Woman Kept Off American Airlines Plane For Allegedly Offensive Shirt

[Arachno 1D]

Its the possibility to offend that is the reason for the expulsion as I see it

And to quote the origional article

because staff found her choice of clothing offensive

[.Neo]

Well, there's this thing called tact, and everyone seems to forget about it. If the shirt read, "If I wanted the government in my womb, I'd screw a senator." or "If I wanted the government in my womb, I'd $%&! a senator." everyone would still get the point, and she probably wouldn't have been hassled.

PS So what you're saying is it's okay to heavily imply the "f-word" so everyone knows exactly what you're talking about, but not to actually write it down. Ain't that hypocrisy at its finest. :rolleyes:

[Dick Montage]

PS So what you're saying is it's okay to heavily imply the "f-word" so everyone knows exactly what you're talking about, but not to actually write it down. Ain't that hypocrisy at its finest. :rolleyes:

Surely it's tact at it's finest. To imply something without having to spell it out?

[Amarok]

America: Where the right to believe stone age crap is defended and the right to protest against it is not. Don't you just love societies that put stone age dogma above common sense? I walk about with a T-Shirt (inbetweeners) that has the word W***ers pasted through a bus symbol (Bus w***ers, anyone who has watched the inbetweeners will know the joke) and nobody even bats an eyelid. America has became dominated by obsessively prudish zealots.

If we do Neowin post awards I really think that one should win one for most random hate post of the year. Pssssst. The thread and the article weren't about religion in any way. I, personally, have no problem with religious people or non-religious people, that's their business and it's -none- of my business. I take issue with certain aspects of both (as an example the anti-religious zealots are becoming just as bad and stupid as the religious zealots.) but not the overall group or the people in those groups. The reason I mention this is because different people are offended by different things - I didn't find that shirt offensive, I thought it was tactless, but I didn't find it offensive. I recognize however that some people probably would. I have a shirt that has a pot arguing with a kettle and a little speech bubble that says "What the *%#! did you just call me?" - I accept that some people would be offended by that because it actually says the "bad" word. If I were on public transport and they told me to change my shirt because they were offended by that I wouldn't argue because I understand that for some that could be offensive. I knew that when I bought it.

Also you seem offended by the fact that a gigantic percentage of the world's population believes in something that you do not, personally, no offense to you, I find that silly because it really shouldn't affect you, but I understand and accept that you feel that way. I've had people attempt to preach to me and I wasn't interested so I just gave them the brush off, but I didn't get terribly offended by their desire to do so, or the fact that they had conflicting thoughts, feelings, and beliefs to my own. At the end of the day we're all humans and we all have to share a world and we'll always have differences whether we like or understand them.

[threetonesun]

PS So what you're saying is it's okay to heavily imply the "f-word" so everyone knows exactly what you're talking about, but not to actually write it down. Ain't that hypocrisy at its finest. :rolleyes:

No, everyone doesn't know the difference, particularly children. It's no different than swapping words or cutting off a swear if you're about to use one in an inappropriate circumstance.

[nominak]

Surely it's tact at it's finest. To imply something without having to spell it out?

lighten up

[SongHyeonDeok]

Nobody claimed to be offended by the shirt - that is an argument that someone brought into this. It's moot and not really of any value here.

Why eject her then... If no-one was offended, how was the shirt offensive?..

[Original Poster]

On an airline run by a privately owned company? No, you really don't.

This woman was stupid. Sorry, I choose to not wear swear words (and other contentious imagery) on my clothing, the same as I don't openly swear in public. It IS offensive. There are rules to life, and one I live by is to not offend random people - it certainly helps me get by and not get caught up in this sort of thing.

I have been saying this for over a decade!!!!

I agree with you on most parts it is just polite ... but at the same time if someone takes words offensively then they are stupid the word "f*ck" is not offensive its the context of which it is used which makes it offensive so the airline and people who find the singular word (the word is the only thing the air line said was the problem) are mentally retarded

[Dick Montage]

Because the airline has a standing policy of no vulgar language on clothing, as ssaid before. This was explained to her, and she chose to not follow the policy. By chosing that, she also chose to not use their service. It's really quite simple.

And it's not like she didn't have alternative options: Buy another shirt, put her jacket on, turn it inside out... But no, she chose to continue to wear it, and that choice also meant she chose to not use their service.

[Dick Montage]

the word "****" is not offensive its the context of which it is used which makes it offensive

Oh I 100% agree. I use it a lot, I swear a lot, within context and appropriate situation. It is NOT a lack of vocabulary, swearing can be quite creative.

However within the context given, it suggests "to be forcibly sexed". An offensive context.

