anrkitec

So many true believers...

T-Shirt Link

This is a link to the actual t-shirt the passenger was wearing and which Olbermann had on his show. You will note that the "woman" is clothed and wearing a bikini. Offensive:Not.

MSNBC

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
OLBERMANN: Rather than tease out one of our typical long-winded introductions to tonight‘s No. 1 story, we‘ll going to give you a warning. The topic matter, even in the careful way we intend to present it, might be offensive to you or confusing to any kids who might be watching with it. It might just be weird.
It pertains to a T-shirt that somewhat graphically portrays a play on words you could make using the president‘s last name and what an airline did to a passenger who wore the T-shirt on one of their flights.
That did not happen to Mr. Scott Zacky. He only got thrown off his flight. Going from Oakland to L.A. with his wife, Mr. Zacky went casual, wearing a T-shirt under a button-=down shirt, only the top three buttons of which were undone. As he board the Southwest Airlines jet, a flight attendant told him he would have to cover up that T-shirt completely, that it was—quote—“offensive.”
He did so without making a scene. The airline doesn‘t even dispute that. But then he asked them how he could file a complaint. That‘s when they threw him and his wife off the plane. Stand by for the T-shirt.
Now, you‘ll notice we altered this just slightly. You‘ll probably get the idea anyway. If you don‘t, whatever you do, don‘t ask mom or dad to explain it to you.
The owner of the shirt, Scott Zacky, joins us now from Los Angeles.
Good evening, sir.
SCOTT ZACKY, THROWN OFF FLIGHT FOR T-SHIRT: Good evening.
OLBERMANN: So did you get thrown off that plane because you were wearing that T-shirt or because you asked the flight attendant how to file a complaint?
ZACKY: I think that‘s still unclear to us. The shirt was completely covered, so I believe it had to been I was going to complain.
OLBERMANN: We called Southwest obviously to get their side of the story. And their spokesman said: “One of our pilots took offense to his T-shirt and asked that he be removed from the flight. He,” meaning you, “was accommodated on the very next flight.”
Did the pilot—do we know, did the pilot dislike the politics or did the pilot dislike the woman in the illustration?
ZACKY: You know, it‘s unclear. I wish the pilot was more concerned with piloting the aircraft and the safety of the crew.
It‘s remarkable to me that this is—that he‘s capable of this and removing us from the plane. Obviously, he had made up his mind. And I like the choice of words, accommodated on the next flight. I don‘t know how—I made a reservation, not an accommodation.
OLBERMANN: They put you on next flight and nobody said anything about it; everybody was fine with you wearing that shirt under this other shirt on this next flight?
ZACKY: Didn‘t have to change an outfit, went right on the next flight. It was incredible. It seemed confusing even to the ground crew in Oakland. I have to say, they were even perplexed.
OLBERMANN: I keep thinking as we‘re looking at this T-shirt—and let me say what it says without—we show it—now drop it, so I can just say what it says. Just drop the illustration for a second, guys. It says, “Good Bush, Bad Bush.”
I keep thinking of the TV ad that used to run with the woman who opens a beer with her belt buckle and the bottle foams over. And the announcer says, “Get yourself a Busch.” I guess the pun is OK in advertising that can be seen by millions of people, but not in public on a flight that contained, what, 100, 200 people?
ZACKY: Or under another shirt. I mean, thank God they didn‘t go through my luggage. I had bought T-shirts on this trip, this being the least of the provocative ones.
OLBERMANN: I guess I‘ll just leave that alone. Maybe the guy had—maybe they have better X-rays at the airports than we know about.
Are you going to sue?
ZACKY: Well, going back to that word, I‘m going to accommodate them, with counsel if possible.
(LAUGHTER)
ZACKY: I think it was way too extreme, and they‘re getting carried away. And for one pilot to be able to remove somebody for something that offended him or her is going way too far. And I think that I will probably pursue at least what my options are.
OLBERMANN: On the premise of what? Do you feel you were damaged or are you just trying to protect the Constitution or what?
(CROSSTALK)
ZACKY: Well, we were embarrassed and humiliated. It was uncalled for. I completely cooperated and complied. You know, when you think of somebody being thrown off an airplane, for people to hear you were thrown off an airplane or asked to get off an airplane, it sends the wrong signal.
And this was something that my wife and I were both thrown off. And it was embarrassing and humiliating. I think I want maybe Southwest and other airlines to draw a more defined line as to what they can remove somebody from a plane for or not.
OLBERMANN: Last question, political vetting, we have to ask. Everything that concerns with politics, you‘ve got to ask political vetting. Can you tell us what your politics are?
ZACKY: Republican, surprisingly enough.
(CROSSTALK)
ZACKY: I bought this...
(CROSSTALK)
OLBERMANN: Why did you have the T-shirt?
ZACKY: I bought the shirt because I thought it was funny. You know, I don‘t draw political lines when it comes to humor. I think it was a funny shirt. The place that I got it had a lot of funny shirts. And I don‘t think it‘s—I think, especially up in San Francisco—I bought it in Haight Ashbury. I think that‘s one of the free speech capitals. And it was an incredible experience.
OLBERMANN: Yes, indeed. Scott Zacky, thanks for sharing that experience with us and good luck as you pursue this further.
ZACKY: Thank you. Thank you very much, Keith.