Paper Airplanes

[Libby K]

I think the airplane throwing needs to stop. I never remember it being a problem before 2011.

It's disrespectful to the arena staff since they have to pick them all up.
It's disrespectful to the field crew because they have to constantly be on alert for them hitting the field.
It's disrespectful to the VIPs and speakers because you're acting like pieces of paper are more important than they are.
It's disrespectful to each other - I saw more airplanes go into other sections of the stands than the dome floor. People probably got hit more than you think.
It's disrespectful to FIRST staff because you're ripping up the materials they worked very hard to give you (programs, maps, etc) and using them as, essentially, trash.

I'd like to share a horror story - and yeah, this is personal. Deal with it.

I was down on the floor, as I was speaking during the ceremony. So I got to see quite a few airplanes.

Now, I get ripping up your programs and making airplanes, because you clearly NEED to throw those airplanes since they're so VITALLY important to the mission of FIRST...
...but did you guys really have to use the page that was my father's tribute?

My father - Dean's older brother? He was a huge part of the FIRST community. He died this September, and the program page with his face and his story should have been at least somewhat respected and not used for that purpose. None of the things FIRST works so hard to create should have been, but that one is very personal to me. I was absolutely horrified.

Have some class. Airplanes need to stop.
It's disrespectful, it's annoying, and it's all the things FIRST and its community don't need to be.