A vitriolic passenger raged against New York City Mayor Eric Adams onboard an American Airlines flight, showing why pols like Senator Ted Cruz (R – TX) seem so desperate to shield elected leaders from the traveling public.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams Harassed On American Airlines Flight
Mayor Adams was flying from Miami to New York on Monday and seated in a middle seat in the emergency exit row. During boarding, a woman stopped, did a double-take, and asked if he was indeed Mayor Adams (“Yes, we don’t all look alike” was the Mayor’s purported answer…I jest).
She proceeded to harass the mayor, starting off her tirade with “f**k you!” and then tearing into him for supporting “genocide in Palestine” (code word for “I hate Jews”) and also lambasted him for his lack of progress on homelessness and poverty and finally for his support of the police:
“You keep cutting the education budget so that you can fund the police. That’s all you care about, funding the police! Everything is underfunded because of you.”
She even criticized him for partying too much:
“You’re always partying! You don’t actually care about the citizens of New York.”
Adams was in Miami to party for the 2024 Concordia Americas Summit, which labels itself as the “leading nonpartisan, public-private sector forum on the Western Hemisphere, bringing to the forefront the abundance of opportunities to embrace market-led solutions that have the potential to transform the region and advance opportunity.”
His bodyguard stood up to block the woman from coming closer to the mayor and she finally kept moving to her assigned seat. No other outbursts were reported during the flight.
“Are you Eric Adams?” Woman verbally harasses New York City Mayor Eric Adams on flight from Miami to New York. pic.twitter.com/n6P0sWiWsG
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) April 24, 2024
Not that Cruz’s bill (which I do not support) would protect politicians from interactions on a plane, but it is rantings like this that at least show why some elected officials on both sides of the political aisle fear direct confrontations in places like airports.
My advice to the woman: head to Columbia to protest with all the other spoiled and hopelessly ignorant miscreants who embrace Iran, Yemeni Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas as if they are ideological allies. Yes, you go to those places and try to preach “love is love” or “my body, my choice” or “I’m just being my true self” and see where you end up.
In Iran, a musician was sentenced to death this week…for the high crime of expressing public opposition to a law requiring women to wear hijabs. Oh, but Israel didn’t bend over and bite its tongue when it was viciously attacked by a people so targeted for mass extermination by the colonial Zionists that its population is amongst the fastest growing in the world and primed to continue to multiply.
Hmm, I better stop here before I get myself in more trouble…
Image: @MikeSington / Twitter // Hat Tip: View From The Wing
To rule the people, one must walk among them.
““genocide in Palestine” (code word for “I hate Jews”)”
Bullsh*t.
Jewish young people went to Israel to join the Army or work in organizations , leaving their life in the West ;
Left-leaning young people did Not go to Middle-East to join Gazans or work in organization , they stayed in the West living off taxpayer-funded student loans whilst pretending to be virtuous , chanting stupid slogans .
Big difference in relative integrity .
Jews from the diaspora are allowed into Israel. And just as many seem to be fleeing Israel as well…
Also, people from outside Gaza aren’t really allowed inside, are they?
Goodness gracious you really are stupid.
@Aaron … Yes , I am stupid .
Yet , thus far , the protesters have been afraid to denounce my Israel flag lapel pin .
@ Alert
220 aid workers have been killed by Israel. Seven from the WCK will have a memorial service in DC today. Their movement was coordinated with the IDF, the mission to only feed starving people. And yet they were murdered one at a time. To me it says Israel has lost the plot in anger and bravado. Every player in this conflict has ties to Putin. I advocate for peace and children. This can only be achieved with good intelligence, and some wet work contractors. Not mass murder. Restraint and perspective are needed. Please try that
@Maryland … +1 . Thoughtful , and good information which I had not known . Thank you .
I can merely add that I have myself been damaged in war , and I don’t blame anyone . That’s war , and I knew the probabilities beforehand.
@alert,
I read you and am aware of your sacrifice.
All the best to you.
