Flying while Young and Black on U.S. Airways ( A Rant)
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
United States
June 17, 2011 11:55am CST
I just read a sad story. A young cllege student who was just wearing his pants low enough so Everyone could see his underwear was kicked off a U.S. Air plane and arreasted because he wuldn't pull up his pants. I know people are paranoid but Really? It happened in San Francisco so I am assuming there are no urban teens going with this trend? Here in Norther Virginia you will see many male teens of Every hue Wearing their pany this way. True he should have pulled them up Before leaving th house bt the kids today Don't. So When he said no and it took 20 minuts to get him off the plane he was arreste for tresspassing. It is sad. Granted he should have just gotten off the plane and gone to th news papers Or gotten a lawyer. But now Many will feel Like I do. If you are young and of color , you are not safe flying U.S. Air. If you have dreads and wear anything but a suit you May just get thrown off . This is not what they need when people can just opt not to fly at all. With being striped and grouped And paying for luggage and not bein servd food,and now this? Why fly? Thanks I needed to vent! Your thoughts.
2 people like this
13 responses
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Jun 11
If this the rule, where is it written? And why did this story go viral if Everyone Knew it?
@Galena (9110)
•
18 Jun 11
he wasn't co-operative when asked to stop displaying his underwear.
it may not be a rule, but it wouldn't have harmed him to pull his trousers up. surely he could see that this would be polite, and good manners to staff and fellow customers. he's the one that chose to make an issue out of it.
and if someone behaves in an argumentative or unco-operative manner, then you can see why they were not willing to allow him in a confined space with no option to be removed, if at a later point he became argumentative or unco-operative again, during the flight. they have to be wary of that sort of thing. what if he responded the same when asked to wear his seat belt, or not to smoke on board, or to remain in his seat. he's already displayed an attitude of disrespect and non-co-operation.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
20 Jun 11
Then all teens who will not follow the rules , regardless of race And wardrobe should be kicked off planes. And that goes for all those who will use their cells or get drunk or Babies that will not be quiet. I love it, No one will fly. Unless this is the whole idea. Make it too expensive or intrusive so only the rich can fly. I love it!
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
17 Jun 11
I think you should go back and read the article again. Deshon Marman's pants were between his buttock and his knees. So he wasn't just showing some of his boxer shorts but were low enough to give any one an unpleasant view. This has nothing to do with color wearing dreads or not wearing a suit. He could have jut pulled up his pants.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Jun 11
I have seen guys wear this look on the street! Why? I don't know why but this is the fashion.And yes most of the guys are black and young. This will backfire on the airlines. I know I am not flying.
@urbandekay (18278)
•
17 Jun 11
Assuming this is anything to do with his colour demonstrates only your own prejudices
all the best urban
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Jun 11
Oh no. It is an urban thing, mostly black young men wear their clothes this way but I have seen a few white young men wear it too. I don't assume it was his color, The article Said it! Me? I think it was two things. One his fashion sense, or lack of it, and his refusing to get off the plane.I vented because I thought of how All of this was going to play. many will see it doing with race only. and that's all the planes need. they already look like molesters and now Racist Molesters?
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
25 Jun 11
I can't help but notice you keep describing this way of wearing one's trousers as mostly an urban and ethnic fad. You must not get around much. I live in a rural and predominantly caucasian area and this is just as common in my part of the country.
But I really don't care who started the fad or who is responsible for perpetuating it and keeping it en vogue....it's ridiculous. Neither I or most other people out there want to see someone's underwear. The race issue is irrelevant. The boy's mother was just looking to try and turn this around and make it a race issue and to make her son out to be the "victim". She should have just told the young man to pull his damn pants up next time and show a little respect for himself and others.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
25 Jun 11
That's the whole point, he is a teen , it is a fade and he has the right to wear it Because , it is only his underwear showing , not a body part! They direspected him, not the other way around. I'm glad teens of All colors are into this fad. Now we can see if the airlines have the guts to through Everyone off the plane or just young black men. Then we will see if it just their taste or race that triggers it!
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
17 Jun 11
Did they throw him off because of his skin color or because when asked to do something he refused and threw one of those classic I-ain't-doing-nothin' fits and had to be removed after feeling he was more entitled than everyone else with fitted jeans?
Maybe if there was a white guy beside him with pants low, I might be willing to give the racist angle a look. But it doesn't make much sense.
I agree, though, that the measures taken are a bit silly. But when they molest a baby in the line, it's not because they're out to get babies. It's because they're treating everyone the same.
Oddly enough, the way people are treated in airports seems to me to be a shining example of equality. Everybody's gotta walk the straight and narrow or lose the opportunity to ride.
The only time media bothers to make a big stink of it, however, is when a minority is slighted at the airport. Then it's spun until it's bigotry. But they're hammering white folks too.
