What if flight Attendant Slater was a Gay Black Male

JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater, 38 year-old, has become an instant celebrity; and this is based on America's crazy definition of who a celebrity is these days.

Slater on Monday allegedly cursed out an entire aircraft, grabbed a Bud Light beer and then exited the plane by deploying the emergency slide. Later on during the day, he appeared in court with an inscrutable or should I say a dumb grin on his face.

As JetBlue Flight 1052 from Pittsburgh was taxiing to a gate at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Slater tired to assist the the woman who was struggling with her carry-on luggage, according to his lawyer Howard Turman. According to Turman, an argument that began earlier in Pittsburgh erupted again in New York. Slater believes that the middle-aged woman "maliciously" hit him on his head with her luggage. "The woman was outraged and cursed him out a great deal. At that point, I think, he just wanted to avoid conflict with her."

In his announcement to passengers on the flight out of Pittsburgh, Slater referred to the woman as "the fucking ass hole that told me to fuck off." He then declared, "I've had it. That's it," witnesses said.

Authorities said Slater endangered JetBlue employees under the aircraft when he activated the emergency slide, which costs more than $25,000 to replace. JetBlue suspended Slater even as his Facebook fan count is now to 199,295 fans with the suggestion of raising money for his legal defense and demanding that he gets his job back.

Slater himself was stunned by his sudden celebrity status. As he emerged from jail on Tuesday night, he told a reporter, "I knew there was a brouhaha about this, but while I was on the inside I didn't realize how much attention it got," said Slater, wearing the same T-shirt and plaid shorts he had on when arrested a day earlier.

More often, we as Blacks have the tendency to be more critical and judgmental of fellow Blacks, especially if an individual decision or behavior does not complies with the norm. Despite Slater's shortcoming, I greatly admired the overwhelming support he has gotten. I do have a question to my fellow African Americans. Considering Slater's unusual behavior on the plane and his sexual orientation, would you have supported him if he was Black or African American? Would you have started a defense fund on his behalf? Would you have started a Facebook page for him? Would you have become one of his fans, or Would you have instantly passed judgment or condemned him and probably referred to him as a “crazy n*&&#@”?

The point I am trying to make has absolutely nothing to do with whether Slater was right or wrong; or am I making the slightest claim of racism. Actually, I greatly admire the support he is getting. I would not have done exactly what he did, but I do understand.

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