Emily Lyndon, Tower Hamlets Socialist Party
Two deadly plane crashes took place in the United States within a week, sparking fears over aviation safety. The first took place in Washington DC when an American Airlines passenger jet and army helicopter collided mid-air. Officials stated that there were no expected survivors, with over 60 passengers and crew onboard, making it the deadliest US air tragedy since 2001.
A second crash took place days later when a mid-size air ambulance plane crashed after taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, carrying a child who had been receiving life-saving hospital treatment and five others, all of whom have been confirmed dead. The plane crashed into a residential area causing at least six house fires. Witnesses described the dystopian scenes of the plane ‘falling from the sky’.
Days into his presidency, Donald Trump addressed the first crash in a press conference. He claimed that diversity initiatives are to blame for a lowered standard of hiring for air traffic controllers, claiming “this was a job that had to be superior intelligence and uh, we didn’t really have that”. Following this statement he of course provided no evidence and, when questioned, replied that his ‘common sense’ was reason for his speculation. Trump’s comments illustrate what we already know, that accountability will not come from those responsible, and we are seeing time and time again how the tragic loss of human life is used to whip up hate and division within society.
While the cause of the second crash has not yet been confirmed, there is wide speculation that the crash in DC was avoidable, following concerns over congested airspace. As shareholders attempt to squeeze out as much profit as possible, we see a decrease in public safety and the conditions of society get worse. Congested areas, whether aviation, traffic or housing, are more likely to suffer the consequences of tragedy, and the capitalist class is willing to make that sacrifice. There is also a chronic shortage of trained air traffic control staff in the US and some reports have pointed to low staffing levels on the night of the crash.
These horrific incidents have not happened in isolation from the range of unfathomable events we are witnessing across the US. From the California wildfires to the authoritarian use of immigration enforcement ICE and increased deportations, all are consequences of profits over human life. While capitalist greed dominates society, the elite hold press conferences to blame diversity hiring, namely targeting migrant workers of the global majority as cover for public sector cuts.
The Independent Socialist Group, the sister organisation of the Socialist Party, is organising movements to unite workers in the United States to take a stand against Trump and right-wing populism and build a workers’ alternative.
