Remember last week when a woman got kicked off a commercial jet because she was wearing an anti-Bush t-shirt?  As much as I hate dirty stinking liberals, that's bullshit.  It's just a shirt!

The folk,s at www.tshirthell.com seem to agree.

They have the following statement on thier website:

Recently a woman was kicked off of a Southwest Airlines flight in Reno after she refused to cover up a T-shirt some considered to be in poor taste. We believe her only crime was purchasing a t-shirt from somewhere other than tshirthell.com At T-Shirt Hell we are dedicated to protecting the rights and civil liberties of our customers. One of these liberties is freedom of expression, and another equally important one is freedom of travel. Both of these rights are supposed to be protected by the Constitution. But we all know that recently the Constitution isn’t worth the parchment it was written on. Therefore, T-Shirt Hell has decided to make the following offer: if any T-Shirt Hell customer is kicked off of any commercial airline flight simply for wearing one of our shirts, we will provide you with alternate transportation to get you to your original destination. This transportation includes, but is not limited to, the T-Shirt Hell corporate jet. We will not allow our customers to be intimidated into wearing less interesting clothing, or forced to cover up our shirts. Or even worse, we don’t want our customers to have to remove their shirts and display their pale, flabby midsections and suffer the taunts of the other passengers. T-Shirt Hell customers are supposed to be subjecting the other passengers to ridicule, and not the other way around. This is not a joke. But by no means should this be construed as a challenge or a contest. We are not trying to encourage anyone to actively or intentionally engage in an attempt to disrupt operations of a commercial flight. Doing that is dangerous, stupid, and against the law. If you get yourself kicked off for being drunk, abusive, belligerent, having poor personal hygiene, or any form of general disorderly conduct you are on your own. We are looking to protect your rights, so don’t abuse them. If you are reasonable, and courteous, and are refused passage solely for exercising your constitutionally protected right to wear your favorite t-shirt, we'll get you alternate transportation, and pick up the tab.   Here's how it works:   You, the well behaved and considerate passenger that you are, attempt to board a commercial flight wearing one of our shirts. For no reason other than your fashion choice, you are thrown off or not allowed on the flight. Call our toll free number during normal business hours: (877) 498-3099 Click here to print out our handy wallet card. If we’re not available, leave us a message and somebody will get back to you ASAP. We will set up, and pay for alternate transportation. We will make every effort to provide same day, private transportation if possible.

They have some shirts that nearly guarantee a response (especially in the "WorseThanHell" section).

So, who wants to piss some people off AND get a free plane ticket?

Stupid contest. I won't buy a plane ticket just to see if I can get on with an offensive shirt. And guess what, it might be "just a shirt" but the airline has a POLICY regarding offensive clothing, and nothing was going to happen to the woman until after other people complained beforehand. As a private company they have the right to say "cover it up or you're not flying today" and guess what she chose? Well, first she covered it up, but then decided she could uncover it because, ya know, she can. She was told again to cover it, following policy, or face not making the flight and she CHOSE not to fly that day.

I feel so terrible that a business exercised it's right to refuse service to someone who refuses to abide policy.

Good intentions, bad way of going about it. 1st amendment and private property are different. You cant come onto my lawn and yell FUCK YOU at me and expect a nice and tidy response just because of the first amendment. You have the right to say fuck you, and so do we. So, in lieu of your favorite shirt, fuck you.

Quoted: Good intentions, bad way of going about it. 1st amendment and private property are different. You cant come onto my lawn and yell FUCK YOU at me and expect a nice and tidy response just because of the first amendment. You have the right to say fuck you, and so do we. So, in lieu of your favorite shirt, fuck you.

Actually, in CA saying "fuck you" at an individual is specific enough to be disturbing the peace, and arrestable. Doesn't count if you say it to a LEO, however it can get you entered into Contempt Of Cop.

NoOffensive shirt, No shoes, No service.  Just my take on it. YMMV.

I see your point about the private property and the right ot refuse service.

I guess no one should bitch when a company tells its employees they can't keep guns in their cars in the parking lot.

One more reason to fly SWA?

Quoted: I see your point about the private property and the right ot refuse service. I guess no one should bitch when a company tells its employees they can't keep guns in their cars in the parking lot.

Exactly.
If the parking lot is the private property of the company, they have every right to ban firearms.

Quoted: Quoted: I see your point about the private property and the right ot refuse service. I guess no one should bitch when a company tells its employees they can't keep guns in their cars in the parking lot. Exactly. If the parking lot is the private property of the company, they have every right to ban firearms.

Shady area, and poor example. The car is private property of the owner, as is it's contents, but is parked on the private property of the company.

Now, if the company wanted to restrict what kind of bumper stickers are on your car then that would be similar to the situation cited above, however from what I can tell the airlines didn't give a shit if she had something offensive inside her, just what was showing on the outside.

Quoted: Quoted: I see your point about the private property and the right ot refuse service. I guess no one should bitch when a company tells its employees they can't keep guns in their cars in the parking lot. Exactly. If the parking lot is the private property of the company, they have every right to ban firearms.

You can bitch and complain, but technically speaking they can(and do) ban firearms from their premises. I bitched about my employer banning firearms when they considered it, and because of my arguments they decided against it. There is a way to do things while still retaining those rights.

Quoted: One more reason to fly SWA?

Damn right.  I'd rather fly Southwest than any other airline.  I've been on Delta, TWA, American, and a few small regional airlines.  If Southwest could get one of those little 737s to hop the atlantic, I'd never have a reason to fly any other airline.

Jim