rd, 2006 at 9:17 pm

Ohhhh, they were Catholics, I see. How old were you? Did they threaten to take all the little boys downstairs to the lower deck and diddle around with them? How terrifying!!! No wonder you prayed, I bet those mean old Catholics really had you down on your knees, didn’t they?

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 23rd, 2006 at 11:47 pm

No, they threatened to blow up the boat with a bomb. I was 20.

Left by Dan on November 24th, 2006 at 11:11 am

Yet you could have left if you wanted to? So, how far would you have had to swim? Were you offerred a lifeboat or some other reasonably relatively safe way off the boat? Why did they offer you this? Where did this happen? What did they want? Why am I not believing you and thinking you are just saying this to make a point?

And why does it not matter to me if you are telling the truth or not? Just because you want to be a fool and trust in someone elses better natures to win out, that doesn’t mean the rest of us have to be obliged to operate on the same suicidal level.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 24th, 2006 at 12:50 pm

Could have gone ashore by boat from a ferry in Wales, bound for Cork, in August of 1980. It’s true, but you’re free to disbelieve me.

I’m not and wasn’t then suicidal. I just don’t frighten as easily as you do. 6 people praying don’t make me wet myself (especially if they’ve gone through security screening!).

I don’t mean to be critical of your cowardice. That’s one of the fine things about this great nation - if you’re a coward, you can stay out of harm’s way pretty well. But don’t let your cowardice impinge on people’s religious freedom (are we REALLY at the stage that people want to ban prayer in airports? Is that the right wing stands for now?).

Left by Dan on November 24th, 2006 at 1:55 pm

If you knew as much about me as you seem to like to think you do, you would know I’m not qualified to speak for the right wing any more than I am for the left. I’m totally independent of that bullshit. I’m glad to see though that you have faith in airport security. Aren’t you the person that’s been bitching about them removing these six people from the plane? Haven’t you read enough about those six peoples actions to realize that maybe, just maybe, the actions of removing them from the plane just might have been justified?

It’s one thing that they were praying. But they were doing more than just praying, they were engaged in other provocative actions that made them suspicous. Yet, you are complaining about them being removed. So you tell me now, is there any actions a Muslim or Arab can perform that would justify viewing them with suspicion? I wonder what it could have been.

If they had started shouting “Death to America” would that have been enough? I tell you what I think, I think if people like you were in charge of airport security, we would be in one hell of a fix. As you seem to think it’s more important to not offend a bunch of religous oriented savages than it is to save lives.

Honestly, knowing that there are people like you influencing public policy scares me a hell of a lot more than a relative handful of ignorant Muslim fanatics ever could.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 24th, 2006 at 4:55 pm

PK - Glad you acknowledge that you’re frightened of ideas and logic. But do you really think a pagan should be calling anyone else savage?

Left by Dan on November 24th, 2006 at 5:57 pm

To begin with, I feel obliged to remind you that it was pagans who civilized the world. Or are you totally unfamiliar with Greek and Roman history? Maybe you should take up the study. Perhaps you have brought into Conservative Christian propoganda to the point that you are unaware that our belief in democracy originated with the ancient Athenians , and the concept of seperation of powers was derived from the ancient Spartans, to say nothing of the fact that our legal code in general was derived basically from pagan Rome.

There is very little if anything at all you Christians invented that pagans didn’t already have on their own, including, believe it or not, laws against theft and murder, and expectation of respect for ones parents. So don’t feed me that line of crap.

I love reason and logic, as a matter of fact. Let’s see you exercise some, as of yet no examples have been forthcoming. What reasonable excuse can there be for somebody to feel comfortable getting on a plane with Arabs or Muslims that seem to go out of their way to act in a provocative, hostile manner? How the hell is that “logical” under any circumstances, let alone the current present day atmosphere?

You have systematically and purposely avoided any of the points made about these six immams, other than the fact they were praying in public. What about all the other stuff? The anti-American rhetoric, the demand to be seated in different areas of the plane, which under the circumstances could reasonably be interpreted as possibly for some strategic purpose? What about all that?

