Perhaps Steven Slater was on a high because of the support that many Americans have shown him, but I believe that he's now beginning to realize that he's no hero. The charges and accusations of many unanswered questions aren't helping to shed any favorable in his favor. Perhaps whatever high he was on has long since faded. What does Steven Slater want now,"""hewants his job back- and his story is apparently springing leaks." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/13/earlyshow/main6769324.shtml
In the first place, who in their right mind would do what Steven Slater did, by supposedly cursing and telling the airline passengers exactly what he thought, grab a couple of beers and then exit by pulling the emergency slide shoot and leaving the plane? Who in their right mind would praise him for doing what he did, and who in their right mind would dismiss his actions by saying that he just had enough? This is a flimsy excuse for calling someone a hero; this is not the movie Network; this is reality. What did Steven Slater have enough of in order to justify his thoughtless or perhaps his well thought of exit? First of all we don't know what really happened; more research and investigation needs to be done. Are some Americans that stupid that they will praise stupidity? Well it seems that there are a growing number of Americans that say that he is their hero; these people are praising this man's stupidity, which in my opinion makes them just as stupid as he is.
I'm sure that there are many other instances where public servants have dealt with people who were far more unruly and even with more grotesque circumstances, but didn't display such a grand style to get the public's attention.
Many years ago when I was a waiter serving hors d'oeuvres, a woman stepped on my little toe, which had a corn on it and the pain was excruciating. This woman didn't apologize to me either, so I said to her, "excuse me, but you stepped on my toe; she looked at me and asked me, would you like me to step on the other one?" I was silent; I would have been fired for telling her what I felt. I left the floor and stopped serving for a while; need less to say I was raging; I was fuming, so I know what some of the public can be like, but rather than saying anything I left the floor.
Mr. Slater said,.. "I lost patience after a female passenger had an argument with another passenger and then opened the bin door hitting me on the head without apologizing,.." http://abcnews.go.com/US/steven-slater-jetblue-flight-attendant-bail-emergency-slide/story?id=11367793 Whether his story is in fact true remains to be determined. There have been reports that some passengers are calling Steven Slater the rude one. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/12/steven-slater-rude-jetblue-flight-passengers-claim
Upon his release from jail, Steven Slater said "I knew there was a brouhaha about this, but while I was on the inside I didn't realize how much attention it got," "
I believe that he had to wonder what reactions his actions had caused. There is a video, "where he admits that he's thought of that exit before." He said " ""yeah I've thought of that for 20 years, ". but you never think you're gonna do it." http://tv.popcrunch.com/steven-slater-thought-of-emergency-slide-exit-before-video
In another interview he says,.. "We thought about it for 20 years," Slater told twoNew York Times reporters who cornered him an elevator Wednesday morning."We thought about it. But you never think you're gonna do it."
I'd like to know who is we; was someone egging him on; was he going to be paid to do such a stunt, or has he already been paid for this dramatic exit escape? I believe that someone who thinks of such a dramatic exit or escape, especially when thinking of it for 20 years, is bent on committing some kind of drama, so that he can make a name for himself. Steven Slater is not a hero; heroes save lives; they put themselves in danger in order to help other people survive.
Is this the way some Americans respond to such a stupid action, giving praise for stupidity? Someone could have been injured. Perhaps this is the way some of these same Americans responded to former President Bush's illegal war in Iraq, which killed over 4,000 American soldiers. Applauding stupidity is not a great way to make a good impression to the world.
Those who think this is really funny and think that Steven Slater is a hero should read my book, "Born In The Wrong Country;" I even have a section where I talk about "America's Sick Humor."
I for one didn't realize that JetBlue was meant to function as an amusement park; I'm sure that there must be a ride where Steven Slater would be able to slide down a shoot if that's what he really wanted to do. Of course it would have been without the hoopla and fanfare that he is receiving now, but he wouldn't have gotten arrested and charged with any felonies either.
All of a sudden there's talk about a movie deal, and there's a buzz going around already about who will play Steven Slater? http://www.thefablife.com/2010-08-12/who-will-play-flight-attendant-steven-slater-in-the-lifetime-movielaw-and-order-episode/
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