Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

Dear Larry: I am a stewardess for a major airline, and I ran into a situation that I am not sure I handled in the proper manner. I cannot ask my supervisor or anyone else because I am not sure whether I will get in trouble for not taking care of things correctly.

As the passengers were getting on the plane and taking their assigned seats, an irate woman came to me and said the person sitting next to her was a black man. She demanded to be moved to another seat because she would not travel across the country with that kind of person. She said all of this to me in a loud enough voice that I am sure it was overheard by other passengers. I am quite sure the black passenger did not hear her words. In fact, I think he was never aware there was a passenger who did not want to sit next to him.

When this bigot told me this, I got upset but kept a calm exterior. I didn't know what the right thing to do was. Because the plane was not full, I simply told her she could move to an empty seat that was more to her liking.

I never had run into a situation such as this. The matter was resolved quietly because the plane was not full, but now I am wondering what the proper thing to do would be if all seats are taken.

I would appreciate an answer fairly soon. One never knows when another racist will want a flight.

Dear U.S.: Just when I think I have encountered every possible situation, I get my bubble burst.

In situations such as this, there is often not a right or wrong thing to do. Everything is a judgment call, and it depends upon the situation. In this case, I would have handled the issue differently, especially because the bigot chose to make her complaint where other passengers could overhear her diatribe. Giving in to her rewards bad behavior, encourages other passengers to do the same, or gives your airline a bad name for being compliant in fostering bigotry.

If I had been in your situation, I would have told her that she had to sit in her assigned seat or deplane. If she wanted to make an issue of the situation, I would have informed the captain and pushed the issue to a higher authority. Simply finding her another seat sends the wrong message and exposes your company to lawsuits.

This woman literally committed a federal crime. In this day and age, there is no excuse for tolerating such racist behavior. I suggest that you check your airline's operating procedures and find out what your company requires its employees to do in this kind of situation. If there is no policy covering this kind of situation, be an advocate for change.

Who knows, you may get some kind of meritorious reward. If not, you would know you did the right thing.

To find out more about Larry G. Meeks and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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