DL passenger denied boarding due to t-shirt design
Oct 10, 2012, 1:23 am
#181
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,721
Wow - hostile crowd here now. What happened to the old f- the TSA mantra?
Sad day to see citizens denied basic rights, i.e. right to travel unless they self-censor themselves. The guy wasn't advocating violence, he wasn't a threat to anyone, he was just wearing a wacky shirt with some rather esoteric political statements. The shirt was about as threatening as the "Bong Hits for Jesus" shirt that was the subject of a recent (and wrongly decided) SCOTUS case. For this he gets harassed by TSA and airport police and then denied boarding by a pathetic pilot.
The pilot should be terminated forthwith, along with the other characters in this story. Delta should be embarrassed, this is worse than Southwest kicking off "scantily clad" women.
+1
+2
Sad day to see citizens denied basic rights, i.e. right to travel unless they self-censor themselves. The guy wasn't advocating violence, he wasn't a threat to anyone, he was just wearing a wacky shirt with some rather esoteric political statements. The shirt was about as threatening as the "Bong Hits for Jesus" shirt that was the subject of a recent (and wrongly decided) SCOTUS case. For this he gets harassed by TSA and airport police and then denied boarding by a pathetic pilot.
The pilot should be terminated forthwith, along with the other characters in this story. Delta should be embarrassed, this is worse than Southwest kicking off "scantily clad" women.
This is ridiculous! If he was a threat with the shirt on, then he was a threat without the shirt. What gutless hypocrisy by the TSA and Delta!
Those who say that you don't have a right to fly, obviously missed the point that once the "offensive" shirt was removed, he did have the "right" to fly. Perhaps you should re-phrase your statement as, "you don't have the right to offend another passenger and fly", or more likely, "you don't have the right to mock the TSA, otherwise we will ruin your day"--It's total BS.
I saw a metal band at immigration control in Narita once that were on the same flight with me from ORD, and one of the guys was wearing a t-shirt that said, "Islam, the religion of peace?" on the front, and "Prepare to meet Allah" with a graphic of a terrorist on the back. I guess that celebrities are exempted from being jerked around by the TSA.
What a bunch of weenies we have become in this country!
Those who say that you don't have a right to fly, obviously missed the point that once the "offensive" shirt was removed, he did have the "right" to fly. Perhaps you should re-phrase your statement as, "you don't have the right to offend another passenger and fly", or more likely, "you don't have the right to mock the TSA, otherwise we will ruin your day"--It's total BS.
I saw a metal band at immigration control in Narita once that were on the same flight with me from ORD, and one of the guys was wearing a t-shirt that said, "Islam, the religion of peace?" on the front, and "Prepare to meet Allah" with a graphic of a terrorist on the back. I guess that celebrities are exempted from being jerked around by the TSA.
What a bunch of weenies we have become in this country!
Taking a break from stupidity, there is intelligence in seeing how stupidly people react to a harmless shirt. It would be even more intelligent if he were to see how the reaction is different when a European-American is wearing that which an Indian-American could not wear that day at BUF without getting harassed for a harmless shirt.
The shirt is mild compared to some of the stuff that would result in a non-G rating if highlighted in a movie.
As I am taking DL from BUF, perhaps I should have my own study.
The shirt is mild compared to some of the stuff that would result in a non-G rating if highlighted in a movie.
As I am taking DL from BUF, perhaps I should have my own study.
Oct 11, 2012, 1:33 am
#182
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,790
Sad day to see citizens denied basic rights, i.e. right to travel unless they self-censor themselves. The guy wasn't advocating violence, he wasn't a threat to anyone, he was just wearing a wacky shirt with some rather esoteric political statements. The shirt was about as threatening as the "Bong Hits for Jesus" shirt that was the subject of a recent (and wrongly decided) SCOTUS case.
Well, he wasn't actually harassed by TSA (I know, hard to believe given their record); in fact it appears they let him through the checkpoint once without question, and when the DL gate agent wanted them to do something about his shirt, they still said it was just a shirt. The idiots in this story are the DL folks and the airport police.
