This story surfaced right after the incident occured, but here's a new development announcing a law suit.

http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/3...s20070809.html

My personal opinion is that I fully support and back freedom of speech, however, we live in a time (post-9/11) of uncertainty and high alert. Although this particular man is an honest, non-harmful human being who even works for a peace organization, the fact that his shirt shows Arabic writing saying "We Will Not Be Silent" is uncomforting to see at an airport. What does that mean? That's like trying to send a message. It's not like it showed Arabic writing with the words "Go Yankees" because many other languages have such shirts translated like that.

If anything, JetBlue was very fair in that they purchased him a new shirt. His claim that the TSA should have told everyone that it's fine is just not enough. Why shoul X amount of people be inconvenienced and scared because of one person's shirt? It's not the Arabic writing that I have a problem with, it is the phrase that it translates to AND it being at an airport in today's world.

My guess is that the phrase 'We Will Not Be Silent' relates to the illegal war the United States is currently engaged in, and the collateral damage that is never reported by the US media.

I support this lawsuit 100% just as I support the man's right to wear that shirt.

HERE'S A HINT! A terrorist isn't going to do something like that which would draw attention and make people suspicious.

People's overactions to these type of situations demonstrate just how ignorant and racist they are.

Because X amount of people are ignorant and deserver their own foundless fears, perhaps? You actually picked an interesting example of an alternate phrase. "Yankees" refers not only to the baseball team in the Bronx, but also Americans in general around the world. So "Go Yankees" might be a message suppoorting America's warmongering, rather than just A-Rod and Jeter. I don't like that, so can I ask the TSA and an airline to make anyone wearing a Yankee's shirt to change it? Of course not.

What if it was someone wearing a shirt that had the computer code for that encryption algorithm on it that was declared a regulated munition back in the day? Is that brining a weapon on the plane and therefor should be changed?

In the end, someone's shirt doesn't matter. An evildoer isn't going to wear a special shirt to identify themself, and someone wearing a shirt to comment on the political environment of "today's world" is completely appropriate, regardless of location. B6 and the TSA should be ashamed of themselves for this.

Also, I predict that this thread will quickly migrate to the TSS forum.

S.

Honestly, whether you agree with everything this country does or not, wearing a shirt like that is only going to cause you hassle and get you into more trouble. If that guy got on to an aircraft with that shirt I would have 149 other customers that would now feel very uncomfortable and but me in a very hard predicament. I now have to take into account all the other customers feelings and prolly ask the guy if he could change because I have to calm the fears of the other customers before somebody confronts the guy and possibly starts a fight.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with somebody wearing a T-Shirt like that, in public. That's the great things about this country. However to wear something like that in an airport, where there is tons of security, overanxious TSA and Police Officers and customers who are still scared to fly is not a very bright idea. It's like a friend of mine wearing a "I'm a bomb squad technichian, if you seem me running try to keep up." t-shirt to school. Yes it actually happened, and he expected to get away with it.

JetBlueFA is 100% correct. The great thing about this country is that you can wear express your views on different topics to the public, on clothing in this case. However, we live in a different world today and wearing a shirt that says "we will not be silent" in any language, let alone Arabic is very unsettling to many, many people. This is not discriminating against all people of Arab descent. Hey, if it said the same thing in just plain old English or Spanish, I'd still have a problem with it.

Regarding the Yankees example, if it said "Go Yankees" with a picture of the NY team logo...you have a point, but you're being very technical. Aren't the vast majority of shirts out there that have that phrase reffering to the BASEBALL team!? Get real.

The fact is, no one is ignorant. Did we all forget that this country was sleeping on September 10, 2001? The next day, our lives changed forever. We're all (and should be) on high alert. Even though this particular guy is NOT a terrorist, we can't just let "signs", if this is one, go away. Whether the sign is intentional or not, it's something that bothered enough pax on the flight to say something to jetBlue and the TSA. All jetBlue did in this case was comply with the TSA. Read the article before you comment on that, please.

It didn't mention how much the lawsuit is for, but I hope that he is planning on getting tens of millions of dollars to fly privately, because after something like this he might be added to the 'commercial no fly list'.

Again, the above is my OPINION.

If I saw that shirt written in English, probly pass it for a breast cancer or some type of awareness slogan and not even think twice. Admit it, its the Arabic language and person.

I hope he wins enough to force the company into bankruptcy.

So, JetBlueFA and JetBlueNYFL, you are saying it's ok, you know, because of the First Amendment and all, to wear a tshirt that says "We will not be silent" in Arabic UNLESS you are around a bunch of Sheeple that might be frightened? ARE YOU JOKING??? What on earth is frightening about that phrase? Actually, what is frightening about Arabic writing? As far as I know, words never blew up anything.

Your ignorance frightens me.

Slippery slope, people, very slippery slope.

Is it just me, or do some of the posts in this topic sound like they were lifted directly from transcripts of speeches, press conferences, and interviews from this current administration?



I don't "check" my constitutional rights along with my bag when I enter an airport.

It's not my ignorance. It's the concern and uncomfort that many others faced that day. And, I would be willing to bet that this is not the first time something like this happened. Additionally, I would bet that the majority of people on ANY flight ANYWHERE, ANY day would feel the same uncomfort.

Nothing is firghtening about the Arabic writing, as I stated. I used the example of "LET'S GO YANKEES" in Arabic...that would be fine. Or the name of an Arab city in Arabic. That would be fine! But "we will not be silent"...what is the message trying to be sent here? It's a dark t-shirt, with a very "unfinished" and "unsettling" phrase to MANY.

In this world today, you're asking for trouble to wear a shirt like that to an aiport.

Intelligent. Next time, please contribute to the conversation with a little more to say. I hope he doesn't win enough so that the TSA can focus more on our security than paying this guy.

Just wanted to post a link to this issue on an a.net thread. I usually like to do this, as it contains some extra insight, not discussed here on FT:

http://www.airliners.net/discussions....main/3554402/

I honestly don't care what people wear when they go into an airport. None of that bothers me. The only problem I will have with it is if it is going to cause a problem in my cabin. You and I both know that if that T-Shirt was worn inside the cabin there would be a problem. That is the nature of the traveling public in the post 9/11 world.

Next time I would appreciate it if you ask me about my comment before calling me ignorant. I have no personal problem with anybody wearing anything they want to, like I said.

As someone who frequents the TS/S forum, I must say that something like this CANNOT get the passenger on the "No Fly List". It's clear this guy wasn't a "terrorist", and let's face it...if he were, do you really think that he would wear something that would even remotely identify him as such? I'm sure JetBlue will end up settling out of court, but I hope this guy laughs all the way to the bank with the $$ he'll get from the TSA.

Also, maybe this should be moved to the Travel Safety/Security forum @:-)

Any post that states a Constitutional right followed by 'however' shows a grave misunderstanding of constitutional rights. No one is in any way 'inconvenienced' by a message on somebody's T-shirt. When did I lose my right to free speech and you gain a right to convenience?!