The United Airline assault on a passenger is just another symptom of authoritarianism

[nadine_mn]

91. No, he does not become a stowaway and no he doesn't deserve to get

Physically dragged from his seat. He was not threatening or intimidating anyone, he was not a physical threat to the safety of anyone on that plane. The force used to remove him was excessive. Where would you draw the line? I'm a big woman, and it would take more than one officer to pry my fat ass out of a seat. So are you advocating that the police use weapons on me? Because I refuse to leave a seat - a seat just a few minutes prior I was shown to by the same staff now telling me to leave after accepting my ticket which I paid for in exchange for services. A seat, that had 4 other people volunteered to leave, I would still be sitting in. A seat I was being told to vacate not because I was disruptive, rude, intoxicated, violent but because of the airline's error.

Had I shown up at the gate and was told sorry, you are bumped we needed your seat for our staff and I proceeded to force my way onto the plane...you bet - tackle me and arrest me.

But no where is it policy to physically drag someone doing nothing wrong. The force used was excessive.