When the people who had all the power say the victim forced them to use force ...

I've heard good arguments for both sides about United bumping the passenger off the flight, IF it was the only flight, on any airline, that could get the pilots to where they needed to be so that whole planeloads of passengers could fly as scheduled. For picking people to bump at random instead of calling for volunteers, and calling police and dragging a guy off, a doctor whose patients would be waiting for him, not so much.

But the CEO's non-apology does something that we allow far too many people in power and authority to get away with: Talking as if they had no choice in what they did to someone, as if their victim was a free agent who could choose differently, but their own response was an automatic consequence, an impersonal force of nature, etc.

United CEO on Flight Removal Video: ‘I Apologize for Having to Re-accommodate These Customers’

                         By Jennifer Calfas, Apr 10, 2017

Comments

[John Crouch]

Since writing this I've seen other good arguments for United: FAA regs kept them from offering more $ to volunteers, takeoff windows may've left no time for that (and reminds us that on something as large, complex, dangerous and interconnected, someone has to be in charge and be obeyed promptly, with no time for argument); union rules and safety rules kept them from having the pilots drive all night instead.

[John Crouch]

This says it perfectly. https://longreads.com/2017/04/12/the-elements-of-bureaucratic-style/