Post by AuntieSocial on Feb 14, 2004 5:36:56 GMT -5
This action alert comes from the folks at the Council for Secular Humanism. The following quote is taken from the February 14, 2004 Action Alert.
[/li][li] Thank them for taking an interest in the matter.
[/li][li] Ask them to re-examine their training policies regarding "appropriate speech" on the part of their employees, and to make any changes needed to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
[/li][li] Encourage them to take the appropriate disciplinary measures with any such future incidents.[/quote]
For discussion on the incident, please visit the thread created in the Atheist News Archive Section.
On a recent cross-country airline flight on Friday, February 6, 2004, one pilot's personal expression of faith may have led his passengers to prayer-but probably not for the reasons he expected.
American Airlines Flight 34 had left Los Angeles and was on its way to New York City when pilot Roger Findiesen (who recently been on a weeklong mission trip to Costa Rica) asked for a "show of hands" to see how many passengers were Christians.
(Here the records diverge. Some accounts say he asked the passengers to "look at the crazy people," with a note of respect or admiration in his voice; others say that he called the non-Christians "crazy"...without the admiration.)
Oblivious to the concern his remarks were causing, Findiesen encouraged the passengers to engage in dialogue between Christians and non-Christians, or just sit back and watch the movie.
Panicked passengers, startled by the pilot's unusual behavior and fearing the worst, reached for their cell phones or the plane's on-board phones before the flight attendants could calm them.
When the pilot finally realized the distress his remarks had triggered, he apologized to the flight crew for the extra "heat" they were taking.
A spokesperson for American Airlines has apologized for any misunderstanding, and said (in a mastery of understatement) that "it falls along the lines of a personal level of sharing that may not be appropriate for one of our employees to do while on the job."
We here at the Council feel that non-believers (or just people who don't believe in preaching to captive audiences) should reach out to American Airlines and share our feelings on the subject.
If you'd like to send a message to American Airlines, send an e-mail to President and CEO Gerard Arpey at Investor.Relations@aa.com with "Attention: Gerard Arpey" in the subject line. Alternately, you can mail something to American Airlines' main mailing address at:
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
We would, however, urge you to be polite, as AA has already shown a willingness to address the matter. Our suggestions include:
American Airlines Flight 34 had left Los Angeles and was on its way to New York City when pilot Roger Findiesen (who recently been on a weeklong mission trip to Costa Rica) asked for a "show of hands" to see how many passengers were Christians.
(Here the records diverge. Some accounts say he asked the passengers to "look at the crazy people," with a note of respect or admiration in his voice; others say that he called the non-Christians "crazy"...without the admiration.)
Oblivious to the concern his remarks were causing, Findiesen encouraged the passengers to engage in dialogue between Christians and non-Christians, or just sit back and watch the movie.
Panicked passengers, startled by the pilot's unusual behavior and fearing the worst, reached for their cell phones or the plane's on-board phones before the flight attendants could calm them.
When the pilot finally realized the distress his remarks had triggered, he apologized to the flight crew for the extra "heat" they were taking.
A spokesperson for American Airlines has apologized for any misunderstanding, and said (in a mastery of understatement) that "it falls along the lines of a personal level of sharing that may not be appropriate for one of our employees to do while on the job."
We here at the Council feel that non-believers (or just people who don't believe in preaching to captive audiences) should reach out to American Airlines and share our feelings on the subject.
If you'd like to send a message to American Airlines, send an e-mail to President and CEO Gerard Arpey at Investor.Relations@aa.com with "Attention: Gerard Arpey" in the subject line. Alternately, you can mail something to American Airlines' main mailing address at:
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, TX 75261-9616
We would, however, urge you to be polite, as AA has already shown a willingness to address the matter. Our suggestions include:
[/li][li] Ask them to re-examine their training policies regarding "appropriate speech" on the part of their employees, and to make any changes needed to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
[/li][li] Encourage them to take the appropriate disciplinary measures with any such future incidents.[/quote]
For discussion on the incident, please visit the thread created in the Atheist News Archive Section.