2 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
18 Jun 11
All of this is setting up for a class action suit. So to get on a plane , you Have to let a stranger to touch you the same way a rapist would? and that you have to let them molest your child too? And now you can get arrested for wearing the same clothes you can wear on the ground? Many will see this as a matter of race. I see race plus defiance. And I think if I wore an outfit that no cop would arrest me for on the ground and I get to the airport and they say I was wearing something illegal I would revolt too.But then again I would have been arrested for punching that agent for touching me. No Worries. I finally know that flying is now only for people in suits , of any color, and people who don't care if they are inappropriately. that's not me.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
19 Jun 11
Lol! I think people should go through the lines holding their clothes wearing bikinis!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
20 Jun 11
I could somehow force myself to travel with a lot of bikini bodded Women..but there's no way I'm wearing a Mankini!
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jun 11
I agree he should not have been targeted, but a major confrontation could have been avoided if he'd just pulled his pants up. If I were in his shoes, I'd have pulled them up, and then gotten a lawyer when I got off the plane.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
17 Jun 11
I agree he should not have been targeted, but a major confrontation could have been avoided if he'd just pulled his pants up. If I were in his shoes, I'd have pulled them up, and then gotten a lawyer when I got off the plane.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
18 Jun 11
College students like to wear clothes like pants that are far down. The airlines shouldn't tell their passengers how to dress. I remember a teenager told us that an old lady had seen she was wearing jeans with rips in. Well the old lady had offered to buy her a new pair of jeans. The young man wanted to remain on the plane and it was awful they spent twenty minutes getting him up to being removed. One time I was dressed in a normal way and waited at check in. I was put in the business class cabin even though I had only paid for an economy class flight. I was on my own and fitted in nicely next to two older ladies. I guess economy class had been getting too full. I feel sorry for the young man and he must have felt very sad indeed. Flying is less fun these days for sure with the security measures.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
23 Jun 11
I say if the airline applies that policy consistently he has nothing to complain about. And lots of white kids, male and female, have their underwear showing. If the airline doesn't want to tolerate it, because they want to keep a certain standard for their customers, they shouldn't have to.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
24 Jun 11
And if they have this policy , it Must be in writing! I mean whenever you buy a ticket online and at the airport there is the dress code slapping you in the face. What I love about this is all some smart teen has to do is wear the wrong thing and they will be kicked off the plane. What power, If they plan it right , their parents will take the flight as they get left behind!
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
19 Jun 11
I work at a college,as you might know. I see guys wearing their pants on the ground all the time! Must are black men but some white men do it too! I have no idea how that is comfortable! Once in awhile if a guy is wearing his pants below their butt you can't always see their underwaer! Some guys sometimes wear belts and long shirts so you can't see this! More could do it! Guys have been doing it a while now. A freind said guys got the idea from rap vidoes because the guys in the videos started this trend! I am not sure if that is true or not! That guy should not been kicked off a plane and arrested for wearing his pants to low! That is really stupid!
1 person likes this
@Angelgirl16 (2171)
• United States
18 Jun 11
The today's youths have style in every category, but I think the race card is still in play when it comes to who to arrest and who not to arrest; there are born kids of color being arrested than Whites, even if they have committed the same offense. There is much research done on this topic, so the research is there for anyone who don't believe this to see and read for themselves.
Granted it, the young man should have complied with the rules of the airline; would have solved the problem of being arrested. However, I think this story would most likely have had a different ending had the kid been White.
I hope two things, first, I hope he was able to get a refund and second, I hope he learned a lesson in following the rules.
Granted it, the young man should have complied with the rules of the airline; would have solved the problem of being arrested. However, I think this story would most likely have had a different ending had the kid been White.
I hope two things, first, I hope he was able to get a refund and second, I hope he learned a lesson in following the rules.@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
19 Jun 11
I think will happen. He won't get a refund And he won't be the one to learn a lessen. I think there may be a lawsuit Or worse, many will not fy this airline Because of this!Either way the airline will lose money.
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
24 Jun 11
First off, I've never understood young kid's fascination of wearing their pants so low that their underpants show. I've always liked tucking in my shirt, and having a belt around. It makes me feel secure that my pants are where they are supposed to be.
Having said(written) that, I also don't understand why this student was kicked off the plane. It is of course just a fashion sense! I work in the industry, and I don't see why an underpants could be a risk to flying.
So, if this airline started requiring a dress code, I just see passengers going to other airlines.
Having said(written) that, I also don't understand why this student was kicked off the plane. It is of course just a fashion sense! I work in the industry, and I don't see why an underpants could be a risk to flying.
So, if this airline started requiring a dress code, I just see passengers going to other airlines.1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
24 Jun 11
I know back in your and my day , the last thing you wanted to happen was for your underwear to show! But the kids today are different. I hated tucking in my shirt.It stopped me from moving the way I needed to. I was one of those who wore my shirt out even when I wore a pullover sweater! Remember that look?
I agree.I believe since the stores have brok, there are many people of color and others who are sensitive of What appears to be racism , have gone to other airlines.
