So I just read a Reuters article about this Alaskan airline flight that had to make an emergency landing due to what was thought to be a terrorist attack! You can read the full article here for more details, but I needed to voice my thoughts to you fine, sane people and get your feedback!
It amazes me when I read these kinds of articles, specifically about the false alarm plane hijackings, or false alarm airport security scares. Statistically speaking, it's probably bound to happen, I guess. There are how many planes taking off every day? With how many passengers? So one could assume that at least a small percentage of those people are idiots... But here we are, 10 years after 9/11, with sooo much talk about airport and plane security on the news, and you still have idiots...it floors me.
Enter Idiots, Scene 1, Act 1:
So these Orthodox Jewish people (but it could have as easily been any religion), while in flight, decided it to be the time to practice some kind of prayer ritual and ended up frightening the crew (which required a total flight deck lock down), frightening all the people on board, frightening everyone on the ground, and required the response of the fire crews, foam trucks, the FBI, the TSA, and local police! Now tell me, what exactly were they doing that couldn't wait? Prayer? Give me a break...
Now normally, one could make the argument 'It's their religious freedom!', and I'd be right behind you on that, but I have to say, this wasn't just a mumbling of some prayer... These guys strapped small black 'prayer' boxes to their arms and foreheads with big black leather straps and started chanting in a foreign language! Chanting in a foreign language! Seriously? I understand religious freedom, but that means freedom from religious persecution, not freedom to scare the shit out of people with your nonsensical religious practices! While we live in the most frightening time in aviation's history (perceived as such anyway), at least have the courtesy to inform the flight attendants that you're about to do something bat shit crazy! But more to the point, could we tone down on the religious practices, at least for the duration of a flight! Scaring the bejesus out of a plane load of people and their families on the ground, and requiring the attention of no less than 5 types of emergency respondents is not ok! No matter what it is you are doing! Where does the line get drawn between someone's religious freedom, and my freedom to not have the shit scared out of me? Should I have to endure a 3PM ritualistic slaughtering of a goat too?
While not religious myself, I support religious freedom, but not at this cost. Want to board a plane? Then sit there, keep your mouth shut, and enjoy your beverage, pretzels, and in-flight movie until the plane lands. Your religious freedom allows you to sit there and pray quietly, period. Don't expect me to be up to speed on every religious practice out there, and not freak out if yours so happens to include tying yourself up with a black box stuck to your forehead and chanting in a language I don't understand. If that's something you must do, do it on the ground! At least on the ground, if I deem it necessary, I can run for my life! Consider it something on the long list of things that have no business being done at 40,000 ft with a large group of captive strangers.
These people should be jailed for causing undue panic in an already sensitive situation, and be on the hook for costs to the taxpayer caused by this little stunt! Religion has had a free ride to do whatever it wants for far too long.
No comments:
Post a Comment