This month, I had the opportunity to hear Adlene Harrison, 93, the first woman mayor of Dallas, speak about her historically progressive career juxtaposed with our current political climate.
Architect James Pratt with former Dallas Mayor Adlene Harrison at the presentation of his collection to SMU. (www.smu.edu/news/2014/pratt-collection-dedication-18sept2014)
In 1977, following her tenure as mayor, Harrison was appointed as one of the first woman Environmental Protection Agency regional directors, in charge of the EPA’s anti-pollution efforts in five southwestern states. She held this position until 1981, when she became chair of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority Board (DART), as highlighted by the Jewish Women’s archive.
Harrison’s stories to the audience only backed up her reputation for being a smart, determined, and strong woman who doesn’t back down from a good fight. She recalled fights with the Carter administrationregarding their oil pipeline plans and recalled her learning experiences from lobbying, advocating, and pitching to the public the idea of DART, the North Texas mass-transit-rail system.
She talked about how hard one needs to fight for the greater good when the field is tilted in favor of special interests. She recalled the many projects in which she needed agreement from both sides of the aisle. She even received glowing recommendations from GOP peers to stay on during the Ronald Reagan administration, but the newly elected President Reagan had quite a different strategy for the EPA specifically and regulations in general.
Harrison’s Warning
When she was recalling the past, Harrison was quite charismatic and joyful. But when it came to talking about the present, she had a stern warning for us in the audience. Harrison expressed her fears that we as a society have become complacent. But even worse, we have become more self-absorbed and self-interested than ever. She warned that without active civil engagement by common citizens, special interests will write the rules for our future.
At 93, Harrison has never been as fearful as she is today for our democracy. She warned that the prevalent attitudes and the business-as-usual culture will lead us down a dark path of more inequality, segregation, and climate change. She worries that rising inequality is causing seismic cracks in our society’s foundation.
If you haven’t seen the video from last night of an Asian doctor getting bullied, beaten up, and dragged off an United Airlines plane for not volunteering to give up his seat during an “overbooked” flight situation, please click here.
Enforcing ridiculous dress codes is draconian. But ripping the shirt off someone’s back is downright cruel. Leggings are one thing, beating the shit out of someone is a whole different beast.
The Office for Civil Rights (ACR) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to investigate this matter immediately.
As noted by the Courier-Journal (part of the USA Today network):
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The video, posted by Audra D. Bridges at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, is taken from an aisle seat on a commercial airplane that appears to be preparing to take flight. The 31-second clip shows three men wearing radio equipment and security jackets speaking with a man seated on the plane.
Passengers were told at the gate that the flight was overbooked and United, offering $400 and a hotel stay, was looking for one volunteer to take another flight to Louisville at 3 p.m. Monday.
Passengers were allowed to board the flight, Bridges said, and once the flight was filled those on the plane were told that four people needed to give up their seats to stand-by United employees that needed to be in Louisville on Monday for a flight.
Passengers were told that the flight would not take off until the United crew had seats, Bridges said, and the offer was increased to $800, but no one volunteered.
Then, she said, a manager came aboard the plane and said a computer would select four people to be taken off the flight. One couple was selected first and left the airplane, she said, before the man in the video was confronted.
Bridges said the man became “very upset” and said that he was a doctor who needed to see patients at a hospital in the morning.
The manager told him that security would be called if he did not leave willingly, Bridges said, and the man said he was calling his lawyer. One security official came and spoke with him, and then another security officer came when he still refused. Then, she said, a third security official came on the plane and threw the passenger against the armrest before dragging him out of the plane.
The man was able to get back on the plane after initially being taken off – his face was bloody and he seemed disoriented, Bridges said, and he ran to the back of the plane.
Passengers asked to get off the plane as a medical crew came on to deal with the passenger, she said, and passengers were then told to go back to the gate so that officials could “tidy up” the plane before taking off.
Bridges said the man shown in the video was the only person who was forcibly removed.
“Everyone was shocked and appalled,” Bridges said. “There were several children on the flight as well that were very upset.”
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At no point was United Airlines’ unconscionable actions and conduct professional, courteous, or proportionate to the actions of the passenger.
The computer allegedly selected an Asian doctor and his wife to give up their seats. But you cannot blame the computer for these despicable, dehumanizing actions.
How United Airlines handled this situation was reprehensible. The “security enforcement” may ultimately have been at fault, but it was a direct result of United Airlines’ executive actions.
The security enforcement may have been the actual aggressors, but it was United Airlines who should be ultimately responsible for their actions.
I, for one, am absolutely disgusted.
For bullying an Asian doctor (or any other human being) and his wife, I will never fly United Airlines again, and I hope you will join me. We must demand respect.
It is more important than ever that we vote with our wallets. We should not support corporations who perform unconscionable acts in the names of economy and efficiency.
These unjust, unconscionable acts should not be tolerated.
Enforcing ridiculous dress codes is draconian. But tearing the shirt off someone’s back is downright cruel. Leggings are one thing, beating the shit out of someone is a whole different animal.
Doctors save lives, United Airlines assaults them. This is the legal definition of assault and battery, plain and simple.
And on behalf of the Asian doctor and his wife, I invite you to file a complaint against United Airlines for its unconscionable actions with the Office for Civil Rights (ACR) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
#other #boycott #civilrights
*I am boycotting United Airlines because of its unconscionable actions toward another human being.
FOOTNOTE 4 