@Maryland. Civilian vs combatant death ratio is less than 2 to 1. Show me better numbers for urban warfare. Well done IDF. Don’t stop until Hamas is destroyed.
Not talking urban warfare. Think.
It’s like the disgraceful canard used to also try to silence anti-war and anti-occupation Jewish voices: “they are self-hating Jews”. No, such voices are from people who are proud of their heritage and opposed to war and occupation that unleashes a kind of barbarism against “the other” civilians which no decent and proud people can silently tolerate and publicly excuse in good conscience.
I object very specifically (and narrowly) to the “genocide” language. I am certainly not calling every person against Israel’s execution of the war in Gaza “anti-Jew” and agree that reasonable people can conclude that Israel’s war is not justified and/or disproportionate.
2000 gazan kids and teenagers killed in 20 years, but they should never react to the provocation of the genocide against them. Ridiculous. But not unexpected from an imperialist who went charging into Baghdad with Dubya
I agree with you, Aaron. I don’t follow @Matthew logic.
If I truly believe the people of Gaza are being targeted and killed so they may no longer exist. How does that make me hate Jews? That’s not a logical conclusion.
From what I’ve seen in the media, the IDF seems to be bombing Gaza indiscriminately. Their stated goal is the release of the hostages, to which they have a legitimate claim. However, they seem perfectly intent to kill every person present in Gaza then occupy the land if they’re not released. To me, objectively, that is tantamount to genocide. My feeling toward Jews, many of whom are my close friends, and none of whom do I harbor any animosity at all, is irrelevant in how I perceive genocide.
@Jerry: Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group. I see no evidence that is Israel’s intent.
And in nearly every instance that word is thrown around, it is coming from folks who deny the right of Israel to exist. Who call Israel “white colonial occupiers” who are guilty of “modern-day apartheid.” I have no tolerance for anyone who denies the right of Israel to exist. Yes, that makes one a hater of Jews.
And the facts on the ground tell a different story than the lala land narrative of the campus activists. We’ve seen incredible restraint from the Israeli side (think what Israel could have done…) even though the hostages still are missing. We’ve seen accountability when it comes to the murder of aid workers. Look at the network of tunnels that have been found with weapons and other armaments under hospitals. This wasn’t like the Saddam has WMDs lie…
And how else should Israel have reacted when attacked? There are no wholly innocent sides in conflict, but the simplistic “genocide” language is offensively naive. And if Hamas is allowed to attack Israel to defend itself after years of economic blockade, then so is Israel. Israel is well within its right to ensure that Hamas can never attack it again and that does create a moral dilemma when Hamas fighters hide in hospitals and behind women and children. So we wrestle with the dilemma instead of perverting what the term genocide actually means.
I want a cease-fire. I want the two sides to live in harmony, side by side. I fully support the right of Palestinians to have their own homeland, just like Israel. But I will not condemn Israel’s actions when I would want my country to react the exact same way if we were targeted in a similarly savage fashion.
Thanks for responding. I appreciate and respect your POV.
I sincerely believe the IDF, at the command of Netanyahu, is acting with the aim of “destroying that nation or group (Gazans).” To me, it seems that Netanyahu is willing to command the IDF to continue bombing and killing innocent people until the hostages are released, even if it means killing every person in Gaza.
I don’t know if what I have been told about the war is true or not. I read CNN, BBC, and I subscribe to NYT. I suppose I get a left wing tilt in what I consume, but I don’t think my narrative is ignorant, or even unreasonable. Based on what I know, I believe the actions of Israel are wrong. But we’re not debating that…
We’re debating whether or not I hate Jews because of my viewpoint. Religion has nothing to do with how I feel. I don’t think I hate Jews because I don’t hate them. I love all people, at least in the humanitarian sense, but I believe the actions of the State of Israel are wrong. If Hamas invaded the United States, raped, pillages, and captured 500 hostages and took them back to Gaza, I would disagree with our response if it mirrored what Israel is doing.
However I am not right or wrong. This is my opinion, it is sincere, and I really don’t think it means I hate Jews. But if you sincerely feel that I does, that’s your opinion and I have no choice but to respect it.
