Where's the Outrage?

I am a naturally cynical person. My personal mottoes are not of the "Today is the first day of the rest of your life" variety but more like "No good deed goes unpunished" or "Hope for the best; expect the worst." This attitude shields me from some of the dismay I might feel regarding so many current events. Yet occasionally there are news items that raise my dander beyond the point of my simply sighing and rolling my eyes. Two of them occurred within the past week.

The first was at an NRA convention that hosted Republican leaders, including McCain and some of his also-rans. Of McCain's flip-flopping on issues to woo renegade conservatives I have little comment; it is to be expected. What was not were the comments made by Mike Huckabee, that creationist nudnik who so charmed the media early this year with his maverick down-home manner. Taking the podium, he was interrupted by a banging noise off-stage. His remark was "That must have been Barack Obama jumping off his chair, when someone aimed a gun at him."

There was a smattering of nervous laughter but Old Home Boy Mike realized that he had said something that was beyond the pale, for any election anywhere. To joke about an opposing candidate being shot at is awful enough, but given the special circumstances of Barack's candidacy, and our own fears that he could well be the target of a racist assassin, the quote was beyond belief. This was far more offensive to me than Eliot Spitzer's bawdy behavior, but will Huckabee step down from his post? Unlikely. Unless, as is his wont, he gets nominated for Vice President. Then, perhaps, he'll also be crossing his fingers that McCain gets blasted too.

The media made some comment about it, but spent just as much time tsk-tsking Obama for calling a journalist "Sweetie", in an offhand hurried reference. To be fair, Huckabee rather quickly issued an apology, saying he meant no ill will. Well, the wish is father to the sport and all, and this crack should utterly disqualify him from serious consideration of a national position. We've had enough bad judgment and gun-toting the past eight years.

Yet my outrage has been stoked once again by the announcement--front page news in fact--by American Airlines that they are going to charge $15 for every first piece of luggage that has to be checked. Okay, I understand that the airlines have been financially drained by high fuel costs and competitive pricing, and have gradually reduced all amenities. Losing the airline dinner was not a tragedy; having to pay for sandwiches on the plane was no more inconvenient or costly than purchasing in the airport. Paying for aisle seats and extra baggage is almost understandable. But this recent announcement seems simply beyond the pale. Can I afford to pay the extra fifteen dollars? Yes, if I am flying on a discounted rate anyway. But that is hardly the point. This is a gross insult to the loyalty of the American flying public.

Wouldn't it have been simpler to raise the cost of flights by $15? That would have been much easier to digest. But now, aside from the annoyance of having to fork out $15 at the check-in counter, more passengers than ever will try to sneak their luggage on-board, already filling up the overhead bins beyond tolerance, moving more baggage down to seat level, squeezing us in more as the foot room is gradually decreased as well. Besides that, there will be a cascade of delays along all the burdensome airline queues, the ones at security, where more bags will be inspected, at the counter where passengers must pay their baggage fee, and of course on the plane itself as the bags get moved around. It will be a jarring total mess.

The other airlines have yet to respond to American's announcement, perhaps waiting to see the fallout. If the publicity is serious enough, American could lose a larger share of the market, and the other airlines can benefit. If they decide to go adopt the same policy, than we all lose, including the airline industry, which will see its own decline because of all the disgruntled riders. I am hopeful that the disgusted public response could lead to the de facto boycott of American Airlines, and the subsequent reconsideration of these demeaning restrictions on passenger comfort. If not, then maybe the only winner will be Amtrak.