An American Airlines pilot, who had just returned to workfollowing a weeklong mission trip to Costa Rica, angered somepassengers after he openly asked for the Christians on board topreach their faith to their fellow passengers. With a captiveaudience in place, the pilot unwisely tried to force his ownpersonal beliefs onto everyone on the plane.

Through the plane’s public address system, the pilot askedfor passengers to “raise their hands if they wereChristian.” He then added, “Everyone who doesn’thave their hand raised is crazy… Well you have a choice: You canmake this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book andwatch the movie.”

The pilot crossed the line in improperly using his status tospread his ideas. Being in a position of power, it was simply apoor judgment call for the pilot to deliver such a message to anaudience that didn’t have the option of withdrawingthemselves from the situation. The cockpit was just not the placefor the pilot to be proselytizing.

With our country still reeling from the devastating actions ofSeptember 11, many passengers aboard the flight became fearful, notknowing whether the pilot’s words signaled an impendingcatastrophe.

Frankly, the ignorance in our society has grown tremendously inrecent history. In many instances, those that consider theirconvictions on a particular subject, religion in this instance, tobe superior, always seem to elaborate and have a strong opinion onit. The pilot seems to have been one of those people.

We must not forget that the greatness of our country lies in thefreedoms that we afford to our citizens.

The United States values the fact that people can freelypractice their own beliefs, whether it be religious, political orotherwise, as long as it does not interfere with anotherperson’s right to the same freedoms.

Even if he might have had the perception that any beliefsoutside of his were wrong, the work place should be a place where aperson’s religious views are kept private.

Some people try to make it their life’s goal to campaignand stand against other people’s lifestyles and beliefs.

Ed Board doesn’t think that the American Airlines pilotdid so, but he was infringing upon that very sensitive line. Notonly is that harmful, but it can be offensive to some.