While the article is an interesting read overall (didn't know about the connection to "Dangerous Minds"), it perpetuates the myth that Palo Alto Airport was imposed on an existing poor/ethnic community.

This is not true, the airport preceded other development, having been opened prior to World War 2.[1] There were similar voices after the twin-engine Cessna crash as to the outrage of building an airport next to (inexpensive) housing[2]. The causality is reversed from the truth: the housing was/is cheap because there was a pre-existing airport. (And routes do not go over East Palo Alto's residential areas).

(Oh, and the starting photo brings back memories of entering the pattern to land)

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Alto_Airport_of_Santa_Clar...

[2] http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0217/Tesla-plane-crash-Con...