Muslim doctor wants apology from U.S. airline [booted for praying]

CBC News ^ | 8/19/2006 | staff

[TChris]

A Winnipeg doctor is demanding an official apology and compensation from United Airlines after being kicked off a flight in the U.S. this week, an incident he has characterized as "institutionalized discrimination." Dr. Ahmed Farooq, a Muslim, was escorted off an airplane in Denver on Tuesday. According to Farooq, reciting his evening prayers was interpreted by one passenger as an activity that was suspicious.

"The whole situation is just really frustrating," Farooq said. "It makes you uneasy, because you realize you have to essentially watch every single thing you say and do, and it's worse for people who are of colour, who are identifiable as a minority."

Farooq said the allegation came from a passenger who appeared drunk and had previously threatened him during the trip.

[KingKenrod]

In free societies you have to accept that other people are not required to like you, respect you, or accept you.

[Lunatic Fringe]

"people who are of colour"????

He's whiter than some white people I know...

[SlayerOfBunnies]

Farooq you

lol

[Revolting cat!]

Well, that sure got the good doctor's bacon sizzling!

[No Blue States]

Farooq:

[RichardW]

Go back to where you came from and don't come back. See, problem solved.

[SkyPilot]

I know these folks pray a lot, but is it fair to ask them specifically what they are praying for?

It is all excessive legalism, and they are a prisoner to it.

The 5 pillars of Islam dictate these legalistic Obsessive Compulsive Disorder-like rituals (pray 5 times a day, pilgrimage to Mecca, fasting, etc).

The "Sixth" pillar of Islam is Jihad, which is kind of a "Magic Bullet" ticket to heaven on the Expressway with E-Z Pass, or so they think.

None of this, of course, gets them into heaven or makes them right with God.

[SlayerOfBunnies]

He's lucky he just got complained at. Looks to me like this guy was asking for (and in perfect position for) a massive butt-kicking.

[Sabatier]

That would be a very uncomfortable situation for the other passengers, no doubt.

[texgal]

Foreign nationals need to realize that traveling in this country is a privilege, not a right. You can't sue for deprivation of a privilege.

[Kenton]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, if all he was doing is praying, well, I do that when I fly nearly every time I leave the ground.

OTOH, if he was putting down a prayer rug in the middle of the aisle and checking a GPS to make sure he was facing east, well, that's going to get other peoples' attention and the airlines can't take any chances. I'm sure if some Christian started walking up and down the aisle loudly quoting scripture from Revelations, the same thing might have happened.

It's too bad it happened to him, but if he has special needs at special times, he needs to work his travel schedule around that.

[Truth29]

Actually, we need a lot more of this. Like the recent situation where most of the passengers got off or refused to board a flight with suspicious Muslim males on board, passengers need to take their security into their own hands and officials need to be forced to profile or be faced with empty airplanes.

[polymuser]

Nice opportunity for evangelicals on board to help the lost.

[Lurking in Kansas]

I pray EVERYTIME I fly. I've yet to be kicked off. I wonder why.....

[Lunatic Fringe]

Let's see you get pulled off a plane, told there was no reason to pull you off, pay for ANOTHER plane ticket and see how happy you are.

[kinghorse]

Maybe he should call the ACLU.

[SlayerOfBunnies]

I'm not a muslim. Therefore I'm not a terrorist. This guy was obviously a muslim and therefore a potential terrorist. He behaved in a provocative manner and got booted. Why would that possibly be a problem for anyone? What is he doing out of his 3rd world crap-hole anyway? Who invited him?

[oldenuff2no]

The only mistake they made was that they kicked him off after they landed. Now he can cause more problems. If they would have kicked him off before they landed then he would never have had this problem again.

[Balding_Eagle]

Thanks!

[rhombus]

I pray EVERYTIME I fly. I've yet to be kicked off. I wonder why.....

Gee, I dunno...don't you wave your arms around, chant and bow to the east? Do you wash your feet in the restroom sink? Maybe you aren't praying correctly...but then again you're still here so you must be doing something right. /sarc