I don’t believe you hate Jews.
But I read the same news you do and come to a different conclusion and I see no evidence for genocide and think that word is used far too casually.
And I do question, with great respect for you, your contention that if the US were attacked on a similar scale you would not want a full response to ensure the US could never be attacked again by that enemy.
“My advice to the woman: head to Columbia to protest with all the other spoiled and hopelessly ignorant miscreants who embrace Iran, Yemeni Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas as if they are ideological allies.”
Again, more hasbara bullsh*t. Standing up for Palestinians and being pro-Palestinian doesn’t equate one with being a fan of Iran, Hizbollah, Hamas, etc. You can be for the former and not like the latter at all. Even you can’t be that myopic.
You forgot the punch line of the sentence : If the “students protesting” go to the other places in the Middle East , and pull their nonsense , they will not be favourably welcomed . Matthew was correct .
Ah , but they would rather stay in the West living off the taxpayer-funded student loans whilst being tolerant … tolerant Except for Jewish people … DEI Except for Jewish people … not so inclusive , eh ?
We saw this same scenario with the anti-GI protesters of the Vietnam war . After the Vietnam war the communists did a number on any protesters . And the anti-GI protesters never endangered themselves or put themselves where their mouth was .
“You forgot the punch line of the sentence : If the “students protesting” go to the other places in the Middle East , and pull their nonsense , they will not be favourably welcomed . Matthew was correct .”
None of which is relevant to the discussion at hand.
“Ah , but they would rather stay in the West living off the taxpayer-funded student loans whilst being tolerant … tolerant Except for Jewish people … DEI Except for Jewish people … not so inclusive , eh ?”
Are you just naturally stupid or recycling idiotic talking points?
Student loans aren’t some free gift you live off of, they have to be paid back, dummy.
People are tolerant when it comes to Jewish people. Again, being sympathetic for Palestinians has nothing to do with being anti-Jewish. ANd in case it got past your ignorant little head, there are Jewish people who are part of these protests as well.
Again, what does DEI have to do with any of this?
“We saw this same scenario with the anti-GI protesters of the Vietnam war . After the Vietnam war the communists did a number on any protesters . And the anti-GI protesters never endangered themselves or put themselves where their mouth was .”
Which proves what exactly? Nothing.
It seems like your hero is trying to make it where they don’t have to be, but you aren’t really the brightest crayon in the box, so it is not surprising you just hit buzzwords you don’t understand.
Claiming that Israel should show more restraint when fighting ots enemies is a legitimate opinion, though naive. No country ever defended itself with restraint.
But claiming that Jews have no right to live in their historical homeland – that’s Jew hatred (and denying that it’s the Jewish homeland is stupidity). And it doesn’t matter if some Jews are willing to give up this homeland.
The protesters go way beyond demanding peace. They do the exact opposite and demand Israel’s defeat.
@Uri: I quite agree.
Full disclosure: I am of Jewish descent but do not practice. But I sympathize with elements of both sides of this argument, but neither side fully.
But is it not the Palestinians historical homeland as well? Why is it that one side gets to have their ancient book of fairy tales validated but the other does not? Second, regarding these protests – I think we should be very careful of conflating “pro-Palestinian” with “pro-Hamas” or “anti-Israel” for that matter. I’m not giving these people a pass or excusing them, but not liking kids and families being starved or bombed is not the same thing as supporting their terrorist government, the overwhelming majority of which had no part in electing or endorsing. Yes, Israel has a right to defend herself from terror too, but the manner in which they have gone about it has eroded just about all support. At the end of the day the entire Middle East is a nutcase tinderbox. The sooner we leave them to their own devices, the better.
Isn’t it also the Palestinian homeland? Or is it just that giving the Jews a part of Germany to call their own would have been too inconvenient.
” Standing up for Palestinians and being pro-Palestinian doesn’t equate one with being a fan of Iran, Hizbollah, Hamas, etc. You can be for the former and not like the latter at all. Even you can’t be that myopic.”
