Get this @^$%(*& homophobe off this *&#@%(% plane!

[MindPilot]

My g/f and I climb aboard the Southwest flight Friday afternoon along with the rest of the revelers headed to Las Vegas. A male flight attendant is entertaining us singing a catchy little ditty about the joys of flying Southwest to the tune of "My Girl". A little lame perhaps, but cute and creative, and after the waiting and TSA searches (They took our sunscreen because it was 5 onces; I refrained from sarcastically thanking the the TSA agent for making the world save for democracy.) I'll take anything to relieve that tension.

A few rows behind me a I hear someone loudly add their own words to the tune, "...and you are SOOOOOO GAY!" Yep some drunk assholes are on board.

About an hour later we are just touching down at McCarran in heavy crosswinds when a strong gust pushes the aircraft violently to the right, off the runway. I thought for sure we were going to have at least a blown tire, but the pilots handled it perfectly, getting the plane back in the air before anything got broken.

Almost at that very same instant, while you can almost smell the adrenalin because everyones' brain is screaming "HOLY FUCKING SHIT! ARE WE CRASHING?!", the very same douchenozzle yells out "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? THERE ARE FAGGOTS ON THE PLANE!"

I inferred from his comment that he believed god was smiting the plane because of a gay flight attendant.

I'm still mad at myself for not saying anything--no one else did either, at least not that I heard--but I really thought at the time it was better to not start an altercation aboard an aircraft, especially during what had just turned into an in-flight emergency.

My trip to Vegas was a surprise retirement gift from my g/f and that gay-bashing asshole managed to put a serious damper on my fun.

Of course not forgetting the poor guy whose job is to be nice to these assholes even as he has to hear their slurs.

[Mari333]

1. wonder what people would do

if someone had yelled 'there are n****** on this plane?'
demeaning homophobic insults need to be dealt with as vociferously as any other slur. he should have been pounded by the other passengers AND personnel.

[MindPilot]

4. I wonder if someone sitting closer to him said anything.

I never actually saw the guy so I'll never know, but perhaps someone quietly and firmly told him to STFU.

[Xithras]

26. If you've ever watched John Quinones, you'd know.

Most people aren't interested in confrontation and will just turn away. Amazingly few people would jump into the middle of that.

Thank Maslow.

[kenny blankenship]

35. delete

[Raineyb]

41. Indeed. I saw that clip. It was disturbing. n/t

[Raineyb]

40. They would have done the same thing that they did on this flight. n/t

There would be no pounding.

[zbdent]

2. Isn't it amazing that, since we are the "culture of death",

that we let assholes like this live? If we really were as bad as Republicans say, there would be no Faux News, George Will's head would still be rotting on a pike, and you would be executed for saying the word "Church" ...

While they, the "culture of life", the "Pro-Lifers", are all about nuking places they don't agree with?

[SmileyRose]

3. I think you are allowed to say mutherfuckin' on the DU

Right after that movie came out there was a YouTube cartoon of aliens singing "all your snakes are belong to us". I've been trying to find that thing for more than a year and it has vanished.

[armyowalgreens]

5. I would have said something...

And by something I mean

"Shut the fuck up you bigoted piece of shit"

[MindPilot]

6. with deference to the children on board, I was thinking of

"please keep your gay-bashing to yourself"

And then he would have said "who's gonna make me?"

I would repsond with "I am." Then I would stand up and I strongly suspect we would both be led off the plane in cuffs.

[kegler14]

16. You know what, I absolutely despise this kind of language

in public, especially when my kids are with me. I work at a public university and hear college kids walking around daily using completely unnecessary gutter language. You can be MUCH more effective without the obscenities. Try coming up with something intelligent and clever instead of the same old tired curse words.

[DaveinJapan]

19. Personally, I'm cool with it

Sometimes, "bad" language is the very best way to get your point across.

Of course, it doesn't have to be "old" and "tired", just ask Trey Parker and Matt Stone. ;)

[kegler14]

21. So you're cool with it in front of young children? Sorry,

that doesn't fly in my book.

