Up until now, we hadn’t reported on the United Airlines debacle. For those of you who have somehow managed to avoid the news, it all happened when Dr. Dao was asked to give up his seat on a flight. Dao had somewhere to be and refused. For those who haven’t seen the video, he was forcibly removed from his seat before he was dragged down the aisle. During the altercation, his face was bloodied. Heinous stuff.
If I’m being completely honest, it didn’t directly or adjacently involve a Black woman and I’m waiting for the day when other communities stand up and speak out against the injustices that take place in our community, that are very similar to this one.
So no, it didn’t involve Black women…until it did.
In a press conference, Dao’s attorney, Thomas Demetrio said the unthinkable when he compared Dao’s predicament to that of Rosa Parks.
According to the USA Today, ”Dr. Dao, I believe to his great credit, has come to understand that he is the guy, the guy to stand up for all passengers going forward," lawyer Thomas Demetrio said during a news conference Thursday. Demetrio said someone emailed him that Dao refusing to give up his seat made him the “Asian version of Rosa Parks," but he added that he didn't think what happened to Dao was racially motivated and could have happened to anyone.
In case you don’t understand why this comparison is problematic and a cheapening of Rosa Park’s legacy, take a look at the following slides to figure out why.
First, there is Rosa Parks' niece herself who is not with any of it. She said, “What Dr. Dao is going to do is probably change the policy of United Airlines, but actually, what my aunt did was change history,” See what she had to say to TMZ in the video above.
@USATODAY Refresh my memory? Somebody offered Rosa Parks money for her seat?
— P.L. Colter (@plcolter) April 13, 2017
#perspective - Some folks defending United probably think if Rosa Parks had complied with officers, there wouldn't have been such a scene...
— jdobzynski (@jdobzynski) April 11, 2017
@HighlinePatriot @tato_kay @DanSlott @mtnhill @united @USAnonymous Really rosa parks? So asking someone to move because of race is the same as an overbooking mistake? I dont think so!
— SillyThumbs (@sillythumbs) April 11, 2017
USA Today: "Is United Airlines passenger Dr. Dao an "Asian version of Rosa Parks?" Me: pic.twitter.com/xwXmrUtDmm
— Denizcan James (@MrFilmkritik) April 13, 2017
So boy that got dragged of united Airplane calling himself the "modern day rosa parks" come again? pic.twitter.com/naEzkT4CQL
— Sundressologist ☔️ (@Tae_hef) April 13, 2017
Rosa Parks, God rest her soul, was forced out of her seat and imprisoned. Dr. Dao was forced out of his seat and can retire. @USATODAY
— jamal. (@inf) April 13, 2017
And for the most thorough break down.I Sympathize With Dr. Dao Genuinely & The Whole Ordeal Was Gross & Violative But We're Not Going To Liken Him To "The Asian Rosa Parks" pic.twitter.com/nXqE3XaZiA
— Ty Hobson-Powell (@TyHobsonPowell) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY If he organized for decades prior, including centering the sexual violence BW experience, and influenced someone like MLK, then yes.
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY If not, then he's a citizen who deserves respect, safety and a settlement, without you turning Black ppl into caricatures for comparisons.
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY Rosa Parks' labor and life existed prior to December 1, 1955 and after. It would be great if everyone could actually study it.
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY And comparing a commercial plane--an integrated one at that--to the buses in Jim Crow era is intellectual negligence & superficial.
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY The violence Asian Americans can face in America is valid without rendering Blackness 'ground zero' and a human-less trope for comparison.
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
@USATODAY Black life is an actual thing beyond tropes and metaphors to consume to recenter non-Black people. https://t.co/sPbinFLpeb
— Trudy (@thetrudz) April 13, 2017
The post No Comparison: Why Dr. Dao And Rosa Parks Are Not The Same appeared first on MadameNoire.