About Non-Smokers' Rights

Like Emerson and Thoreau, his predecessors in the proud Massachusetts town of Concord, John McAward stands up for his rights.

Checking in at Boston's Logan Airport for a flight to New york City, McAward was told there were no available seats in the nonsmoking section. He had a right to such a seat, he insisted, so the gate agent allowed him on board to see if some arrangement could be worked out. As the plane started taxiing down the runway, McAward took a seat on the tobacco side of the SMOKING/NO SMOKING sign and asked a flight attendant to move the sign. No way, said the smokers already seated on that row. So McAward got up and headed for the cockpit. A flight attendant told him not to stand while the plane was moving down the runway, but McAward refused to take a violation of his rights sitting down.

The plane returned to the terminal, and McAward was ordered off. "The only way I'm leaving is if you place me under arrest," he said. The airline obliged and called the state police. McAward told the judge: "I felt I was entitled to what the Federal Government says I'm entitled to--a nonsmoking seat." But the judge fined him $250 for interfering with a flight crew.

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