[DaveinJapan]

32. doesn't bother me, sorry

Heck, young children are also exposed to violence and sexual imagery every day on TV, in print, and all around them.

Naughty words hardly stack up to that in my book.

[kegler14]

44. Doesn't bother you? Then stay away from my kids.

I'm trying to teach them that that sort of language in public simply isn't cool. In fact, it shows that the person using it is a complete idiot.

[armyowalgreens]

43. I would never say anything like that in front of kids.

But if there aren't kids in within ear shot, I curse like a sailor when I'm pissed off.

[kegler14]

17. PS -- I also despise the faggot obscenities. But that's no reason to sink to his level.

[and-justice-for-all]

7. Yeah, the 'fagots' were the ones running their mouth like diarrhea.

when I hear 'fagot', I say "no thanks, I don't smoke."

[Berry Cool]

8. Obviously it's too late for you to do anything about it now

so maybe the best thing to do is to tell yourself "The next time I hear crap like this, I won't be silent. I will say something, because I didn't say anything last time."

Then, when the occasion arises, do it.

Too bad you ran into someone who had to put a turd in your punchbowl.

[MrScorpio]

9. I would have said something like:

"Why should we care that you like taking it up the ass? Oh, that's right what happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas."

[Toucano]

11. +1

"Dude, this is not 'Oprah'. No one cares about your personal life."

[marmar]

10. What is it about Southwest? ..... Perhaps my view is colored by that "Airline" TV series....

...... but they seem to have an inordinately high amount of drunken asshole passengers.

[hootinholler]

42. They're cheap.

More money for booze.

-Hoot

[donco6]

12. "There are probably "faggots" on every plane."

"And most make it home in one piece."

"However, this plane only has one bigoted asshole on it, therefore you may want to reassess your cause-and-effect."

[a la izquierda]

14. +1

that might have made his head explode, since it would require him to think.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

13. It would depend upon the drunk

But if I felt he wouldn't assault me, I would have said, "Sir, you are intoxicated and are making an abject fool of yourself."

[goddess40]

15. I like your response idea

hopefully I'll never need to use it but I'll file it away for future use if needed.

[kegler14]

18. Now that's the way to respond.

[Alcibiades]

27. Let him assault you

That's a federal offense.

[The Stranger]

20. It amazes me how many DUers encounter bigots, never say anything, then run here to tell us.

I'm not sure. Should we thank you for not speaking out?

[MindPilot]

23. Well, of course not,

but it is the way of bigots to spew their shit in situations where they are fairly safe. And that's what makes it so frustrating.

I have no doubt that had I responded, the situation would have escalated. The guy is already drunk and beligerant and I--pretty close to my last coherent thoughts before being blinded with rage--have a tough time pulling back from a fight once started. Remember we are on an airliner in the middle of an emergency and I certainly did not want to be the one responsible for delaying the flight even further if the captain decided to wait for law enforcement to arrive.

Flight crews do not tolerate spats among passengers.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

24. Well, my husband has confronted bigots

I still remember one winger who said "You know, I hear Obama's a Muslim!" My husband arched his eyebrow and said, "And so what if he was? What's the matter with Islam?" Believe it or not, the guy backed down. I'm not so fast with a retort, and wouldn't have thought to say it--but I was ready to explain about Islam to them, including quoting the Qur'an.

[The Stranger]

25. That's what bullies do when confronted -- they back down.

But they are encouraged by the silence.

[glitch]

34. If they get enough positive reinforcement here, perhaps next time they'll speak up. nt

[Iggo]

22. I've settled on what I say at those times.

One very loud "WHOA!" and I look at them with wide eyes and flared nostrils. You know, the crazy-eyes killer face. I perfected that back when I was an active meth addict...lol.

That way, I've yelled at them, and the ball's back in their court without giving them anything other than a scary face to respond to. So far, they've all backed down.

