Guy gets pulled off a plane for reading a book on historic planes
84 replies, posted
[url=http://www.boston.com/Boston/names/2011/08/folk-musician-vance-gilbert-recounts-trouble-before-flight/jy1iVUE6MLXJE3HebAoCQO/index.html]source[/url]
[release]Folk musician Vance Gilbert on Tuesday posted a lengthy open letter on his website about a recent experience on a flight from Boston to Washington, DC he claims left him “frightened” and “humilated.”
A well-known member of the local folk scene, Gilbert maintains that after boarding a United Airlines flight on Aug. 14, he was pulled off the plane and questioned about his fanny pack (which he’d tucked into his backpack under the seat in front of him) and about a book he was reading on historic planes.
“I am a musician by trade and an amateur aviation historian, studying mostly European transport aircraft between WW1 and WW2, and some after. I was on my way to two different music festivals,” Gilbert explains in his blog post at vancegilbert.com. “When I travel I delve into reading about this era of aviation. I had taken out and was reading a book of Polish Aircraft circa 1946 and I was also looking at views of an Italian aircraft from 1921.”
According to Gilbert, who is African-American, as the plane prepared for take off, “2 Mass State Policemen, 1 or 2 TSA Agents, and the bursar for the flight come down the [aisle] and motion me to get off of the plane.”
Once on the breezeway, Gilbert claims the police officers asked if he’d had “a problem” with his bag and whether he was looking at a “book of airplanes.” Gilbert said he showed them what he was reading (he says they deemed it “Snoopy Red Baron stuff” and said they were sorry for the inconvenience) and was eventually allowed back on the plane.
Gilbert writes that he “silently wept” the whole flight to Washington, DC, and that he was left ”broken hearted and speechless.”
When contacted about Gilbert’s letter, United spokesman Charles Hobart emailed the Globe this statement: “The service Mr. Gilbert described does not reflect the experience we aim to deliver our customers. We are reaching out to Mr. Gilbert and to Shuttle America, the United Express carrier that operated the flight, to better understand what occurred and to ensure Mr. Gilbert knows we value his business.”
In an interview this evening, Gilbert said he has been contacted by United and is arranging a time to discuss the incident.[/release]
[url=http://vancegilbert.com/index.php?page=blog&display=2245]His blawg[/url]
[release]To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Vance Gilbert.
I live in Arlington, MA.
I am a homeowner, having been here 10+ years, I have a partner, and we have two 52lb Standard Poodles.
I am a 6 foot tall, bespectacled, slightly greying, 52 year old, 230 lb African-American male with a close hair cut.
On August 14, 2011, I boarded United Airlines Flight UA #3483 from Boston to Dulles on time and was seated in an isle seat #9C on an Embraer 170. I was dressed in shorts, baseball hat, t-shirt, hiking boots, and unbuttoned Jimmy Buffett Hawaiian shirt (covered with airplanes). As the door was being closed, we were told it was a full flight, meaning 70 - 80 people. I had my backpack under the seat in front of me, and my fanny pack/wallet behind my heels.
After the doors were closed the flight attendant came down the isle checking security buckling, bag clearance etc., and asked if she could put my fanny pack above me in the overhead bin. I replied to her that I'd be fine just stuffing it next to my back-pack under seat in front of me as it contained my wallet etc and that I'd rather have it near. She seemed fine with that resolution. All that was done without consternation or belligerence, and I thought nothing of it.
Now, I am a musician by trade and an amateur aviation historian, studying mostly European transport aircraft between WW1 and WW2, and some after. I was on my way to two different music festivals. When I travel I delve into reading about this era of aviation. I had taken out and was reading a book of Polish Aircraft circa 1946 and I was also looking at views of an Italian aircraft from 1921.
I think you see where this is going...
The plane went all the way out to the take-off point, in the queue for take-off. All the while I noticed a lot of phone pinging back and forth between the flight attendants. The young woman flight attendant was also crouched next to and conversing seriously to a dead-heading pilot about 4 seats up on the other side. The plane then proceeded to turn around and head all the way back to the gate. Once at the gate, the jet bridge was positioned. The Captain announced, "We have a minor issue, and we will continue our departure once it's resolved." He left the aircraft.
After about 5 - 10 minutes, 2 Mass State Policemen, 1 or 2 TSA Agents, and the bursar for the flight come down the isle and motion me to get off of the plane. I do not remember if they called me by name. We stepped out into the breezeway where one of the State policemen asked how I was doing that day.
I replied, "Sir, I think you're going to tell me I could be doing much better..."
Policeman: "Did you have a problem with your bag earlier?"
Me: "No sir, not at all. The flight attendant wanted it secured elsewhere other than behind my feet, and I opted to put it under the seat in front of me. It's my wallet, even though there's only 30 bucks in it…And all that was done without belligerence, or words for that matter…it was all good.
