The outrage over the forced removal of Dr. David Dao from a United Airlines flight has spread to the White House and as far as Vietnam.
Dao, who was first thought to be Chinese, has been identified as a Vietnamese American doctor with five children.
“The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received. Currently, they are focused only on Dr. Dao’s medical care and treatment,” said a statement from Dao’s attorney, Steven L Golan.
The doctor has undergone treatment for his injuries in a Chicago hospital.
The family does not plan to make a statement to the media until after his release from the hospital.
A petition on Whitehouse.gov demanding a federal investigation has inspired more than 185,000 signatures, well above the 100,000 signatures needed to generate a response from the White House.
“It was an unfortunate incident,” said White House spokesperson Sean Spicer. “I don’t think anyone looks at that video isn’t a little disturbed a human being was treated that way.”
He said both law enforcement and United were investigating the incident. He called the incident a local matter.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” he said when asked about a federal inquiry.
“It remains to be seen if Dr. Dao was racially profiled for removal from the United flight, but we believe a full and transparent investigation is necessary to determine if there were racial biases at work,” said a statement from Asian American Advancing Justice, Washington DC executive director John Yang. “One thing is very clear. The use of force in this situation was inappropriate.
“The incident is also indicative of the continued concerns that vulnerable communities, including African Americans, LGBTs, and Latinos, have raised for a long time regarding use of excessive police force. The fact that the victim is Asian American and from a distinguished profession should only further prove to Asian Americans that we all have to be part of this broader coalition against hate, police brutality, and disparate treatment of communities color and other marginalized communities. I am proud to see many more Asian Americans speaking up about this incident and talking more openly about injustice here in the U.S. and abroad,” Yang concluded.
The airline is feeling heat over the incident from around the world. Time reports social media in Vietnam has been abuzz about the matter.
“Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Let’s be loving and united, Vietnamese people!” wrote one.
In an exclusive interview with ABC News, United CEO Oscar Munuz directly apologized to Dr. Dao.
He apologized to Dr Dao, his family, the public and United employees.
“This will never happen again,” Munoz told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in an exclusive interview.
He added: “We are not going to put a law enforcement official onto a plane to take them off … to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger; we can’t do that.”
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RE: Anger spreads over United Incident. Dao, White House, United Release Statements: I bet Munoz would have had a very different response if that same thing were perpetrated against a Hispanic. I bet the three black racist thugs in police uniforms would never have attacked a black passenger under the same circumstances. And the White House and Israel would be crying “Crimes against humanity”, “genocide”, and “anti-Semitism”, had the blacks and Hispanic “CEO” carried the anti-Asian gang “jump in” against a Jew. Additionally, this attack was not only anti-Asian but also ageist. Dr. Dao is a senior citizen. It’s about time Asians settle their own historical rivalries and deal with the reality that in America, the brown Asians and yellow Asians are EVERYBODY’S TARGET. As a footnote, don’t blame this on white people, many of whom have manifested outrage at the viscous abuse of Dr. Dao. Blame it on America’s two favorite groups that are officially labeled “minorities” of color. When Asian Americans do it right, they are most hated by the non-Asian minorities. Strange.
RE: Anger Spreads over United Inident. Dao, White House, United Release Statements: What a bunch of snowflakes!
Back in my day, paying customer or not, you do what you are told by the authority. or they’ll haul you in front of a firing squad and be done with it. And back then, people were a lot tougher, but happier
RE: Anger Spreads over United Incident. Dao, White House, United Release Statements: Even a clown should know that if you are “told” or otherwise ordered to do something against your will and attacked violently if you disagree–you are not volunteering, being asked to volunteer, or given a non-coercive option of volunteering.