Being concerned about what is happening to the Palestinian people doesn’t necessarily HAVE to equate to being a supporter of Hamas, but… why don’t the pro-Palestinian protests happening now include a strong anti-Hamas sentiment as well? Were the same people who now stand so firmly against Israel protesting against Hamas before October? Do they protest against Hamas now? If that’s happening, I’m not seeing it.
Careful Matt. Everything in hindsight looks different. F(E.g. Kent State Students Protesting Vietnam).
Good point … touche . I had forgotten about that sad event .
Bingo. This is why the censorship nonsense is a non-starter. I mean at the root of the issue is funding wars, stop giving money to the rest of the world and there is nothing to complain about, outside of the domestic waste we still have to fix.
At least the Vietnam protests were (outwardly) about the deaths of Americans.
These protests are in support terrorism and terrorists.
@JH … +1 .
This is the problem . The protesters would applaud if I were to be erased by terrorists, but Magan David Adom would come to my assistance . The protesters are in support of the terrorists .
(Unfortunately , many of the anti-Vietnam war protesters did support the communists killing us , by the way .)
Yes, the treasonous Vietnam protestors yelled, “I don’t care about Uncle Sam, I’m rooting for Viet-nam.” Jane Fonda may be a great actress, but she is a descipable person.
And we shouldn’t feel for the Vietnamese people in that war? The U.S. wrecked that country based on the idiotic Eisenhower Domino theory.
Wasn’t just Eisenhower, it was JFK, Johnson, and Nixon too. And the French. Terrible blunder. President Wilson should have listened to a young Ho Chi Minh decades earlier…
But I don’t support the antics of the Vietnam protestors and while I don’t condone what happened at Kent State, I also understand why the Hard Hat Riot occurred shortly thereafter. It was a time of reckoning.
@Matthew … +1 .
@Joseph … Matthew did Not imply one ought not feel for the Vietnamese people . I , among others , did feel for the Vietnamese people .
You are correct that we wrecked that country , War is a huge thing and has a violent force . Personally , I do not like profiteers and corruption , but it does exist wherever some humans are opportunistic .
lol. Treasonous Vietnam protesters objecting to their fellow country,em being sent to slaughter and be slaughtered. No wonder you believed the spreading democracy cow poop espoused by dubya.
If she works, I wonder what her employer has to say about the outburst???
And where were the flight attendants throughout all this? A flight reviewer on another AA flight to Hawaii once had a crew member threaten to turn the plane around mid-flight because he was taking videos (not of anyone, mind you).
But actual verbal harassment of other passengers on the flight? That’s perfectly fine! No crew intervention at all! Guess that’s just AA for you…
Circus airline
Oh, good god. You couldn’t be more predictable. “elected” leaders shouldn’t be shielded from their bad decisions regardless of who is protesting.
No politician should be cursed out, especially on a plane. That is not part of the job. You do that to me and my assistant will ensure you are off the plane.
Anyone think the Mayor would have said what he said if approached with the same words from an African-American man?
The first time I ran into Wesley Clark outside of a work environment was on a flight as a fellow passenger. I asked him if he was indeed who I thought he was. I knew it was him, but I just wanted to see if he wanted to talk. He has never been a jerk like Mayor Eric Adams or presumptuous like Eric Adams.
I hope more people raise their children to behave better than Mayor Adams, as you really never know who in the world is going to end up elected to an office of public importance and be in a position to be an awful jerk to their own constituents and those contributing to the tax base supporting their constituents.
“tax base”. AKA government slaves.
@GUWonder: To be clear, I was annoyed about something else last night when I wrote this and I inserted some humor in, including the Mayor’s quip about “all looking alike” (hence the “I jest” after it). Typically I won’t be so direct in my posts, though my views on this issue cannot simply be labeled right or left.
As an aside, I flew on United from IAD to MSY with General Clark back in 2008 and had a lovely conversation with him. Typically I won’t approach people on planes, but I just read his book and indeed voted for him in the primary…so it was nice to meet him. That was back before the cell phone days. Wish I had a picture with him.
