Screaming kid debate

Quite a tussle on LAT.com about a mother and her 2-year-old who were kicked off a Southwest flight because the little brat was screaming so loudly that the safety announcements couldn't be heard. Yeah!! A victory for civility! Well, not really - the woman demanded and received an apology from gutless Southwest. Not only that, she was reimbursed for the cost of diapers and a portable crib she says she had to buy when they were bumped. Amy Alkon, who writes a lot about rude people, had a few thoughts:

There is a notion, reflected in numerous blog comments about the incident, that other passengers should "just deal" and "give a kid a break." This notion is wrong. Parents like Root and others who selfishly force the rest of us to pay the cost of their choices in life aren't just bothering us; they're stealing from us. Most people don't see it this way, because what they're stealing isn't a thing we can grab on to, like a wallet. They're stealing our attention, our time and our peace of mind.

More and more, we're all victims of these many small muggings every day. Our perp doesn't wear a ski mask or carry a gun; he wears Dockers and shouts into his iPhone in the line behind us at Starbucks, streaming his dull life into our brains, never considering for a moment whether our attention belongs to him. These little acts of social thuggery are inconsequential in and of themselves, but they add up -- wearing away at our patience and good nature and making our daily lives feel like one big wrestling smackdown.

The comment section was nearly as entertaining (and infuriating) as the piece itself. A sampler:

--Thanks for speaking for millons of us not just stuck on airplanes next to unruly children and oblivious parents but in restaurants, stores, even R-rated movies!

--"They're stealing our attention, our time and our peace of mind." Puh-lease! Yes, rude people are everywhere. Yes, they are annoying. Almost as annoying as your whining about their lack of manners.

-- Thank you so much for addressing this issue. I hate standing in line somewhere and hearing people's phone conversations that they feel the need to share with the rest of the world. I hate sitting at a stoplight and having someone's horrible music invade my ears and space and above all else I loathe some bratty screaming kid with a parent who thinks that because it's THEIR kid, they are entitled to behave however they wish.

--Please join us on our cross country non stop flight for the holidays. My four children and I can think of no other passenger we'd rather sit next to. Incredible that adults like you are permitted to have temper tantrums on the op ed page of the LA Times. Someone ought to shut YOU up!