Going to toilet got NZ Muslim removed from plane

[Amelia]

Going to toilet got NZ Muslim removed from plane

SATURDAY , 09 DECEMBER 2006

Stuff.co.nz

Human rights advocates say a New Zealand Muslim was publicly humiliated by an airline, after he was escorted from an aircraft when staff tagged him a security risk.

The man - a religious leader known only as Mr Adam - sparked the incident when he took a toilet break on the grounded plane, The New Zealand Herald reported today.

Mr Adam missed his flight and the overseas conference he was to address, despite having his passport cleared before the plane took off.

His case was highlighted in a report - 10 Human Rights Cases that Made a Difference - released by the Human Rights Commission today.

The report did not name the airline, but it was understood to be Freedom Air, the newspaper reported.

After Mr Adam laid a complaint, the airline replaced his ticket, provided financial compensation and a written apology, held staff training on cultural practices and reviewed how it dealt with security threats.

Mr Adam, dressed in religious attire, had planned to read religious texts on the flight and had gone to the toilet to perform ritual ablutions before takeoff. He spent about 10 minutes in the toilet.

Airline staff became suspicious, escorted him from the plane, checked his passport - he had dual citizenship and was not travelling on a New Zealand passport - and searched the toilet and aisle where he had sat.

Mr Adam was not allowed back on the flight because he had "upset the staff", but he was not told how he had done so.

The president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of NZ, Javed Khan, said although Mr Adam agreed to the outcome, nothing could have made up for the public humiliation he suffered. He still felt ashamed.

The airline's behaviour was appalling and in line with what he would expect from authorities in America, where the terrorism threat was more visible, Mr Khan said.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan said Mr Adam was treated poorly, and she praised the outcome.

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

Mr Adam, dressed in religious attire, had planned to read religious texts on the flight and had gone to the toilet to perform ritual ablutions before takeoff. He spent about 10 minutes in the toilet.

This sounds like someone looking for trouble.

Quote:

After Mr Adam laid a complaint, the airline replaced his ticket, provided financial compensation and a written apology, held staff training on cultural practices and reviewed how it dealt with security threats.

Sounds like the airline responded well.

[Amelia]

Quote:

This sounds like someone looking for trouble.

I don't know about you Shane, but there are plenty of people in the world (including me) who have spent 10 mins and more in the bathroom. Whether at work or a store or where ever. There are times when in and out just isnt the norm. 10 mins in the loo isn't looking for trouble.

[Dr. Shane]

Well this was a man and an airplane. Typically men spend less time in the restroom and typically people on airplanes spend less time in the restroom.

Beyond that, given that we are in a world-wide war against fundamental, radical Islamic terrorists, every muslem must be aware of their ability to scare other people. Where I live, I am a racial minority. 87% of the population is hispanic. I am white with red hair and blue eyes. We also have a high security prison in the county where I live. Now if there was a prison break and a white man with red hair and blue eyes was reported as being on the loose, I would need to be cautious not to be mistaken for that man or to cause anyone any unnecesarry fear.

In the same, regardless if it is fair or not, muslems everywhere need to take caution that they not be mistaken for the radical terrorists and that they do not cause anyone unnecesarry fear.

[Amelia]

Where is our responsibility? We all should know by now that Muslims pray up to five times a day. We should know that they will pray in another language and that just because one uses another language doesn't make them a terrorist. Why so quick to get the police when asking a simple question would suffice. Why didnt anyone think maybe he was ill and ask if he was ok? See, all the common courtesies were cast to the wind in favor of yelling wolf.

[Dr. Shane]

People get scared and a lot of that is a reaasonable fear. Muslems need to be sensative to that and a lot of them are. No one is asking that they be locked up in dentention camps. If we had an off-shoot group of Adventists that formed a cult and went around killing people, wouldn't we be sensative and go the extra mile not to scare people or be confused with our radical off-shoot?

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: " Typically men spend less time in the restroom. . ."

I would like to read the studies that have been done on such.

I am not aware that it is accurate to clam that it takes women longer to perform certain functions of the body than it takes men. But, then I am not an expert on such issues.