What about Richard Reid? When he bent down to set fire to his shoes, did the passengers on the plane overreact? Should they have been sued? Hell, after all, he might have been sufferring from some exotic disease that caused his feet to suffer from extreme cold, he might just need to warm them occassionally in this manner to keep the blood circulating. Maybe that wasn’t a bomb in his shoes after all, it might have been some rare, special medical device that he needed to help his condition.

But no doubt the evil pigs that run airport security covered this up to save face, and help the totalitarian Booooooooooosh regime maintain the illussion of being great terror warriors. I guess we should all be ashamed of ourselves, huh?

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 24th, 2006 at 6:38 pm

Everyone seems to be forgetting here something. I know for a fact that everytime anyone in the U.S boards a plane, their names are cross referrenced with the “No Fly List”, i think thats what its called.

So these 6 imams were not on the list ofcourse, they were sitting in the lounge and about to board the plane. That means they were not a flight risk.

Now lets say that the “No Fly List” didn’t have their names. If you were about to take the planes in to buildings, would you dress like an imam and attaract attention towards yourself by chanting aloud in public? If you answer yes to that question then you should make into “The Stupid Criminal of the Day” article.

These 6 imams were not singled out because what they were saying or doing threatened people, it was for the plain fact that they were muslims.

Left by zahid on November 27th, 2006 at 7:00 pm

I don’t believe Zahid’s logic works. If all it takes is not having your name on a no fly list to assume someone is not a terrorist, then why do they even bother to check anyone’s bags, run you through a scanner, etc.? It’s because the no fly list is only a list of KNOWN OR SUSPECTED persons of concern. It’s the unknown that is of more concern. Was Richard Reed’s name on a no fly list? Apparently it was not or he wouldn’t have been allowed to board.

Left by dianne on November 27th, 2006 at 7:14 pm

I think i do talk about that fact:

“Now lets say that the “No Fly List” didn’t have their names.”

Then I ask the common sense to decide if these people were any kind of a danger. Using the word Allah in prayer doesn’t mount to being a terrorist. It all boils down to knowing what Islam is. Like the saying goes, not to judge a book by its cover.

All the trained personnel on the airport, air marshalls on the plane etc didn’t think these 6 men were terrorists but one ignorant person’s slip that said Arab men are chanting and being anti-u.s was enough for everyone to go crazy.

So if I look Arab and sit on a plane and have a conversation where i curse Bush, do I automatically become a terrorist ? Suddenly the freedom to speak my mind doesn’t exist?

Reminds me of what happened in NY, black guy, talking about guns, fits the description, thats it, take him out with 50 bullets.

Left by zahid on November 27th, 2006 at 7:23 pm

Well stated, Zahid. Remember, the Republicowards tremble in the presence of swarthy men.

Left by Dan on November 27th, 2006 at 8:45 pm

Oh yeah, those poor misunderstood blacks in New York City, hell, all they did was ram an undercover cop with their car when he tried to pull them over, and then ram the police van that was blocking their path with their car-twice.

Left by Patrick Kelley on November 27th, 2006 at 9:51 pm

This article refutes the statement above that
“All the trained personnel on the airport, air marshalls on the plane etc didn’t think these 6 men were terrorists but one ignorant person’s slip that said Arab men are chanting and being anti-u.s was enough for everyone to go crazy.”

Left by dianne on November 28th, 2006 at 8:36 am

This Dan character is like many liberal, secular-progressives. He wants to be concerned about everybody’s rights, except the people in the right. Muslims can pray all they want. What they cannot do is sit in unassigned seats, they cannot argue with flight attendants.

They boarded as a group, but have their seats set up two in the front, two in the middle, and two in the back. They curse the United States, make statements about fulfilling the requirements of the Koran, and ask for seatbelt extensions they do not need.

This was a setup deal if there ever was one. They wanted to be kicked off the plane. Get real. The people sworn to protect EVERYONE who flys on a plane would be very remiss if they didnt detain these guys after all that.

Left by Scot on December 5th, 2006 at 12:31 am