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Mysteria...
Should it turn out tomorrow that a bunch of red-headed people with beards threatened the world with terrorism, I would not do anything that gave the appearance of supporting them. I would disagree with them and denounce them. But as a red-head, I would also try not to offend anyone needlessly. While he has every righ to wear the shirt, he should realize that by wearing it on the transportation mode used Sept 11, some may be wary of him. By wearing the T-shirt, he was silenced. The basic principle is, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Leave the shirt at home, talk politely with those around you and you may change a mind or two. That is freedom of speech.
posted by
food4thought
on September 9, 2006 at 12:05 AM
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<img src="http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Images/Emoticons/emrose.gif" />
posted by
Whacky
on September 3, 2006 at 6:14 PM
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I do a lot of silly things but I probably wouldn't do that. Sounds dangerous and provocative.
posted by
babe_rocks
on September 3, 2006 at 2:20 PM
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My friend was flying recently and a lady on the plane thought his shirt
offensive. He was asked to turn it inside out. He did so without qualm.
Maybe we should all wear "I am not a Terrorist" t-shirts?
posted by
mysteria
on September 3, 2006 at 10:09 AM
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I think there are
equally offensive non-Arabic t-shirts that would have passed through without so much as a blink. A suicide bomber would be more likely to wear something that did not make them stand out. I would rather personnel and the technology they use focus on what people are carrying.
A few weeks ago I caught a train to an airport and my daughter dropped a toy on the floor. An man of Arabic appearance picked up the toy and passed it back to her. He was traveling with another Arabic man. They both had brief cases but no luggage - which means they were either flying in or out for the day or had a meeting at the airport. I remember this because I remember wondering how many people would regard them as suspicious or recoil when the man passed the toy.
posted by
Azur
on September 3, 2006 at 10:02 AM
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If this was not racist you'd be 100% right.Female giver of T-shirt did same
thing with three other friends---going apart and coming together at security-- and no one told them they were "dangerous" or risky. I hve lived here more than half my 47 years, and I know my professors' advice is best: "Americans believe the Constitution applies only to themselves, not to those who look different." shalom my friend and sister ---every language on T shirts are suspicious except English, Hebrew and German?
posted by
ILLUMINATI8
on September 3, 2006 at 9:52 AM
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Mysteria, whether or not he had the right to wear the shirt, you make a good point about the sensibility of it.
posted by
TAPS.
on September 3, 2006 at 9:44 AM
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He has a first amendment right to wear the shirt, but
it seems ill-advised to wear anything with Arabic writing on it when you're boarding a plane in this season of paranoia. Making him take it off could have been the least consequence he might have suffered. It's not a question of right or wrong -- it's a question of sensitivity to the "audience" and good judgment.
posted by
Pat_B
on September 3, 2006 at 9:42 AM
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while one can't help but question his reasoning abilities, i fully
support his freedoms of speech. the shirt can be interpreted in more than one way. i, too, will not remain silent. if i have strong feelings about a subject, i will speak of it, regardless of others opinions. america was built on the backs of people who chose not to remain silent but to stand up for what they believe in.
if it had been a punk rocker wearing a t-shirt with a chalk outline of a human body, would they have made him take off his shirt too? or what about an NRA member wearing a t-shirt that reads "guns don't kill people. only people kill people".
there should only be one criteria when it comes to flying. does the person have bomb making equipment with them or don't they? if they don't, they should be free to board, regardless of what they're wearing.
posted by
fourcats
on September 3, 2006 at 9:21 AM
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mysteria
Frustratingly insane . What can be done in such authoritarian regimes except to submit meekly or die? I don't know.
posted by
Bhaskar.ing
on September 3, 2006 at 7:40 AM
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bandanafish
Seriously, what DID he expect? I think he was treated overly well considering the "liberties" he took...
posted by
mysteria
on September 3, 2006 at 6:58 AM
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Passionflower
It's true...insanity is run rampant! I hold out hope though PasssH... the pendulum is BOUND to swing back soon. We seem to have reached critical mass!
posted by
mysteria
on September 3, 2006 at 6:57 AM
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It's also like shouting, "Hi, Jack!" in an airport...
posted by
bandanafish
on September 3, 2006 at 6:56 AM
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Great Article...Don't know about you....but
The whole world seems to have gone insane....me and you are all that's left that are normal.
posted by
Passionflower
on September 3, 2006 at 6:45 AM
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