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What do NASCAR hats and racist tattoos have to do with this? This person knowing full well about the hysteria around terrorism, bombs, and air flights went out

What do NASCAR hats and racist tattoos have to do with this? This person knowing full well about the hysteria around terrorism, bombs, and air flights went out of his way to cause an incident, and is now complaining about "white racists", unfair treatment, and the airlines. All he had to do was show up dressed in a normal tee-shirt. But this wasn't good enough for him. He had to make a statement. In a cramped space of an airplane, of all the places. And it turns out the other people didn't get his joke.

Bud 14y ago
They have a lot to do with it, actually. My point is that if some speech, communicated by wearing a T-shirt and nothing else, is actionable, then perhaps other forms of speech should be actionable, too. This person did not "go out of his way" to cause an incident. He wore a T-shirt and that is all he did. "Making a statement" is ok. This is America. We supposedly protect that right, even when we do not agree with the statement in question. "Hysteria" resulting from events that happened 11 years ago and which will never occur again is not an excuse for abandoning that principle.
- DanBC 14y ago
  You do not stand in a theatre and shout "fire!" unless there is a fire. You do not use the "bomb" word in an airport, unless you suspect something is a bomb. How many people need to be pulled off flights for people to understand that sometimes you just don't need to wear the t-shirt (that looks creepily white power) covered in BOMB DEATH KILL.
  - glenra 14y ago
    > You do not stand in a theatre and shout "fire!" unless there is a fire. Do you realize that that particular constructed example comes from an argument that protesting the draft should be illegal? (Incidentally, Penn Jillette quite regularly stands in his theater and shouts "fire!" when there is no threat. Most people aren't idiots most of the time, so it's not a problem.) > How many people need to be pulled off flights for people to understand that sometimes you just don't need to wear the t-shirt (that looks creepily white power) covered in BOMB DEATH KILL. Maybe it needs to keep happening until our airport cops realize they're being idiots and return to dealing with actual security threats. Assuming they can find any.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- ghshephard 14y ago
  Feel free to make statements where they are appropriate, and I'll defend your right to do so. Feel free to write material on your blog, to write books, to make speeches in public areas. Airplanes are not the places to be making statements. Actually, most public travel is probably an inappropriate place to be making statements. If you feel the need to make statements about Bombs, terrorists, and Blood while attempting to board an airplane, don't be surprised if others feel the need to spend a bit more time talking about you based on your behavior. And yes - there are many, many forms of speech that are actionable when crossing borders, boarding planes, entering federal buildings - one of the key jobs of a security person is to evaluate you based on things like delaying in answering simple questions, being evasive, appearing nervous, and yes - talking about bombs and terrorists killing all of us.

Bud 14y ago

They have a lot to do with it, actually. My point is that if some speech, communicated by wearing a T-shirt and nothing else, is actionable, then perhaps other forms of speech should be actionable, too. This person did not "go out of his way" to cause an incident. He wore a T-shirt and that is all he did. "Making a statement" is ok. This is America. We supposedly protect that right, even when we do not agree with the statement in question. "Hysteria" resulting from events that happened 11 years ago and which will never occur again is not an excuse for abandoning that principle.

DanBC 14y ago
You do not stand in a theatre and shout "fire!" unless there is a fire. You do not use the "bomb" word in an airport, unless you suspect something is a bomb. How many people need to be pulled off flights for people to understand that sometimes you just don't need to wear the t-shirt (that looks creepily white power) covered in BOMB DEATH KILL.
- glenra 14y ago
  > You do not stand in a theatre and shout "fire!" unless there is a fire. Do you realize that that particular constructed example comes from an argument that protesting the draft should be illegal? (Incidentally, Penn Jillette quite regularly stands in his theater and shouts "fire!" when there is no threat. Most people aren't idiots most of the time, so it's not a problem.) > How many people need to be pulled off flights for people to understand that sometimes you just don't need to wear the t-shirt (that looks creepily white power) covered in BOMB DEATH KILL. Maybe it needs to keep happening until our airport cops realize they're being idiots and return to dealing with actual security threats. Assuming they can find any.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
ghshephard 14y ago
Feel free to make statements where they are appropriate, and I'll defend your right to do so. Feel free to write material on your blog, to write books, to make speeches in public areas. Airplanes are not the places to be making statements. Actually, most public travel is probably an inappropriate place to be making statements. If you feel the need to make statements about Bombs, terrorists, and Blood while attempting to board an airplane, don't be surprised if others feel the need to spend a bit more time talking about you based on your behavior. And yes - there are many, many forms of speech that are actionable when crossing borders, boarding planes, entering federal buildings - one of the key jobs of a security person is to evaluate you based on things like delaying in answering simple questions, being evasive, appearing nervous, and yes - talking about bombs and terrorists killing all of us.