Let Them Pray and Breast Feed

In September a couple on Southwest Airlines caught some grief for kissing and hugging. In October Emily Gillette was removed from a Freedom Airlines flight for refusing a blanket while breast feeding. In November six imams were removed from a US Airways flight for allegedly making anti-Iraq-war comments. Did Carl Rove also orchestrate a take over of the airline crews by the far right?
A friend asked my opinion on the imams’ issue stating that he wants the airlines to be as cautious as they can be but at the same time people should be able to pray. While all these sentiments are understandable the problem, I fear, lays elsewhere. It may be time to rethink the conditions under which the flight crews should exercise their extensive powers. Authority, personal biases, fear, and old fashioned prejudices make for a potent brew. Power drunk on this cocktail some flight crews are starting to resemble bouncers. These powers should not become the rod to punish social behavior (or quell a dissenting opinion) that some flight attendants find objectionable for their own reasons. The person who is being prejudicial may at times not even see it or know that he is capable of it. Michael Richards’ rant is a case in point. He did not think he was racist and under most circumstances he may act perfectly nicely. Something that night agitated him enough to inflict painful insults on his audience.
In the meantime, the imams should join a sit in with the breast feeding mothers at an airport where they can all get together conveniently. The imams can pray the mothers can breast feed.

Hu-Putin-Bush: That sounds like a question for the American public for putting George in the White House. But what are they up to here?

10. Donning Burqas to protest the Dutch government's intended ban on burqas.

9. Showing a culturally politically correct version of the clan's garb. It was one of the ideas for the design challenges on Project Runway that was eventually, and correctly, left out.

8. Showing solidarity with the Pakistani hijra community.

7. Showcasing the new radiation suits for protection against North Korean nukes.

6. Playing a game of Sahaeli Bujh Pahaeli while trashing Blair.

5. Showing they are all cut from the same cloth.

4. Figuring out whether putting this dress on Saddam would be a worse punishment than hanging him.

3. Determining whether these dresses can hide weapons and should be banned in public.

2. Determining whether these dresses can promote abstinence.

1. Their moms got them all the same costume for the Halloween party.