My first passenger flight with him was from DCA — after DCA had reopened following 9/11 but before he had announced he was running in the Democratic primary for President. I too had voted for him as a candidate in the 2004 primary election round.
The first passenger flight with him was too short but it happened to be one of my more interesting flights because of him.
If this was said to any passenger other than a known figure the individual would be thrown off the plane as disruptive. Why wasn’t it done in this case? We certainly have seen it for a lot less.
And while I’m no Adams fan, people like this freak make him seem ok.
By the way, F Palestine! Long live Israel!
And F you too, you racist @sswipe.
Says the guy who uses his co#k to wipe other guys asses. Face it, you are the one who isn’t normal here and almost everyone knows it, even those who won’t admit it.
I’ve been ignoring your garbage, you make a bigger ass of yourself than I ever can. Now go back to finding 18 year old hairless men online twinkle toes.
You are still the perfect example of why diversity hiring doesn’t work. Just a weak little fairy who hates how others laugh at him daily, online and at work.
Back to the Mayor Adams, please…
I’m sorry, but everyone needs to be nice to politicians. We have no right to petition our government for redress of grievances. Politicians are above the law and should be treated as such.
@Jerry: Everyone needs to be respectful, yes. That’s the problem in American life today. Opposing sides should listen to one another…but in a respectful manner.
If someone starts out a conversation by cursing me out, I’d also tell my bodyguard to keep them away and instruct him to beat the sh*t out of them if they step any closer to threaten me.
This was obviously tongue-in-cheek, but I never feel sympathy for politicians getting heat. They generally make themselves so unapproachable to those they supposedly represent, getting harassed by someone not contributing to their campaign sort of just makes me laugh.
What politician hasn’t been heckled? However on a plane they should have the the same rights not to be bothered as all other passengers. There is a time and place for everything.
Agreed.
People heckling politicians seems to go in and out of being in vogue and vary based on conditions in the place at the time. It used to be that elected politicians found the political cartoons and political editorials directed against them to be the most unseemly aspect of the job. Nowadays way more people are way more charged up by internet rabbit holes occupied by trolls and orcs and so politicians seem more annoyed by the general public critically approaching them in person and online social media commentary than they are of the “opposition press/media”.
But as I was sort of told by a since deceased mentor: to be committed to democracy comes with a commitment to tolerating public nonsense too.
If more people actually understood how policy is made and how elected executives make decisions, they would show them a lot more grace. Bottom line, whether it is the President, a governor, or a big city mayor (or any other elected executive), the job is about balancing competing priorities and, as such, is hard. That doesn’t mean one shouldn’t disagree with decisions or challenged elected officials for the decisions they make, but any such disagreement/challenge should start with the assumption that the elected official was acting in good faith (most do).
I’ve been visiting several upper elementary and middle school classes this year with the following hypothetical scenario: Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz. You are POTUS. There is a squadron of destroyers escorting a humanitarian convoy around the Horn of Africa. The destroyers could force the Strait open again in 24 hours. But if they are dispatched, Somali pirates will steal the humanitarian aid. Both options are bad. What are you going to do? It gets the kids to realize that senior leaders are asked to make hard decisions like this all the time. You are electing them for their judgment above all else. Policy is of secondary importance.
If we treat elected officials with more respect, perhaps we would get more A level talent interested in taking on the burden of leadership.
@Ryan … Very interesting . However , one cannot assume a rational decision , if the ‘decider’ is not fully conscious or in control of his mental facilities .
Both Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy were rational people who tried to make rational decisions , ( and their predecessors , although the civil war was an abomination ) .
One cannot assume that today . Beginning with Johnson and Nixon , it has been a long slide downhill . Today politics appears to be a contest between competing cliques and their cheering sections .
“ If more people actually understood how policy is made and how elected executives make decisions, they would show them a lot more grace.”?
I am not so sure about that. Familiarity can breed contempt. 😉 And I say that as someone who has family and friends who have been or are elected officials and seen its great rewards but also its challenging aspects and compromises that just aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.
I think it sort of amusing how thin skinned this Mayor of NYC is. Maybe it’s a sign he’s really not cut out for this job.
