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I got this here:http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/ap20030210_2131.html

Quote:

Trial Set in Southwest Racist Rhyme Suit
Trial Set in 'Racist Rhyme' Lawsuit Accusing Southwest Airlines of Discrimination

The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Kan. Feb. 10 —
A judge has set a trial date in a discrimination lawsuit filed against Southwest Airlines by two black passengers who were upset when a flight attendant recited a version of a rhyme with a racist history.

Grace Fuller, 48, and her sister Louise Sawyer, 46, were returning from Las Vegas two years ago when flight attendant Jennifer Cundiff, trying to get passengers to sit down, said over the intercom, "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe; pick a seat, we gotta go."

The sisters say the rhyme was directed at them and was a reference to its racist version that dates to before the civil rights era: "Eenie, meenie, minie, moe; catch a n----- by his toe."

"It was like I was too dumb to find a seat," Fuller said. Sawyer said fellow passengers snickered at the rhyme, which made her feel alienated.

The sisters are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil last week dismissed the sisters' claims of physical and emotional distress but set trial for March 4.

"The court agrees with plaintiffs that because of its history, the phrase `eenie, meenie, minie, moe' could reasonably be viewed as objectively racist and offensive," Vratil wrote. The second line of a modern version of the rhyme usually goes, "Catch a tiger by the toe."

Airline attorney John Cowden said there was no intent to discriminate against any passenger.

Cundiff, who is white and was 22 at the time of the incident, said she had never heard the offensive version of the rhyme. She said she learned the Southwest version from co-workers and used it as a funny way of getting passengers who are not assigned seats on Southwest to sit down.

Plaintiffs' attorney Scott Wissel said the sisters also want Southwest to stop using the rhyme and provide employee training to prevent such incidents.

This is just stupid on so many levels. They are pissed about a nursery rhyme that was needed because they werent in their seats. I have flown plenty of times, and I have yet to take longer than 5 mins to get situated once I found my seat. I realy just love this line ,""It was like I was too dumb to find a seat," Fuller said. Sawyer said fellow passengers snickered at the rhyme, which made her feel alienated.". Well , if you werent in a seat and they had the doors closed, chances are you are too dumb to find a seat!! If other passengers were laughing at you , the you must have been doing something funny, like maybe NOT FINDING A SEAT!!! When will people start to take responsibility for themselves and stop blameing the nearest deep pocket?

<font color=skyblue>Simply amazing.
I did not know that this rhyme originated as such!
The defence does not have much to go on. The only thing that will come of it is taht the judge will rule that the flight attendants learn professional mannerisms, but that will be the end of it.
Interesting case. I will lok forward to seeing it through.</font>

I've never heard it any way other than "catch a tiger by it's toe", and I'm 27, so I'm guessing the 22 year old has also never heard it any other way. I hate these types of lawsuits because it makes it so much harder for people who are really the victim of a racial crime to get justice. Unfortunately, until our judges start putting a stop to such frivolous (sp?) law suits, this won't ever stop.

Get a sense of humor, you freaks! Notice, the ONLY folks who knew about that original version, were the (colored/black/african american/negro/other) women. I bet they were just waiting for anyone to EVER use that rhyme near them. I certainly never knew it originated in that form. If it had been used on ME, I would have turned beet red, waved at everyone, and sat down. Then laughed at myself along with all the others. Grow some thicker skin. You can take anything ANY way, but that's your problem, not the stewardess (flight attendant, whatever [img]smile.gif[/img] )

<font color="plum">At least the judge dismissed the claims of physical and emotional distress. As for the "racial overtones" of the rhyme, I would say the stewardess has a pretty good defense. I will be 40 within the next two months, and I've always heard the "catch a tiger by the toe" version.

At the age of 22, I would bet she thinks of Europe, Asia, Kansas, Chicago and Boston as geographical destinations and has no idea that they were also the names of very popular bands in the not very distant past (certainly more recently than the "objectionable" version of the "Eenie meenie" rhyme). I seriously doubt she had any idea that the rhyme ever had any type of racial overtones.</font>

Quote:

Red Blue Flare:
Next they'll attempt to take down patty cake.

what ever happend to people using the word tiger? That rhyms been around for years, flight attendants usually are like cattle herders because they expect compliance and order on all of their flights. You can't fight their routine, even for a bathroom break or an emergency... I've heard cases where a man was having a heart attack on a plane and a flight attendant forced him to wait in the bathroom until they landed to keep everyone on board calm and in their seat...

*sigh* sometimes i wonder why so many civilians take to the air... as workers I mean [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Maybe some day all Stewardesses will be replaced with air martials... one can dream [img]tongue.gif[/img]

aaanyway... This sounds like just another blow to the airline industry when It doenst need one... Those ladies should be ashamed trying to use ther color of their skin as a catalyst for filling their pockets... They're as bad as racists [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 02-11-2003, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: /)eathKiller ]

Meese 24 year old Brit, and I've known the original version as long as I can remember (but obviously never used it). Still, that's beside the point. this is another example of the "any way to make a buck" society that we are turning into nowadays. The women no doubt did *not* feel insulted, and were *not* offended by the rhyme. I bet they heard it and couldn't find a seat because of the dollar signs they saw springing up in front of their eyes. Sad.

growing up i only knew the tiger version, but my racist grandparents taught me the other. i've only ever used tiger and if one does not have any racists int heir family they are not like ly to hear the other version

Hmmm... With the baby coming, I can use a few bucks... Let's see... I am part Welsh. Quick, somebody make a comment about "welshing on a deal" so I can sue you!
Please?

Quote:

Originally posted by Arnabas:
Hmmm... With the baby coming, I can use a few bucks... Let's see... I am part Welsh. Quick, somebody make a comment about "welshing on a deal" so I can sue you!
Please?

Are you a red head ? :D This is as bad as the people who are sueing McDonalds because they are over weight. Yeesh take some responsability and grow up. I remeber hearing the "original" version back in my youth in Kansas, and guess who I heard it from ?? a fellow not of the caucasian skin color ;) Eddie and I were really good friends and he was a mix of black and white and that was in the 70's so [img]tongue.gif[/img] As was stated before this is just a case of get rich quick scam.
Because of this case I'm sure a more worthy case was bumped or not given the proper attention it should have. Just plain needless Imho.