[Anibal P]

Bunch of prudes in neowin lately... all for censorship of the greatest kind. You people are seriously making me regret staying here if opinions are going to be as closed minded as they are. It's a shirt, get over it. If you are this easily offended and disgusted, you should stop going outside. Don't bar others from it just because you have the mentality of a 5 year old girls opinion about bugs.

You are the one being closed minded by insisting on people believing things the way you do, you can call it censorship, but you are also demanding that people censor their views to not offend you, you can't have it both ways, that's reality

[Brandon H Supervisor]

She got what she deserved. Why does she need to A) Voice her opinion about something on a t-shirt that has an offensive vulgar word on it, and B) Wear that shirt on a plane with other passengers.

This is the problem with some people. They only think about their rights, but never about responsibility. She knew the rules and decided that she'd ignore them anyway. What a wack job.

hmm, A) maybe because our country is supposed to have freedom of speech (I'll never understand why people get so up in arms over "vulgar" words, they're only bad because we choose to make them so ...) B) what does it matter? if the passengers don't like it they can just ignore the shirt, it's not like she's gonna be standing in the front of the plane so everyone can see, no she's gonna be in a small isle where maybe 2 people will be able to see the shirt and probably get a chuckle then stop caring

seriously, the US is WAY over serious some times, and I'm honestly ashamed to say I live here

[Doli]

It was just a T-shirt I would have just flipped it in the plane's restrooms instead of getting off the flight to change since the bags were already checked and the only other option is to buy some stupid expensive Washington DC shirt they sell in the gift shops.

[Stoffel]

I think people are talking next to each other here.

Yes the airline was correct, they have rules and you have to follow them.

But these days there are just to many rules, just to make sure we are politically correct.

Specially in the US it seems like they are so afraid to offend anybody.

People should just lighten up a bit, but I guess that's hard when everybody tries to sue everybody for a fart

[Dick Montage]

It was just a T-shirt I would have just flipped it in the plane's restrooms instead of getting off the flight to change since the bags were already checked and the only other option is to buy some stupid expensive Washington DC shirt they sell in the gift shops.

Same here. But no, she chose to create a scene!

[Dick Montage]

But these days there are just to many rules, just to make sure we are politically correct.

Yes and no... There was a time when this rule wouldn't have existed. But at the same time, it wouldn't have needed to exist because people had more class than to wear vulgar comments.

[Richteralan]

She got what she deserved. Why does she need to A) Voice her opinion about something on a t-shirt that has an offensive vulgar word on it, and B) Wear that shirt on a plane with other passengers.

This is the problem with some people. They only think about their rights, but never about responsibility. She knew the rules and decided that she'd ignore them anyway. What a wack job.

This post gets like 7 likes? Seriously?

[Dick Montage]

This post gets like 7 likes? Seriously?

Yup, I 100% agree with:

This is the problem with some people. They only think about their rights, but never about responsibility.

[Richteralan]

Yup, I 100% agree with:

When I click "like" a post, I tend to agree with the particular post 100%, not just part of it.

Maybe that's just me and my "academic" weirdness.

[Dick Montage]

I never said I disagreed with any of the post. I specifically agree with the part I quoted but yes with the thread in general.

I fail to see how academia relates to how I use the "Like" function. I may like one point and not care about any other. The "Like" is a general function at best.

[Arachno 1D]

Are we there yet?

[Singh400]

She got what she deserved. Why does she need to A) Voice her opinion about something on a t-shirt that has an offensive vulgar word on it, and B) Wear that shirt on a plane with other passengers.

This is the problem with some people. They only think about their rights, but never about responsibility. She knew the rules and decided that she'd ignore them anyway. What a wack job.

She got what she deserved? My god man are you insane? It's a t-shirt with a slogan on. We ALL wear t-shirts with slogans on.

Stop condoning this action as if it's okay and should happen again. It's a slippery slope the US is going down.

[Arachno 1D]

So what does it take for someone to offend you ...........you clearly dont mind them waving a placard in your face

[jerzdawg]

seriously, the US is WAY over serious some times, and I'm honestly ashamed to say I live here

Mexico or Canada will be glad to take you in im sure.

[jerzdawg]

She got what she deserved? My god man are you insane? It's a t-shirt with a slogan on. We ALL wear t-shirts with slogans on.

Stop condoning this action as if it's okay and should happen again. It's a slippery slope the US is going down.

I agree that she got what she deserved. This is a business (has NOTHING to do with the "US". She was asked to cover it, change it, whatever - most likely done to AVOID further issue with other passengers. Any business that relies on customers is going to cater to the larger group instead of this 1 person and her stupid shirt. She had the option to not miss her connecting flight, she chose her own fate. People like her wear shirts like this to get attention and she certainly got it. Out on a public street walking around.. knock yourself out with your political agenda that most people dont care about. Walk into a business place, follow their practices or find another option (she could have drove herself to DC with that shirt on)