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: " . . . every muslem must be aware of their ability to scare other people."

So, he should have known that if he went to the bathroom, people might be afraid of him! Amazing!

Yes, the response could be that he spent 10 minutes in doing whatever he did. Well, perhaps all airlines should post the following message.

"If you expect that it will take you more than five minutes and 40 seconds to perform your bathroom duties, please notify airline staff. A failure to do so may cause you to be removed from this aircraft. NOTE: Expulsion from the aircraft while in flight may be dangerous to your health."

That should resolve the problem.

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "People get scared and a lot of that is a reaasonable fear."

Indeed!

It is reasonable for a person using the bathroom to expect airline passengers to time the time spent in the bathroom,and to become afraid if that time exceeds _ _ _ minutes and _ _ _ secnds?

[Gregory Matthews]

Shane: Actually I am picking at the airline more that you. You are doing a good job in defending the airline position, that is what has given me the opportunity to pick at the airline.

\

[Amelia]

Quote:

"If you expect that it will take you more than five minutes and 40 seconds to perform your bathroom duties, please notify airline staff. A failure to do so may cause you to be removed from this aircraft. NOTE: Expulsion from the aircraft while in flight may be dangerous to your health"

Oh that is too funny and I would love to see that sign posted.

[Dr. Shane]

The example I gave is a good one.

Quote:

Beyond that, given that we are in a world-wide war against fundamental, radical Islamic terrorists, every muslem must be aware of their ability to scare other people. Where I live, I am a racial minority. 87% of the population is hispanic. I am white with red hair and blue eyes. We also have a high security prison in the county where I live. Now if there was a prison break and a white man with red hair and blue eyes was reported as being on the loose, I would need to be cautious not to be mistaken for that man or to cause anyone any unnecesarry fear.

As far as men and women in the bathroom... Well, some things don't need studies to reveal the obvious.

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "As far as men and women in the bathroom... Well, some things don't need studies to reveal the obvious."

Shane, have you ever lived in a country where men and women shared coed bathrooms at the same time?

I have.

Your statement as to the obvious is not obvous. There is no itrensic need for one gender to spend more time in bathroom activities thatn the other gender.

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "As far as men and women in the bathroom... Well, some things don't need studies to reveal the obvious."

Shane, have you ever lived in a country where men and women shared coed bathrooms at the same time?

I have.

Your statement as to the obvious is not obvious. There is no intrinsic need for one gender to spend more time in bathroom activities than the other gender.

[Dr. Shane]

A few obvious points:

Human anatomy allows men to spend less time in the restroom.

Since fewer men wear make-up, they normally spend less time fixing their faces.

Since more men have shorter hair, it normally takes less time to comb and style.

A quick glance at the restroom lines in public areas, especially sporting events, normally confirms that men spend less time doing what needs to be done.

Now I know people that will not even feel comfortable eating in the same resturaunt with a muslem wearing a headscarf. There is a lot of fear out there and the majority of muslims that are indeed peaceful would be wise not to arouse any more fear than nessasary.

We know that the latest bomb plot of the radical muslems was to sneak bomb components onto the airplanes and mix them together in the airplane restrooms. If I were a muslem, I would try to avoid using a restroom on an airplane altogether.

[Gregory Matthews]

Shane:

I do not wish to be known as one who concentrates on bathroom issues. So, if you chose to respond to this, I will allow you to have the last word. But, I can not resist one more comment:

Re: "Human anatomy allows men to spend less time in the restroom."

Sorry Shane, I have formally taken classes in human anatomy. You are simply wrong. I could support that with facts, figures, and a detailed explanation that would likely convince people. But, Club Adventist is not intended to be a class in human anatomy. So, I will refrain.

Make your last comment to this thread if you wish.

[Amelia]

Let me put it this way; everyone has to sit down sometimes. And it ain't the women taking in the reading material.

[Dr. Shane]

Which is more common? Urinating or a bowel movement? How many people take reading material into an airplane restroom? If this muslem man was reading in the airplane restroom he should have been kicked off just for that. Hahahahahaha [just joking, but really I have seen lines outside of airplane restrooms. No one should be allowed to take reading material in with them.]