Are We Free?
I’m thinking about what happened on United Airlines flight 3411. The question in my mind is about the fellow passengers on the flight. What would I have done if I had been on that flight? What should we do when faced with injustice? When someone we don’t know is being mistreated?
We all agree that no one should be treated the way Dr Dao was treated. No one. So if that’s true why did it happen unchallenged? Fear? Submission to authority? Safety over freedom? There were more passengers than crew or security on board in that moment. Was getting to Louisville more important than helping Dr Dao?
Not to me. What would have happened if all the passengers decided to deplane instead of sitting complacent to the actions of the security officials? I’m not suggesting we fight those charged with protecting us but rather we hold them accountable to doing it in the right way.
Respectfully. With confidence we are doing the right thing.
Had they all stood up for Dr Dao in that moment it may have ended differently. Stand up to United Airlines. Stand up to TSA or Chicago Police Authority. Record the events with your phone and post it. That may be more powerful than guns in this case.
We have agreed to be disarmed when we fly for the safety of all. I’m not sure that’s the right answer but we all have our cameras in that situation, don’t we? Use Facebook LIve or YouTube Live. We can say our peace, deplane and find another flight. It’s just a bit a delay, some time and money spent in defending a fellow human.
Isn’t that the right thing?
If I see someone mistreated on the street, what would I do? If I see a robbery in progress and I can actually do something about it, would I? I’d like to think I would. I have not been tested in this yet but I live everyday with the knowledge that I could be. I am prepared everyday to defend myself and those around me if called to.
Courage is the act of overcoming fear. Not the absence of fear but the profound unwillingness to allow it to diminish us. To do the right thing regardless of the personal risk. Isn’t that freedom in the end? To do the right thing even if it costs us something?
I’m listening to the news and not finding this perspective being discussed. If someone has something to share I’d love to hear it. Point me to a discussion where this is being talked about. I want to join in.
How about you?
What would you do?
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-231-1578 Cell
#AreWeFree, #UnitedAirlines3411,