Posted on 12/27/2001 9:43:03 AM PST by kattracks
CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - An Arab American U.S. Secret Service agent heading to Texas to protect President Bush was barred from taking an American Airlines flight this week, the Secret Service said on Thursday.
U.S. Secret Service spokesman Brian Marr said the agent, whom he declined to identify, was not allowed to take the flight but said he was unable to confirm details of a New York Times report saying the agent was asked to get off the plane.
The newspaper said the agent, who was armed, was originally scheduled to accompany Bush to Texas on Air Force One but a change in the president's schedule forced him to book a commercial flight on Tuesday evening.
The New York Times said that once the agent had taken his seat, he was confronted by airline security personnel, asked to exit the plane for additional security checks and ultimately was barred from the flight even though he had offered to have the Secret Service confirm his identity.
There was no immediate comment from American Airlines, a unit of AMR Corp, on the incident. Bush on Wednesday traveled to his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he plans to vacation through next week.
That's a pretty disgusting attitude. Forget the Hyphen-American. I'll fly with any armed American and especially armed law enforcement.
Let me guess, you also criticize non-white Americans for using the hyphen to describe their ethnicity, but your the first to drop the American tag. This man was an American, period.
I applaud the security team for the additional check but once his identity is verified, he flies.
On the otherhand, a Muslim, of whatever ethnicity, should NOT be guarding our President - PERIOD.
I would rather be flying with an armed Secret Service agent of any ethnic origin than many of my fellow citizens.
This is getting out of hand.
Federal law enforcement can carry weapons anywhere in the U.S. including airplanes and military bases.
Does that make him racist?
Knee jerk aversions to people's ethnic, religious and/or political backgrounds are most often held by Leftists who use them to categorize, and thereby control, their mascots.
Almost all americans were, at one time or another, capable of being characterized as hyphenated. In the Adams administration there was fear of the French-Americans. A vast percentage of Americans who trace there heritage to Arab lands are second, third and fourth generation and many of them Christian.
The media likes to categorize people and get the reader to react off generalities rather than specifics. Don't be a sheep lead by media idiocy.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them.
Seems impossible.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them. Oh, yeah...I mentioned that already.
Fake ID, fake phone calls, etc.
As I observed earlier, the airline can look up the Secret Service phone number and call. Am I beginning to repeat myself?
There's just no way to tell.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them. Ah, jeez, there I go again, using logic and brains to solve those thorny issues.
Drop the hyphen. This Secret Service agent is an American.
What, you're saying that terrorism is some sort of genetic thing?
Maybe they held him off that flight so they could verify his identity and then put him on a later flight after they had.
As far as I'm concerned if someone claims to be a Secret Service agent and can't verify the claim or hasn't had it verified before he gets on the plane I don't care if he's Arab, Anglo or whatever. I want him off the plane until they get it confirmed. Too many nuts out there these days to let someone carry a gun on a flight without having everything verified.
OK, then someone must have questioned the fact that he was carrying a gun before he got on the plane. Which leads to the question, what kind of a check did they do that allowed this man to get on the plane carrying a gun, if he was later removed. Did he flash some credentials? Did they just take his word that he was a federal agent?
I believe there is a procedure that they follow to get into the secured area of the airport. I believe their ID's are verified/inspected by the police.
My guess is that he went through this at the security checkpoint (or was escorted through security after verification at a different place). A passenger probably saw his service weapon, freaked and buzzed the flight attendant who notified the pilot and AA security. THey took it upon themselves to remove him, most likely because it scared passengers (not unlike the irrational fear being propagated on this thread).
Obviously, any terrorist organization would be pleased to have you in charge of security! Calling a local Secret Service office and asking about "Mr. X" is totally useless! Anyone answering your questions would be a total idiot to confirm an individual over the phone! Get real!
In far less stressful times, any such "telephone approval" of the identity of an agent in my organization would have resulted in at least a written reprimand of the agent who took it upon themselves to "OK" an ID of the sort you suggest!
Probably some ignorant (Biblical beast of burden)-wipe squawked, "There's a (misuse of the Judeo-Christian Deity's name deleted) (disparaging characterization of Arabs deleted) on this plane, and he has a (obscenity deleted) GUN! We have to remove the (another disparaging characterization of Arabs deleted) FOR THE CHILL-RUN!!!!"
If this Arab was a Christian Arab, the Airlines made a wrong choice. After all, Arab Christians have had to deal with these people for centuries and are really victims of Islamic oppression. On the otherhand, a Muslim, of whatever ethnicity, should NOT be guarding our President - PERIOD.
Why would we have this guy guarding our beloved President? Isn't that insane!
These are perfect examples of why I carefully consider who I suggest to come to this forum and who I don't. I realize that there are wingnuts in every sector of our society, but when people visit a supposedly conservative forum, they aren't apt to view things in the same light I would.
I accept these comments for the infantile expressions they are. I just can't expect others to be as tollerant and understanding.
This man was a bonified member of the United States' Secret Service. His background check was as thorough as any background check. If he passed that background check, he's not only fine by me, but judged to be fine by people who's business it is to guard one of this nation's most treasured assets, the President of the United States.
The comments these folks have made were shocking. I am amazed at the ignorance displayed.
Racism and bogotry have no place on this forum. If you or anyone else can't refrain from making such comments, please do the forum a favor. Leave and don't come back. These types of comments are the surest way I know of to scare away new members and gutt this forum of it's best assets.
Hooray! Voice of reason. Not sure why this gentleman was approached by the airline after he had taken his seat. Perhaps someone spotted his gun, who knows? Any one of us would be suspicious if we spotted an Arab-looking person on a plane with a gun. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.
A SS agent's identity should be easy to verify. [I'm sure they have been asked for postive ID at least once in their careers.]
As for being an "Arab-American," so what? [Screw the hyphens. One does not just walk in off the street and say "Where do I apply for a SS job?"] For all we know this man's family has been in this country as long [or longer] the Kennedy family.
Those passengers are idiots then, they had the chance to fly with an armed Secret Service agent, but he had the wrong skin.
:-)
The sad part is many can not figure out that step on their own.
OHHHHH NOOOOO we are now going to be treated to another week of "Islam is Peace"
My son in law is Border Patrol..he has the option of locking up his gun when he travels..seems this jerk could have done the same thing..
Sounds a bit of a cowboy to me!
And without a doubt more sober than the Kennedy clan. (Not that I'm knocking a drunken stupor every once in awhile)
The Captain makes the final call, if he does not like the way you smile, he can reject you, it has always been that way and always will remain that way. It is his call, regardless of rules and regulations, he may well be reprimanded or lose his job, still it remains his call. For anyone to second guess his decision is usurping authority that is not theirs to have.
I will fly with him any day and I would have probably acted as he did, the world will not end becasue one SS person misses a flight.
You shouldn't be too shocked - granted, much of this is racism, which is both inexcusable and ignorant. But also some people are scared of their own shadows right now and it's hard to fault them. When your so scared that you think any one religion or race is out to get you, then your not rationally thinking.
Had there been a backlash against all white males who didn't care too much for the government after OKC, then I think many people here wouldn't be so quick to play the race card.
Actually, upon further reflection, your right, it is pretty ignorant that people would assume that somebody with some Arab blood in them or who is a Moslem is incapable of guarding the POTUS. That Secret Service agent went through a background check that probably not a single person posting in this thread had to go through.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.