A few beats...
Policeman: "Sir, were you looking at a book of airplanes?"
Me: "Yes sir I was. I am a musician for money, but for fun I study old aircraft and build models of them, and the book I was reading was of Polish Aircraft from 1946."
Policeman: "Would you please go get that book so that i can see it?"
I go back onto the plane - all eyes are on me like I was a common criminal. Total humiliation part 2.
After a couple of minutes he says, "Why, this is all Snoopy Red Baron stuff..."
Me: "Yes sir, actually the triplane you see is Italian, from 1921 a little after World War 1..."
Policeman: "No problem here then, you can go on back on to the plane, sorry to inconvenience you...and have a nice flight".
We were now at least, after re-queuing, over an hour late. No one looked me in the eye, flight attendants, passengers. I missed my next connection, and had to cancel that portion of the flight (fair $ value equaling ??) and rent a car ($270) plus fuel ($30) to my work (lost 1/2 wages = $100), and I was afraid to read for the next two flights.
I silently wept the whole flight to DC. I've never been so frightened or humiliated. I'm shaking even writing this.
How much money was lost between the airline, the other travelers? - I couldn't begin to calculate.
How damaged am I from this experience? I'm not feeling particularly American. I'm angry, dumbfounded, frightened.
Would this have happened to the 30-ish Caucasian woman sitting across the aisle from me (who left her seat, water bottle, and book, never to be seen for the rest of the "completely full" flight)? Is it now against the law to be dark and read a book about historic aircraft?
What's my take-away from this experience as a taxpayer, United Airlines patron, Black Man, teacher, mentor, American? I was broken hearted and speechless as I overheard my friend's wife try to explain to her kids what happened and what he and I were talking about over dinner. They never did get why.
What do I tell your children?
Enough.
What do I do now - please advise?
Please contact me at the email above
Thanks in advance,
Vance Gilbert
Arlington, MA
AKA
Flying While Black & Reading Antique Aviation Books[/release]
Airplanes might as well just be their own country with how many rights they have been taking away
Seriously, a [b]fanny pack[/b]
I don't understand this at all.
They don't like people reading about old planes because it might remind them of a time when flying in a plane didn't require the TSA molesting you
Oh no, someone has something that is related to a plane, he must be a terrorist.
So much for my faith in humanity.
What? This guy is way overreacting. He's a musician and he can't deal with some people staring at him? He "silently wept" the whole flight?
I'm sorry but what a baby. All they did was ask what was in his pack and one guy made an ignorant comment about a book. He was allowed back on the flight and wasn't physically harassed at all. Inconvenient? Yes. Humiliating and tear-worthy? Not at all.
Guess I will start reading the Kuran and see how long it takes for me to get on the news.
Be right back.
[QUOTE=Canesfan;31939516]What? This guy is way overreacting. He's a musician and he can't deal with some people staring at him? He "silently wept" the whole flight?
I'm sorry but what a baby. All they did was ask what was in his pack and one guy made an ignorant comment about a book. He was allowed back on the flight and wasn't physically harassed at all. Inconvenient? Yes. Humiliating and tear-worthy? Not at all.[/QUOTE]
They had to turn an entirely full airplane around moments before it was about to take off, and start everything over from the beginning. Have you ever flown before? It's a hassle waiting on the plane for almost an hour waiting to just take off, then to have to repeat the entire process? The whole plane was pissed off at this one guy for something he didn't even do. That alone would be enough to embarrass the hell out of me. Not to mention the blatant racial profiling that lead to the whole ordeal. He's right, it probably wouldn't have happened to the white chick. Just because he was black and reading a book on airplanes was enough to draw the conclusion that he was planning something like a terrorist would. It'd be pretty damn humiliating. Then to just pretend none of it happened?
This is silly, black people can't read.
He was probably just looking at the pictures.
[highlight](User was banned for this post ("Racism" - Autumn))[/highlight]
[highlight](User was banned for this post ("Racism" - Autumn))[/highlight]
[QUOTE=Canesfan;31939516]What? This guy is way overreacting. He's a musician and he can't deal with some people staring at him? He "silently wept" the whole flight?
I'm sorry but what a baby. All they did was ask what was in his pack and one guy made an ignorant comment about a book. He was allowed back on the flight and wasn't physically harassed at all. Inconvenient? Yes. Humiliating and tear-worthy? Not at all.[/QUOTE]
this. i was all "well at least they let him back on the plane and realized it was nothing big", but then i read that he started crying
how the fuck does that compute
See, folks? Another reason to travel by train or boat.
[quote]I silently wept the whole flight to DC. [B]I've never been so frightened or humiliated.[/B] I'm shaking even writing this.[/quote]
Well for a black man in America you've lived a pretty fucking cushy life haven't you.
