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[Syriel]

I almost want to scream "Admiral Akbar" over and over on my next flight to see what will happen.

I can see the headlines now.

"Star Wars fan arrested after little old white lady mistakes him for ISIL terrorist on Southwest flight. Southwest brags about "keepin' 'dem terrorizers off our planes!""

 

[Dancing Queen]

Of course terrorists will tell their plans to blow up the plane during a cellphone chat. Inside the plane.

 

[Whitephantomzx]

I wonder if people realize that Allah is a direct translation of God. An Arabic Christian calls there God Allah. I'm waiting to see how people will react when they search a Christian for a being an Islamic terrorist.

 

[Messofanego]

This is so frequent that I can't help but laugh by now. Maybe that woman doesn't live in multicultural places so she's never heard Insha Allah or anything Arabic as a common phrase in a conversation.

 

[Shaanyboi]

It'd be funny if it wasn't so accurate to how this lady acted...

 

[Vilix]

Where is this from? Looks hilarious.

 

[RustyNails]

Where is this from? Looks hilarious.

Harold & Kumar 2

 

[Goro Majima]

Okay so I get with air travel you're going to have to investigate situations where a passenger thinks they heard some threatening stuff. People are tense when they fly and its long been a joke that you probably shouldn't say "bomb" on an airplane.

I'm really shocked that Southwest had someone that spoke Arabic come talk to the guy (which should have easily cleared it up and everyone should have been able to go on with their day) and that they still went and treated him like a potential terrorist. Is there some kind of protocol that they have to follow or something?

 

[Kinitari]

My Arabic is a bit rusty, but I'm flying down to Utah in two weeks... Should I practice it on the plane?! I'm almost curious to see what would happen

 

[Kinitari]

This is so frequent that I can't help but laugh by now. Maybe that woman doesn't live in multicultural places so she's never heard Insha Allah or anything Arabic as a common phrase in a conversation.

She'd probably end up hearing "bint'l kalb" more than anything else anyway.

 

[Soule]

Too much fear in the world.

HUG BUTTON

Off-topic but I didn't realise this was on steam, bought.

 

[nib95]

Pathetic. The combination of ignorance, racism, fear and cowardice is a dangerous thing.

 

[HariKari]

“Why were you speaking Arabic in the plane?”

Pretty sad to see this asked in the United States.

 

[bionic77]

Do ever take the person who is afraid of whatever off the plane?

Weird that the passengers can control who flies and who doesn't.

 

[Anion]

"Why were you speaking Arabic in the plane?”

'Merica, the free-est country in the world.

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

It's obviously a brilliant new strategy terrorists are using by loudly making threats before the plane takes off.

 

[Fuzzery]

He could totally sue

 

[Bronx-Man]

I can't be the only one that immediately thought of that Chapelle's Show airplane skit after reading this.

 

[tirminyl]

This infuriates me.

 

[Mailbox]

'Merica, the free-est* country in the world.

I think editing in an asterisk is in order


This story is just sad.
I really wonder how much longer, how many years will it take for us to stop being stupid and fearful.

I hope it will be within my lifetime, but I doubt it :/

 

[mrmisterwaa]

I think editing in an asterisk is in order


This story is just sad.
I really wonder how much longer, how many years will it take for us to stop being stupid and fearful.

I hope it will be within my lifetime, but I doubt it :/

People will always be frightened of what they do not understand.

I really hope that people eventually reach a point where they start questioning instead of blindly accusing people.

 

[zelas]

My Arabic is a bit rusty, but I'm flying down to Utah in two weeks... Should I practice it on the plane?! I'm almost curious to see what would happen

Get a picture of whoever reports you.

 

[Montresor]

They joined in!

It was a great couple minutes; gave me a good story to share with folks, lol

Fuck them. Like someone else said, yours was genuine laughter and theirs was nervous laughter.

 

[Heshinsi]

She'd probably end up hearing "bint'l kalb" more than anything else anyway.

Hehehe

 

[SliceSabre]

If inshallah (or allahu akbar) is associated with terrorists, then every single muslim must be a terrorist.

