Boy with Down Syndrome denied first class

[Sheromom]

Some people are so blinded by authority they will go to any length to defend abuse of power. It's a culture-wide form of Stockholm syndrome, I assume.

If the child was actually deemed a safety hazard, he would not have been allowed on any plane. They would not have taken the chance of "hoping" he would "calm down". That would be like "hoping" the shoe bomber will decide to change into bedroom slippers.

American decided their first class passengers were too important to be bothered by this young man. But as for coach passengers like me, tough luck. And that much is okay with me: I can cope with a little difference.

Reading you is always an inspiration to me!!!!!

 

[gitana1]

*my points

Originally Posted by gitana1
The facts are as follows:
1. No video or witness accounts thus far of a wildly out of control Bede.
*right-- so neither side wins that "fact" as there's no concrete evidence so hence, a lack of "fact"

The lack of evidence is often concrete evidence that something occurred or did not occur. Where's security footage showing an out of control Bede?

2. One video showing a calm Bede, a father and mother trying to explain why their son was being discriminated against (no yelling that I heard at all) and then finally, a mom crying in disbelief.
*video taken after alledged "wildness" occured cannot be used to support as "fact"
**if mother was not acting inappropriately why were airport police called to by AA to intervene? reports indicate she was argumentative, protesting loudly (maybe not "yelling" per se but again, semantics) and causing a scene. again, cannot be used as "fact" to support your assertion

The video was taken as the child was being prevented from boarding the plane. If he was calm then, it shouldn't matter if he was running around earlier. That makes no sense.

And how do you know that it was taken after alleged wildness? American Airlines has made that statement but corporations often lie or stretch the truth when the facts could lead to a judgment against them. Again, where's the security footage showing an out of control Bede?

Finally, please link to reports indicating the mother was acting inappropriately. If your child was being maltreated and discriminated against, would it not be appropriate to point this out and argue against this injustice? How does resistance suddenly become evidence of an out of control parent causing an unnecessary scene?

3. A boy denied a flight in first class due to "safety issues" but allowed a flight right after that, in coach - suddenly, the safety issues were gone.
*fact: segregated/isolated by second airline indicates a perceived safety risk

How does segregating a person on a flight by putting them in the back and not letting anyone sit within a row or two of them protect passengers or the crew? The policy of ALL airlines is to not allow dangerous, impaired, or out of control passengers to board at all. Show me one policy written anywhere, by any airline, that allows for the boarding of questionable passengers as long as they are segregated.

4. An American Airlines official trying to stop the recording that shows a calm boy playing with a hat.
*not proven why employee is "trying to stop recording" ... as i stated earlier, he might be mistaken and not know the rule, therefore no proven fact
**fact: child was calm some time after alledged "wildness" occurred

therefore, as i said, no facts:twocents:

No, it's not proven, but whenever I see officials trying to stop the taping of an "incident" it's not because they are "mistaken".

<modsnip> I know what is a "fact" and what can be used as evidence and how certain circumstances or facts can together, paint a picture.

<modsnip>

 

[gitana1]

maybe they don't feel it's necessary to do "damage control" or prove their POV at this point?

i'm not going to assume it's b/c AA is trying to hide anything... it's still early...


this past summer i attempted to get security footage from a 7-11 store where i was being verbally abused by a crazy man who ultimately followed me drive to work with a horrible case of road rage (honking loudly while driving thisclose behind me for 6-8 minutes before i managed to lose him in rush hour traffic) all because i politely asked him to move (his large *advertiser censored**) out of the doorway so i could exit the store. i was told only police would be able to access the tape, view them, use them. might be the same in this case... ?

BBM. Yes, kind of. Unless they have filed a lawsuit already and have propounded discovery, they would have no access to the security footage at this stage of the game. The airport or airline has no obligation to give this footage to them.

 

[Nova]

BBM. Yes, kind of. Unless they have filed a lawsuit already and have propounded discovery, they would have no access to the security footage at this stage of the game. The airport or airline has no obligation to give this footage to them.

As far as I'm concerned, the onus is on AA to prove that young Mr. Bede exhibited behavior that reasonably seemed to pose a safety hazard.

AA has had four or five days and hasn't released tapes that would meet their burden. All I've seen are pictures of a young man sitting quietly and chewing on the brim of his hat.

So until I see proof to the contrary, I think I am within my rights to assume AA is lying.

 

[Salem]

Stop "button pushing" in here, please. It is a sensitive subject. Agree to disagree and move on.

Thanks,

Salem