I mean, yes, this is shitty, but [I]surely[/I] worse things have occurred.
[editline]26th August 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=jimhowl33t;31939822]See, folks? Another reason to travel by train or boat.[/QUOTE]
No, another reason to get your own private pilot's license!
[editline]26th August 2011[/editline]
(arab-looking people need not apply, it'd be easier to walk to your destination)
[QUOTE=KingKombat;31939756]this. i was all "well at least they let him back on the plane and realized it was nothing big", but then i read that he started crying
how the fuck does that compute[/QUOTE]
Being overly sensitive.
[QUOTE=Canesfan;31939516]What? This guy is way overreacting. He's a musician and he can't deal with some people staring at him? He "silently wept" the whole flight?
I'm sorry but what a baby. All they did was ask what was in his pack and one guy made an ignorant comment about a book. He was allowed back on the flight and wasn't physically harassed at all. Inconvenient? Yes. Humiliating and tear-worthy? Not at all.[/QUOTE]
A full plane of 70-80 people had to be stopped right when it was ready to take off and caused everyone to wait another hour, because one black guy was reading a book on airplanes. He lost money and possibly caused many other passengers to lose money too if they had flights they were going to miss. That's extremely embarrassing and ridiculous.
So what if the guy felt sad? I know teenagers today like to be "i'm edgy and i'm a man i don't CRY" but people have feelings.
[quote]I was dressed in shorts, baseball hat, t-shirt, hiking boots, and unbuttoned Jimmy Buffett Hawaiian shirt (covered with airplanes).[/quote]
Well, I'm probably going to be detained on my next flight.
They probably thought there was a bomb in the fanny pack and that he was reading the book to learn about the structure of the plane to blow it up. Something stupid.
[editline]25th August 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Tudd;31939600]Guess I will start reading the Kuran and see how long it takes for me to get on the news.
Be right back.[/QUOTE] "Qu'Ran", I believe.
[QUOTE=Canesfan;31939516] Humiliating and tear-worthy? Not at all.[/QUOTE]
he's a folk musician not a punk-rocker.
[QUOTE=hammerheadshark;31940475]
"Qu'Ran", I believe.[/QUOTE]
It's actually القرآن‎.
But because we don't have those characters, you get a range of different transliterations that use different letters, like 'Gaddafi'.
[QUOTE=hammerheadshark;31940475]
"Qu'Ran", I believe.[/QUOTE]
It wasn't originally written in english so the spelling is somewhat open to debate.
EDIT: Ninjas, ninjas everywhere.
god forbid Logan Airport takes any chances at yet another plane being hijacked from them
[editline]25th August 2011[/editline]
in case you don't understand what i wrote, both planes that flew into the towers on 9/11 were hijacked out of boston, etc etc
[QUOTE=CharadesV2;31939679]This is silly, black people can't read.
He was probably just looking at the pictures.[/QUOTE]
why did i laugh
why
[QUOTE=Artyom;31940771]why did i laugh
why[/QUOTE]
You're either a massive racist, of found such a candid outburst of massive racism comedic.
(always say the latter)
any reason why he had to bring race into this? I mean it seems like he's trying to pull a "poor me white man suppression" act out of something that was already stupid enough. I'd be pissed, but cry about it? uh, no. He should have just contacted the company rather than writing a "boo-hoo woe is me" sob story.
[quote]Would this have happened to the 30-ish Caucasian woman sitting across the aisle from me (who left her seat, water bottle, and book, never to be seen for the rest of the "completely full" flight)? Is it now against the law to be dark and read a book about historic aircraft?[/quote]
Ugh...
I like the little twist at the end.
[quote]Would this have happened to the 30-ish Caucasian woman sitting across the aisle from me (who left her seat, water bottle, and book, never to be seen for the rest of the "completely full" flight)? Is it now against the law to be dark and read a book about historic aircraft?[/quote]
I think it's a bit of a stretch to declare the reason he was called off was due to profiling because he was black. Do I think it's completely possible, yes, but I honestly don't think there is any certainty that was the reason why.
[QUOTE=Pedro the Fuzzy;31940941]any reason why he had to bring race into this? I mean it seems like he's trying to pull a "poor me white man suppression" act out of something that was already stupid enough. I'd be pissed, but cry about it? uh, no. He should have just contacted the company rather than writing a "boo-hoo woe is me" sob story.[/QUOTE]
Because racial profiling is part and parcel of the TSA?
[QUOTE=CharadesV2;31939679]This is silly, black people can't read.
He was probably just looking at the pictures.[/QUOTE]
A wild TH89 Appears!
[QUOTE=CunningHam;31941148]
Ps since youre so smart please explain the how this is a case of legitimate racism cause im not getting it[/QUOTE]
It's rather difficult to point out cases of racial bias is specific one-off instances.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.