[11 Bravo]

28. I had an army buddy who transferred out from the infantry to the MPs.

We stayed in touch, and he eventually became a policeman. I already had the 1,000 yard grunt stare, and he showed me how to mix that in with the standard dead-eyed cop gaze. Shit, sometimes I can look in the mirror and scare myself. I wish I had been on that plane.

[Hekate]

29. What to do now: Write a letter of commendation to the airline about the attendant's good behavior...

... under trying circumstances. Please do that.

And next time, tell the asshole passenger to STFU, or at least, "Please buddy you're making the rest of us uncomfortable, so simmer down."

Hekate

[MindPilot]

45. Excellent suggestion!!

Here's what I just sent:

On the afternoon of Friday June 12, my girlfriend and I boarded Southwest flight 923 from San Diego to Las Vegas. As we waited for the remaining passengers to board, a male flight attendant is entertaining us singing a catchy little ditty about the joys of flying Southwest to the tune of "My Girl". A little lame perhaps, but cute and creative, and after the waiting and TSA searches we enjoyed the lighthearted attempt to relieve that tension.

A few rows behind me I hear someone loudly add their own words to the tune, "...and you are SOOOOOO GAY!" Yep, some drunks are on board.

About an hour later we are just touching down at McCarran in heavy crosswinds when a strong gust pushes the aircraft violently to the right, off the runway. I thought for sure we were going to have at least a blown tire, but the pilots handled it perfectly, getting the plane back in the air before anything got broken.

Almost at that very same instant, that same someone yells out "WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? THERE ARE FAGGOTS ON THE PLANE!"

I inferred from his comment that he believed god was smiting the plane because of a gay flight attendant.

I wanted to shout a response in defense of the flight attendant, however I thought at the time it was probably not a good idea to start an altercation with another passenger on an airliner especially during what had just become an in-flight emergency, so I held my tongue.

The whole point of telling the story is to say THANK YOU to the entire crew of flight 923. The pilots who turned a potential catastrophe into a minor inconvenience and the flight attendants who endure the bigoted alcohol-fueled abuse day after day deserve our sincere appreciation. Their professionalism is admirable.

Again, thank you and we will continue to fly Southwest whenever our travel plans allow it.

[Cha]

30. I think I would have with all

that adrenaline flowing. This winter on the streets of my small town in New York there was this idiot yelling "N*****" at the top of his lungs..across the street the from me. I turned around, stood still and stared at him..he said "this doesn't concern you"..I said, "Oh, you're yelling that and I'm suppose to just walk on by?, Fuck that!" He said, "Fuck you!" Me, "FUCK you!"

I couldn't even see who he was yelling at..the yellee was in a car with the windows rolled up at an angle on a hill(it was 20 freakin' degrees out with a wicked wind chill factor).

In your circumstance it might have been better not to..and you can tell about it and get it out here.

In retrospect..maybe something like saying loud enough for those around to hear.."Well, I appreciate the excellent care given by the flight attendent(s)!!"

[kevinbgoode]

31. If the asshole was indeed drunk, it seems to me that someone

should have quietly reported his "drunken" behavior and had his sorry bigot ass removed from the plane immediately upon landing. There are surely laws concerning public behavior and drunkenness, particularly on a plane where someone is verbally slurring an employee and annoying the other customers.

At the very least, the asshole could have had his alcohol content tested. . .and if the airline had any balls, he could be barred from flying them again.

Seems to me that the targeted employee was far too kind and professional in dealing with the jerk.

[HughMoran]

33. The douchenozzle should be shot

I'm not sure if I would be able to not follow that ass fuck and smash his fucking face in.

[kenny blankenship]

36. good time to yell "Takes One To Know One!"

[mrbarber]

37. Take heart.

Although nothing was said to the asswipe while on board to prevent an altercation, chances are he was approached afterwards by some very non-amused security guards.

You do NOT cause trouble on a plane and get away with it.

[knitter4democracy]

38. That is sooo snakes on a plane.

What a frackin' jerk.

[Skittles]

39. I would have responded THERE'S ASSHOLES ON THIS PLANE TOO

yes INDEED