From the "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" files

[Miss Mousie]

I found this disturbing on multiple levels.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/

 

 

The curly-haired man tried to keep to himself, intently if inscrutably scribbling on a notepad he’d brought aboard. His seatmate, a blond-haired, 30-something woman sporting flip-flops and a red tote bag, looked him over. He was wearing navy Diesel jeans and a red Lacoste sweater – a look he would later describe as “simple elegance†– but something about him didn’t seem right to her.

 

By the way, the writing is terrible - I won't blame you for skimming.  ;) 

 

 

[amsunshine]

Oh, brother.   :blink:

[PrincessMommy]

I hate those "See Something Say Something" signs.  They make me very sad for my country.  And they make me think way too much about Soviet era Russia.

 

And, the whole thing makes me angry.  What if the guy is just an introvert?  I guess we can't have any introverts of ME descent or look Middle Eastern

 

Yes, disturbing on many levels.

Edited May 11, 2016 by PrincessMommy

[LucyStoner]

Racism + innumeracy. Sucktastic combination.

 

I put this into "some people are total idiots file".

 

A clock is a bomb. Math is terrorist code. What the flip is wrong with people?

[Guest]

Wow. Sheer idiocy.

[happi duck]

Reading the whole story the goofiness is clear.

 

However, just to be a pill, isn't the advice usually to "trust your gut"? And not to worry about offending if you get that " something's wrong " feeling?

 

I can imagine that the woman was truly distressed over what to do. I don't fly but I'm guessing that a lot of people have a heightened sense of vulnerability when on an airplane.

 

Again, just being a pill because I can, ;) not because I feel strongly or think this was right!

 

I'm glad he wasn't kicked off for math+dark curly hair!!

[Ravin]

It's too bad the airline has not disclosed the woman's name. If ever someone deserved to be publicly shamed and ridiculed for their stupidity...

 

I suppose it's enough that she knows who she is. Maybe she'll see it on the news and realize that she inconvenienced herself and a whole lot of other people by being a racist moron.

 

Not holding my breath, though.

 

I wonder if anyone is selling "I'm a mathematician, not a terrorist" T-shirts?

 

 

[LucyStoner]

Reading the whole story the goofiness is clear.

 

However, just to be a pill, isn't the advice usually to "trust your gut"? And not to worry about offending if you get that " something's wrong " feeling?

 

I can imagine that the woman was truly distressed over what to do. I don't fly but I'm guessing that a lot of people have a heightened sense of vulnerability when on an airplane.

 

Again, just being a pill because I can, ;) not because I feel strongly or think this was right!

 

I'm glad he wasn't kicked off for math+dark curly hair!!

Everyone on the plane was delayed by hours because of her "gut". If one's gut tells them that men with olive complexions writing numbers are likely to be terrorists then that person is hysterical at at the very best.

 

Get some Xanax or something. She saw nothing that was indicative of violence or a weapon.

[PrincessMommy]

It's too bad the airline has not disclosed the woman's name. If ever someone deserved to be publicly shamed and ridiculed for their stupidity...

 

I suppose it's enough that she knows who she is. Maybe she'll see it on the news and realize that she inconvenienced herself and a whole lot of other people by being a racist moron.

 

Not holding my breath, though.

 

I wonder if anyone is selling "I'm a mathematician, not a terrorist" T-shirts?

 

I disagree.  Public shamming is not okay - esp now with social media and people's lives being completely ruined by such things.   I don't like what she did, but I wouldn't want to see her publicly humiliated.  

 

I'll hope for the best and assume she's embarrassed enough by the media blitz on her stupidity and has learned from her mistake.

 

[mom2scouts]

Well, differential equations *are* pretty darn scary.

[hornblower]

Not only can you not be introverted if you're of a certain race or ethnic background, you cannot be upset, tense, emotional... anything that would look suspicious. 

So if you're racing to get to another city because a loved one is in emergency surgery and you want to get there in time to talk to them, you'd better look calm and placid. 

If you're waiting to hear whether a big life changing job offer has come through, you'd still better look at ease and relaxed. 

If you're flying for an important interview, and preparing your presentation, your first concern will be to not look frazzled or tense or stressed.  And don't even think about sweating. 

 

[DesertBlossom]

Everyone on the plane was delayed by hours because of her "gut". If one's gut tells them that men with olive complexions writing numbers are likely to be terrorists then that person is hysterical at at the very best.

 

Get some Xanax or something. She saw nothing that was indicative of violence or a weapon.

Maybe you're right. Maybe she suffers from anxiety and maybe there were other factors going on in her life that caused her "gut" to over react and freak her out.

[mathnerd]

Wow. Sheer idiocy.

I said "sheer illiteracy" when I saw the news:

differential equations == terrorist language scribblings ?!!!!

Italian accent == foreign terrorist accent?! 

Edited May 11, 2016 by mathnerd

[Janeway]

So basically, because he was uninterested in chatting with the batty female stranger next to him, he is taken off the plane and questions for possible terrorism? gads!

[GailV]

Well, differential equations *are* pretty darn scary.

 

And our number system is known as Arabic.  So, voila, scary stuff in Arabic.  Sort of.

[QueenCat]

I'm just glad that the flight did eventually take off with him on it!