This show, and this episode in particular, are just part of the mass hysteria sweeping the country to justify acts of mayhem and violence. I can't say for certain that there aren't elements of truth in the story but many parts of the story don't smell right. It's socially irresponsible to make these criminals out to be heroes and romanticize their story. It's ironic that the producers bring in experts and other eyewitnesses but don't ask the important questions like why are they demanding money and if it was so important that they talk to the president and share their grievances why did they settle with talking to some stranger. 1972, john erhlichman wasn't a household name. They could have been talking to anyone. And the whole scene with the FBI shooting at the plane doesn't make any sense considering this was just a few months after munich. I remember this story very well, and it wasn't the threat on oakridge that shocked the country but the outright criminality of the actions. Up until that point, most of the skyjackings were political and domestically they ended quickly. With this one, even the cubans were outraged. They claim in the story that this was about racism and abuse of power in detroit. Well, they didn't have to wait very long because the dismantling of detroit started about the time of this skyjacking and has continued to this day. Does racism and abuse of power in detroit exist today, I don't know, but there's certainly a lack of police and safety resources in detroit and other places like flint that have been abandoned by the auto industry. When the residents there are assaulted and robbed and the police don't show up even to take a report because they don't have the resources, I guarantee they are not thinking of hijacking a plane.
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