I took a walk at lunch today on Notre Dame’s campus. You know what I didn’t see? Any evidence of protestors. Not all schools are caught up in all this hullabaloo. Go Irish!
@Ryan … +1 . Now , if only they could field a football team .
I guess the woman missed mentioning the waste of taxpayers money and nonsense charges to keep President Trump tied up in the NY courtroom till the election so sleepy Joe can win!!!
I totally agree with you Matthew, these people speak in code words and don’t even know who they are defending. They are parrots for nonsense BS propaganda.
This woman was out of line, inappropriate, and wrong. She was absolutely not okay to do this. I have no defense for her.
Neither are you anywhere near acting in an appropriate manner when you use your large platform and free speech to make a horrific and hateful generalization which displays a gross lack of understanding. What do you hate about Palestinians and people who don’t want to see them wiped out from Gaza, so much, Matthew? Writing ““genocide in Palestine” (code word for “I hate Jews'”) reveals a rhetoric of hate that you have not ceased since October, but also before that.
Genocide is not exclusive to Jews, though certainly that is the most well-known horror of our time. Clearly you have not been to Gaza, do not know Gazans personally NOW. I do. I speak from knowledge. I speak even from knowing those you otherwise claim to love–the Christians in Gaza. Starving to death, bombed. But does it matter if they are believers of the faith you repeatedly claim you walk in? You go to church, even on vacation, but you make–as a JD, no less, a proclamation that helps foster more hate.
I see your readers insult Lucky for being homosexual, which frankly, you should not even allow. Hate speech is out of control–between you and Gary–it’s clear journalism is dead, but neither of you are trained journalists apparently. You tell people to stop because he is your friend. (Good!)
The Armenian genocide is genocide (YES, it absolutely is.) My first journalism professor was Armenian and I learned much from him… Leo Garapedian. I suspect this column has him doing backflips in his grave.
You tolerate a whole lot, entertain a whole lot. Yet you seem to be married to Israel is right no matter what–almost to a scary level. Jews should not be killed for being Jewish. Palestinians should not be killed for being Palestinians. And if you do not think that is happening, you are utterly blind and living in a MAGA land. This post bothers me and almost is traumatizing by its hateful and inciting comment. You used one woman’s wrong and evil tirade to add your own. It’s not okay, Matthew. This is anything but okay.
You absolute cannot expect that you can be a man of God, be respected for your faith, and turn around–as an educated man in a diverse city–and say everyone who understands that genocide is occurring (truly your assertion is dumbfounding) is coding speech that means –I can’t even say it again because how dare you make such a false equivocation.
CAN you do this? Yes. Is it despicable and un-Christian and hateful. Completely.
Also, are you aware of the unborn babies murdered in Gaza? Thousands upon thousands? I believe that is another aspect of your faith you have shared?
You claim you have visited the area (I believe that claim), and like the white racists would–and still sometimes–say, “I’m not racist; I have Black friends,” we hear you do likewise. But it is just a clanging cymbal.
How one man can travel the world like you do, love the food of the people about whom you are speaking, speak up about the Armenian genocide, study and understand myriad cultures and people–and yet believe that your statement here is okay, not hate speech, and is just no big deal because your blinded eyes refuse to see… it baffles me and others. Travel is the great blindness remover. You travel fast and hard, for a day or two here and there–slow down and talk to Palestinians as people. Slow down and talk to the millions of Jews who are not supporting a fallacy of logic and a Bible that was “revised” by Charles Nelson Darby. Slow down and learn to love. The things you say and allude to with the multiple posts and comments are the reason–the actual reason–so many young people walk away from “the church.”
I am not posting this to debate, nor do I believe for half a minute you will actually ponder it before God and those you trust not to reinforce your intolerance. But still, the horror of your words would not leave me.
Maybe someday read Yohanna Katanacho. He’s a good man and writes stuff maybe you could learn from. We all have learning to do. Even you. I hope one day you will teach your children about all the genocides. Not just the ones you decided to study or that school was canceled to honor.