Overlawyered: Chronicling The High Cost Of Our Legal System

Imams sue USAir

A sad case of post-9/11 discrimination, or “performance art” designed to elicit a fearful reaction among fellow passengers? And what are we to think of the suit’s naming, as “John Doe” defendants responsible for damages, an “older couple” who reacted with alarm and the gentleman of which “kept talking into his cellular phone”, possibly alerting […]

A sad case of post-9/11 discrimination, or “performance art” designed to elicit a fearful reaction among fellow passengers? And what are we to think of the suit’s naming, as “John Doe” defendants responsible for damages, an “older couple” who reacted with alarm and the gentleman of which “kept talking into his cellular phone”, possibly alerting authorities? (John McWhorter (Manhattan Institute), “Drama Queens on U.S. Airways”, New York Sun, Mar. 15; Katherine Kersten, “The real target of the 6 imams’ ‘discrimination’ suit”, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Mar. 14; Kersten blog, Mar. 14; Power Line, Mar. 15; Dystopian Philosopher (Dennis Miller video), Mar. 14; Bruce McQuain, QandO, Mar. 15). Earlier coverage: Dec. 6.

More: Audrey Hudson’s coverage of the issue in the Washington Times is kind enough to quote me (“Imams’ suit risks ‘chill’ on security”, Mar. 16).

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6 Comments

  • It’s very hard to find actual infomation on this event. There should be video from some of the cameras in the airport, and it seems for the first time this century nobody was using their camera/phone to record any of this.

    If the Imams didn’t need seatbelt extensions why were they given to the Imams? Why would the Imams be expected to use them if the seatbelt light is not lit before take-off? Is it true that one of the Imams was blind? How old were these terrorists as opposed to the 9/11 hijackers? If there is going to be a compare & contrast to 9/11 how well does it compare & contrast?

  • This looks more like an attempt at a SLAPP suit by the Inmans than anything else.

  • They can use SLAPP all they want, until the defense presents the arab-born interpreter who turned her notes over to authorities when she first helped to inform the crew that these guys were acting strangely. For those who had the opportunity to see them, it made for some interesting reading indeed…

    I also noticed how the imams can’t do this on their own, so CAIR is doing it for them. Ironic fact is that the imams were attending a conference where one of the primary themes was using the media and courtrooms to push their agendas.

    Guess they were quick studies.

    • By Yoda

  • I read months/years ago in the NYT that a solid percentage of the lawsuits pending in both state and federal courts are discrimination suits. What would be the effect of eliminating them altogether? Would we be better off, as a society? There is no Constitutional grounding for anything at the federal level beyond a requirement that the government itself not “discriminate,” under the 14th Amendment. And for years, it was understood that private parties aren’t bound. Now that they are, are we better off? And cui bono?

  • What a farce. Airlines announce ‘federal law requires you to comply with all flight crew directions’ on every flight. The flight crew consensus was that they were causing sufficient disruption to remove them; end of story. People have been removed for less.

    Religious right does not trump air safety. For example, Sikhs are barred from carrying daggers on board.

    • By arerea

  • These Imams were faking and goofing on the passengers, and were probably trying to get tossed off the plane just so they could play the victim card and go to court and make a scene. Any judge who allows this is garbage.

    absurd thought –
    God of the Universe says
    pretend to be terrorists

    scare people on a plane
    get thrown off claim racism
    .

    • By USpace