Sometimes “keeping it real” goes wrong- even when you’re a pastor.
The Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP, said that he was removed from a flight in Washington, D.C., for being a “disruptive passenger.”
Barber, who has a bone-fusion arthritic disability, had to purchase two seats for his flight because of his disability. When another passenger saw Barber sit down, he started making disparaging remarks about Barber’s seating arrangement. That’s when Barber asked a stewardess to tell the passenger to “bring it down a little bit.”
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However, the passenger only got louder and continued to talk, saying that “he had problems with ‘those people.’ Barber says the man made disparaging remarks about his need for ‘two seats,’ among other subjects.
“As I heard these things, I became more and more uncomfortable, especially since he was behind me,” Barber said in the statement. “The attitude with which he spoke, and my experiences with others who have directed similar harsh, sometimes threatening words, emails, and calls at me, came to my mind.”
Barber says he couldn’t turn his neck to talk due to his condition, so he stood up to speak to the passenger.
“I asked him why he was saying such things, and I said he did not know me, my condition, and I added I would pray for him,” Barber said.
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Barber was then asked to leave the American Eagle plane, but he said that he was treated graciously by both police and airline officials.
“Yes, I am not at all happy about what I believe were the real reasons I was the one asked to leave,” Barber said. “My training and experiences with non-violent civil disobedience, and my deep faith, however, made my decision to peacefully comply with the order to get off the plane an easy one.”
The passenger who argued with Barber has since spoken up about the confrontation, saying if he had the chance to talk with Barber face-to-face, he would apologize.
“I’d apologize to him. I was definitely out of line,” the man said. “And I hope he would do the same for me and apologize, saying he was also out of line.”
No charges have been filed but Barber says he “turned the matter over” to his legal counselors.
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