Reminds me of a NPR story about a imam and part of the side discussion you could hear in the story was him telling his class they want to avoid prayer on planes or saying Allahu Akbar because it would attract negative attention to them.


Sad that that he even has to do that. Its akin to black parents having to telling their kids how to act when police officers are around to avoid getting shot.

 

[AJ_Wings]

She'd probably end up hearing "bint'l kalb" more than anything else anyway.

Lololol

 

[Nathan_Drake]

If inshallah (or allahu akbar) is associated with terrorists, then every single muslim must be a terrorist.

I was wondering what this associated phrase is as well. If it was God is Great, God Willing, or a number of other common phrases that are used while driving, playing sports, or talking to friends and fam that is just ignorance. Did the passenger that overhead him speak Arabic? Or did he just hear Allah Akbar? Context is kind of important.

That would be like me on a Fars Airlines flight saying that the Golab Jamen was da bomb and getting removed. It was a compliment! Ha


Life is sad

 

[Enco]

This is so frequent that I can't help but laugh by now. Maybe that woman doesn't live in multicultural places so she's never heard Insha Allah or anything Arabic as a common phrase in a conversation.

Not funny for brown people.

So disgusting that the airport staff would even entertain this instead of supporting the customer.

Fuck everyone involved.

 

[Regginator]

 

[astroturfing]

I must admit though, that shit is infectious. I've felt a jolt at times when someone unexpectedly start to speak Arabic on public transport, and I somewhat hate myself for it. I would never dream of acting on it, but for some reason the instinctive xenophobic fear is there anyway.

yep.. a short time after the Paris attacks which really wrecked my mind, i was attending some public event with loads of people in a lecture hall, and two arabic looking guys dressed in black with backpacks on, stood in the entrance and looked quite angry to me, i noticed the other one had a logo on his shirt that looked like the Islamic State logo. i thought this is it, we're all going to die, they are blocking the exit and they're about to get their guns from their backpacks.. i felt physically ill.

of course seconds later i realize it was just some engineering students, looking intently for a place to sit down in the crowded lecture hall. and the logo was no IS logo of course, when they got closer it just looked like some random lines. i don't have the best eyesight so from a distance i guess i saw what i wanted to see.. or rather didn't want to see but my brain went into overdrive from the first "cues", and filled out the blanks.

totally embarrassing but true.

 

[Nivash]

Okay so I get with air travel you're going to have to investigate situations where a passenger thinks they heard some threatening stuff. People are tense when they fly and its long been a joke that you probably shouldn't say "bomb" on an airplane.

I'm really shocked that Southwest had someone that spoke Arabic come talk to the guy (which should have easily cleared it up and everyone should have been able to go on with their day) and that they still went and treated him like a potential terrorist. Is there some kind of protocol that they have to follow or something?

Probably a guideline based on a simple cost-benefit analysis. Investigate and letting him stay = risk of uproar on the plane and expensive delays if the person who reported him throws a fit. Forcing him off = airport police detaining him if he throws a fit to no expense to the company and no risk of expensive delays. They're basically applying the "problematic passenger" standard to him even though he didn't actually do anything.

As long as there are no real downsides to doing what prejudiced passengers say they will continue to do it. That's why he should probably consider litigation to apply some counter-pressure and make them think twice before discriminating against Arab speakers in the future.

 

[Newtype-001]

Man how fd in the head are some people to ask why are you speaking your language?

 

[Kill Your Masters]

The terrorists have almost already won with how everyone is scared shitless and paranoid, you could probably cause mass panic if you go to a crowded area and just scream non arabic jibberish, like Apu when they're crossing the border.

https://vimeo.com/132275057

 

[siddx]

My students say inshallah all the time, as well as walla, yalla, and shaku. So of course now I say those words all the time as well. I hope to use them as much as possible this summer back in the US just to see the looks of confusion on peoples bigoted faces when they hear it and look around expecting Abdul Aziz and instead get my white pasty Jew ass.

