In Vino Veritas
Ed Peck was one of the eleven Americans who were on board the Gaza flotilla that was attacked by Israeli commandos earlier this week. Peck is eighty-one years old, a former paratrooper (US), ambassador, and worked in the Reagan White House. He is also Jewish. He was deported from Israel after being arrested for something or other as a participant in the attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza. He reports in the Baltimore Sun that one of the most amusing aspects of his deportation from Israel was his treatment while flying back home on Continental Airlines. He asked for a glass of wine with his dinner on the plane and was told “No. You are not allowed alcoholic beverages. You are a threat to national security.”
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/2010/06/maryland_mideast_peace_activis.html
I have e-mailed Continental Airlines and told them that I will not be using their services in the future where I have other options to fly. That a distinguished American could be denied a glass of wine at dinner to punish him because he opp0ses the unconscionable treatment of the Palestinians is disgraceful. Where did the order come from? An Israeli sky marshall? The Transportation Security Administration? Joe Biden? Joe apparently believes that Israelis shooting American citizens four times in the head in “self defense” is okay as is the blinding of an American protester at a crossing point into the West Bank, so he would hardly be bothered by someone wanting a glass of wine with dinner.
So much for honoring US veterans.
Not sure who looks more ridiculous, the person who issued the order or the flight crew that followed it.
The good news: the government is so obviously incompetent (and getting more hapless by the hour) that it is undermining its own ill-deserved legitimacy, the public schools, big government apologists, and the White House spin doctors notwithstanding. When enough people realize we’re being led by morons and power-mad goons, maybe something will change for the better.
“You are a threat to national security.”
Whose?
Last I heard, Continental is an AMERICAN company.
Being denied a glass of wine for national security reasons is like handcuffing people “For their own safety.” As a people we seem willing to endure anything those in authority, or something like it, feel like dishing out.
Would an Israeli Sky Marshall provide security on an American carrier?