Mike posted about this little tempest on baby haters, and it was on my mind as I caught a plane this weekend. After I boarded the very packed plane, a family of four with a toddler and an infant staggered on. The flight attendant got on the mic and asked if anyone with an empty seat next to them would be willing to give it up so that one of the parents could sit with the toddler. She even mentioned that kind person would get free booze.
Nobody moved.
I was sitting with a dad and daughter already, so relinquishing my seat was no help. But I watched lots of grown adults avert their eyes as the flight attendant pleaded, "Are you going to make a two-year-old sit by herself? Do you want to babysit?" Finally, she just walked up to one guy and asked him to move, and he gruffly complied, complaining the whole time.
Now the family was late, cuz those with little kids get pre-boarding. But even though I doubt those on board really hated babies, I do think there's lots of real selfish knuckleheads out there.
