Have you noticed that most people parking in handicapped spots these days are as mobile as anyone else? Well, this abuse has now spread to other inconveniences, most notably boarding airplanes. Perhaps it is just natural that people take advantage of almost everything these days. But this brazen level of this abuse is stunning.
Where has the sense of morality gone? The Wall Street Journal has a great article on the boarding process of airlines: Miraculous Healing aboard Modern Aircraft
“If the airport is packed and you don’t want to wait in line, act injured and ask for a wheelchair.” This Jetway Jesus ruse isn’t going over well with other travelers, especially people with disabilities and those who have paid extra for priority boarding. A healthcare worker from Tampa, Fla., was on a flight to Los Angeles in October where around 15 people needed a wheelchair to board and only five of them needed it on the other side. “That’s some good healing right there!” she said.
My previous blogs highlighted interpersonal abuse with phones, texts, and driving behaviors. What is going on? Is it a sense of entitlement or more about cleverness?
My take is that, just like people will not give up their seat to the elderly, it is just another form of self-centeredness like that millennial interview in last week’s blog. After all, where did she get the right to think her employer would not hold her to the same standards as the other employees?
Don’t get me wrong, I also meet some wonderful youngsters who clearly live by the same standards we were brought up to uphold. It is just a bit unsettling to see the emergence of so many who only seem concerned about what’s in it for themselves.
Clearly, these individuals are not followers of the Jesus who spoke so often about putting others ahead of ourselves. The only explanation I can come up with is that we are observing the collapse of good parenting models coupled with a propensity to give everyone participation trophies rather than hold excellence up as desirable.
Watch for these miraculous healing results the next time you fly.
Joel,
So very true, I see people constantly using handicap parking and obviously no physical ailments.