Would you have freaked?

[lifesaver]

I would. Actually, I would have downed about 20 Xanax with a whiskey chaser.

In brief: An Annie Jacobsen's article from WomensWallStreet about her harrowing experience on a Northwest flight from Detroit to Los Angeles in June. Jacobsen's fellow passengers included 14 Middle Eastern men, most of whom boarded separately. Once the plane was in the air, according to Jacobsen, the men began gesturing to each other and congregating in large groups near the lavatories, which they took turns entering, in some cases with mysterious packages. One went into the bathroom with a full McDonald's bag and emerged with it nearly empty. At one point, seven of the 14 men stood up in unison and all made for the lavatory simultaneously.

Jacobsen reports that she, several other passengers, and the flight attendants were alarmed, in some cases to the point of near panic. What could the men have been up to?

http://womenswallstreet.com/WWS/arti...&articleid=711

[moe.ron]

Here come snopes to the rescue:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/skyterror.asp

Another article about her

Yet another article about her

[Kevin]

I think anyone in that situation would probably be a little uneasy.

[TheEpitome1920]

I sleep on planes so I wouldn't have noticed. And if I was awake I wouldn't have freaked. I didn't think they would allow that many people to be up at one time anyway.

Well I wonder if they had been White would she have been uneasy??

That just put a knot in my stomach

[33girl]

Mr. 33 did a TON of graphic work for that casino with his old company. I don't think he would be a bit upset if IT blew up (with no people in it, of course).

[wrigley]

Originally posted by TheEpitome1920
I sleep on planes so I wouldn't have noticed. And if I was awake I wouldn't have freaked. I didn't think they would allow that many people to be up at one time anyway.

Well I wonder if they had been White would she have been uneasy??

You do bring up a good point TheEpitome1920.

[Rudey]

Yeah it's not about ethnicities. It's about a bunch of people who know each other constantly getting up at the same time. The only time I wouldn't get freaked if it was little kids and then I'd be annoyed.

-Rudey

[DeltaSigStan]

20 Xanex?

Damn, when my friend railed TWO bars he fell and "broke" his face

HTF did you post?

[PM_Mama00]

Originally posted by moe.ron
Here come snopes to the rescue:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/skyterror.asp

Another article about her

Yet another article about her

That's funny, cuz the woman was interviewed on local news in Detroit and I believe they confirmed reports from other people on that plane.

Sometimes I wonder how correct snopes is.

[moe.ron]

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
That's funny, cuz the woman was interviewed on local news in Detroit and I believe they confirmed reports from other people on that plane.

Sometimes I wonder how correct snopes is.

Snopes didn't say something did not happen on that plane, they said that what she wrote was not fact but opinion. Several people on other board has used her account of what happen as factual info. Read the snopes.

[DeltAlum]

I certainly would have noticed the behavior. Anyone should. Sounds like this reporter either over-reacted or embellished her story. But I wasn't there.

A few months ago I was flying from San Antonio to Denver while the random gate checking of baggage was going on. At least four youngish white males were all chosen for a bag check, probably because they were traveling together and had one way tickets. That rang some computer's bells, I guess.

Turns out they were all military officers heading to a TDY station.

[lifesaver]

Seriously, I dont care that they were musicians. I'd still be freaked.

If a terrorist can learn to fly a plane, I dont think learning to play a violin would be that hard.

Epitomie, youre right, if they were white I might not have reacted at all. But I dotn remmeber a plane full of Norwegians hijacking anything on 9-11. For that matter, I wouldnt have freaked if it was 15 african-americans. I also dont remember a plane full of Kenyans hijacking anything on 9-11.

As Steve Harvey said tonight on the Bill Mahr show, "If your last name is hard to pronounce, and its got an 'h' and a 'j' in it close together, I'm gonna be a little nervous."

[PM_Mama00]

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Does that mean the next time a white male w/ a shaved head gets on a plane with me I can be nervous too?

I have traveled on planes where I'd estimate that 70% (or more) of the plane was of Middle Eastern descent. And nothing happened. I'm not saying some of you don't have legitimate concerns, but don't let them overwhelm good sense.

Just a shaved or bald head, no. But I'm white and I'd be concerned if it was a shaved headed man wearing typical skinhead gear. This may sound dumb but I assume that it'd be someone who looks liek they belong in American History X. Sorry, I'm from the suburbs of Detroit... I've never seen a skinhead before.

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by swissmiss04
Does that mean the next time a white male w/ a shaved head gets on a plane with me I can be nervous too?

I have traveled on planes where I'd estimate that 70% (or more) of the plane was of Middle Eastern descent. And nothing happened. I'm not saying some of you don't have legitimate concerns, but don't let them overwhelm good sense.

Swiss, your retort ignors the essence of the discussion. The author, (and for that matter, me as well) wasnt freaked out that there were men of middle eastern descent on the plane. As a matter of fact she had had conversation with one of them before she boarded. It was the actions of the men once on the plane that freaked her out.

I wouldnt be freaked out by 15 middle eastern looking men on my flight. If they all got up and acted all freaky, then I'd be in a panic.