bjcc
"But that really isn't the point" and "..... some of you have to face a couple of simple facts here, one of which if he is found guilty it is totally down to him and no one else."
I don't think anyone's said the buck doesn't stop with a pilot if he's guilty. In most cases, that's the bottom line.
Does that mean others aren't open to criticism?
Does that mean people shouldn't be interested in other points as well as what you call "the point"?
eg (In no particular order, and raised by various people):
How did the police become involved?
Why didn't the security man raise his concerns with the pilot or other member of the Flight Crew at the time?
Or with the company?
Who tipped off the Press?
Isn't it disgraceful his name was given to the Press before he was even charged? (He might not have been, but the damage is done.)
Isn't it disgusting that, regardless of whether he was charged, and regardless of whether he's guilty or innocent, the police (or someone else in authority) gave the Press a photograph taken for official purposes whilst he's in custody?
Isn't it terrible that someone gave his home address to the Press?
Isn't it outrageous that UK journos and photographers surrounded his home when he's (absurdly) locked up in jail in America? What do they hope to achieve? A photograph of his distressed family? To ask his family how they 'feel'?
Isn't it outrageous that he's been pilloried in the press/media as a 'drunk' pilot?
Isn't it hypocritical of the Press/media to make melodramatic comments about passengers' confidence being shaken when it's the media which is stirring things up?
And for the media to go on about crashes and 400 people being put at risk etc etc when, even if he is proved to be guilty, we don't know whether he was way over the limit or fractionally?
Come to think of it, isn't that what you were doing with your analogy with people being killed or injured in a taxi driven by a driver who'd been drinking?
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 22nd Dec 2003 at 23:43.