 

[Linkyn]

Ah, the beauty of prejudice and ignorance (literally). At least he was able to resolve the situation.

I can't be the only one that immediately thought of that Chapelle's Show airplane skit after reading this.

That definitely came to mind. I've rarely seen a more succinct bit of social satire.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

lol..Ridiculous.

 

[The Flash]

This is like the "medicine is for goat" scene from Terminal but worse

 

[Koomaster]

America needs to get it's act together. Like mandatory racial sensitivity classes taught in school or something.

 

[grimmiq]

I want to see this article for the sheer vindication it represents. I hope this is true.

It's from truthorfiction, an "eRumor", so probably just a story that never happened.

On a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, a middle-aged, well-off white South African Lady has found herself sitting next to a black man. She called the cabin crew attendant over to complain about her seating.

“What seems to be the problem Madam?” asked the attendant.

“Can’t you see?” she said ” You’ve sat me next to a kaffir. I can’t possibly sit next to this disgusting human. Find me another seat!”

“Please calm down Madam.” the stewardess relied. “The flight is very full today, but I’ll tell you what I’ll do-I’ll go and check to see if we have any seats available in club or first class.” The woman cocks a snooty look at the outraged black man beside her (not to mention many of the surrounding passengers). A few minutes later the stewardess returns with the good news, which she delivers to the lady, who cannot help but look at the people around her with a smug and self satisfied grin: “Madam, unfortunately, as I suspected, economy is full. I’ve spoken to the cabin services director, and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first class.” Before the lady has a chance to answer, the stewardess continues … “It is most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade, however, and I have had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the circumstances, the captain felt that it was outrageous that someone be forced to sit next to such an obnoxious person.” With which, she turned to the black man sitting next to the woman, and said: “So if you’d like to get your things, sir, I have your seat ready for you…” At which point, apparently the surrounding passengers stood and gave a standing ovation while the black guy walks up to the front of the plane.

 

[jufonuk]

where is this from?

 

[Malyse]

Should sue.

 

[Altazor]

TRY SPEAKING AMERICAN, IT'S THE ONLY LANGUAGE I UNDERSTAND

 

[dabig2]

where is this from?

Harold and Kumar 2: Escape from Guantanamo Bay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfilaKrnAhQ

 

[Stinkles]

Kinda crazy that the FBI already had a deep file on him, and an unlucky coincidence that he has an objectively deep file anyway (his Dad, Abu Graibh, etc).

Still, as long as the TSA keeps yelling at my seven year old to take off her flip flops, I feel safe.

 

[spekkeh]

Kind of feel like there's more to the story if even the Arab flight attendant got cross with the passenger. And yes the woman was wrong, but why are we ignoring that he was in fact talking about Islamic State?

 

[RS4-]

Should bring up charges against the whole fucking company and the shit woman that reported him.

 

[Kinitari]

Kind of feel like there's more to the story if even the Arab flight attendant got cross with the passenger. And yes the woman was wrong, but why are we ignoring that he was in fact talking about Islamic State?

He Went to a lecture where Islamic state came up, and was talking about it. I don't think anyone is ignoring it, so much as no one realized you aren't allowed to talk about it.

 

[DrForester]

Kind of feel like there's more to the story if even the Arab flight attendant got cross with the passenger. And yes the woman was wrong, but why are we ignoring that he was in fact talking about Islamic State?

Says right in the story why he mentioned Isis.

Maybe any Arabic speaking GAF members can answer this, but how would Isis be pronounced in Arabic? Does it sound anything like "Isis" when spoken? Not that it really matters, the lady that reported him probably couldn't make out anything other than "there's a brown man talking funny".

 

[Nollemaster]

Not surprising. I can always see other people on the bus becoming visibly nervous when some folks start talking Arabic to each other.

 

[SlimySnake]

He said he has no plans to pursue legal action against Southwest Airlines but he does want the company to apologize for the way its employees treated him.
.

ummm no. You SHOULD sue the shit out of them. otherwise they will never learn. We need to be cunts and sue the shit out of these racist assholes.