When you saw the video of that guy being dragged off the United Airlines flight, I trust your first thought was "man, that's terrible."
My first thought was "man, someone is going to defend that."
And so it developed, like every other video on the Internet: 1. initial shock, 2. eventual apologists for the people engaging in the "shocking" conduct.
"He should have just gotten up and left the plane."
"The others got up."
"This is what happens when we don't do everything the cops say."
"What was United supposed to do?"
And my personal favorite:
"You know, what United did was totally legal."
Let's focus on that last one.
I'm a lawyer, and as a lawyer, I will say this:
What United did was totally legal.
They did nothing illegal. They will not be charged with a crime. They violated no laws. They called the police because someone (who was first allowed on the plane (watch for that argument in the civil suit)) did not comply with the totally legal random process of asking for volunteers.
It was totally legal. IT WAS LEGAL, PEOPLE. LEGAL!!!
Let me tell you what else is legal:
1. Refusing to apologize when you unintentionally bump in to someone.
2. A restaurant refusing to comp your meal or give you a free dessert when they screw up your order.
3. Forgetting your anniversary.
4. A hotel starting housekeeping service 5 a.m.
5. Failing to extend condolences.
6. A prosecutor seeking the maximum penalty on every case.
7. Being home on Halloween in a neighborhood full of kids and refusing to open the door and give out candy.
8. Telling people to drop dead on Christmas.
9. Taking your kids to Disney World and telling them they cannot ride anything or see Mickey Mouse.
All the above is "totally legal."
Located in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida, Brian Tannebaum defends lawyers before the Bar when he's not defending those charged with criminal offenses in state and federal court. He is the author of The Practice: Brutal Truths About Lawyers And Lawyering.
My first thought was "man, someone is going to defend that."
And so it developed, like every other video on the Internet: 1. initial shock, 2. eventual apologists for the people engaging in the "shocking" conduct.
"He should have just gotten up and left the plane."
"The others got up."
"This is what happens when we don't do everything the cops say."
"What was United supposed to do?"
And my personal favorite:
"You know, what United did was totally legal."
Let's focus on that last one.
I'm a lawyer, and as a lawyer, I will say this:
What United did was totally legal.
They did nothing illegal. They will not be charged with a crime. They violated no laws. They called the police because someone (who was first allowed on the plane (watch for that argument in the civil suit)) did not comply with the totally legal random process of asking for volunteers.
It was totally legal. IT WAS LEGAL, PEOPLE. LEGAL!!!
Let me tell you what else is legal:
1. Refusing to apologize when you unintentionally bump in to someone.
2. A restaurant refusing to comp your meal or give you a free dessert when they screw up your order.
3. Forgetting your anniversary.
4. A hotel starting housekeeping service 5 a.m.
5. Failing to extend condolences.
6. A prosecutor seeking the maximum penalty on every case.
7. Being home on Halloween in a neighborhood full of kids and refusing to open the door and give out candy.
8. Telling people to drop dead on Christmas.
9. Taking your kids to Disney World and telling them they cannot ride anything or see Mickey Mouse.
All the above is "totally legal."
Located in Miami and Tallahassee, Florida, Brian Tannebaum defends lawyers before the Bar when he's not defending those charged with criminal offenses in state and federal court. He is the author of The Practice: Brutal Truths About Lawyers And Lawyering.
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