A comment from a Facebook friend completely nails the inexplicable controversy over whether David Dao, the doctor with a checkered professional past,  should’ve been dragged off United 3411 or not:

“You can not defend personal freedom and defend what is essentially a “hidden” contract. A reasonable person would not read all the fine print and has a right to expect the service they pay for. Those that keep on with this carriage contract and obey orders nonsense are a perfect example of why totalitarianism works.”

This article explains why the “comply” crowd is completely misreading the situation, as it point out two things:

1) even the United CEO now says that Dao shouldn’t have been removed and wasn’t at fault:

“He can’t be. He was a paying passenger sitting on our seat in our aircraft, and no one should be treated like that. Period.”

2) Dao originally agreed to get off the plane when they asked for volunteers, but when he agreed, he apparently was not told or did not understand that the flight they were offering him was not until the next day and when he realized that, he changed his mind. So Dao clearly was not unreasonable or even unjustified in arguing that he should be able to keep his seat.

Predictably and understandably, Dao has already hired lawyers to sue United.  Seems like a gimme for Dao, but corporate propaganda has a way of getting a hold on some people’s minds, even if—nay, especially if—some of those people happen to be judges.  More than likely, there will be an undisclosed settlement.  But we shall see…