View Full Version : Woman bumped from flight due to blouse



mranderson
10-06-2005, 11:52 AM
http://www.channeloklahoma.com/irresistible/5066135/detail.html

This is an article published on channel Oklahoma.com about a woman who was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight due to her blouse containing the "f" word in a slur against President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

After you read the article, answer the following. Do you think she had the right to wear the blouse on the plane? (yes or no) Why?

Karried
10-06-2005, 12:16 PM
I don't think the issue was political as much as it was that the shirt contained offensive language that passengers didn't want to be subjected to.

Anytime the 'F' word is displayed it most likely will offend someone who doesn't want their kids to see it printed across a t-shirt. A private company has the right to set limits for a dress code.

If the shirt had pics of Bush with any other verbage, negative or not, she could have easily gotten onto the flight - it was the obvious curse word that was the problem.

MadMonk
10-06-2005, 12:24 PM
"I didn't feel that I should have to change my shirt, because we live in the United States, and it's freedom of speech and it was based on the movie 'The Fockers,' and I didn't think it should have offended anyone," Heasley told KRNV.
I would have been offended if my kids were present. Yeah, she has a right to wear it that shirt, but she doesn't have a right to ride the plane when breaking one of the company's rules/policies. Change the shirt or take a walk (literally).

Didaskalos
10-06-2005, 02:43 PM
It is a bit retarded to claim "free speech". If congress was trying to make a law "abridging the freedom of speech", she might have a leg to stand on. Freedom of speech in the 1st Amendment refers to the Government's ability/right to create laws, it has nothing to do with private business' right/ability to set rules for use of their service.

Don't like the rules set by the business, don't use the business.

PUGalicious
10-06-2005, 02:48 PM
Don't like the rules set by the business, don't use the business.
That seems to be a concept that a lot of people have a hard time understanding.

mranderson
10-06-2005, 02:49 PM
One thing that offends me to no end is women who use the "f" word. So, that blouse would have offended me for that reason, plus it was a dis on the President and Vice President. The other reason is we should be teaching our children morals and clean living. That word is not it.

I applaud the airline. I just hope she appears on their television series. She should have been arrested for moral indecency.

PUGalicious
10-06-2005, 02:53 PM
One thing that offends me to no end is women who use the "f" word.
Why is that more offensive than when men do it?


plus it was a dis on the President and Vice President.
dis... as in "dis"sent. That wasn't the problem for me.


The other reason is we should be teaching our children morals and clean living.
... like advocating pornography and prostitution?


She should have been arrested for moral indecency.
Please cite the specific law she would be violating.

Didaskalos
10-06-2005, 02:58 PM
plus it was a dis on the President and Vice President. The other reason is we should be teaching our children morals and clean living. That word is not it. Someone should explain that to the Vice President.

mranderson
10-06-2005, 02:59 PM
Why is that more offensive than when men do it?


dis... as in "dis"sent. That wasn't the problem for me.


... like advocating pornography and prostitution?


Please cite the specific law she would be violating.

1. Think of the difference between feminine and masculine.

2. Dis. The word the black community uses for disrespect.

3. I would not allow a small child to participate in those activities. Only when they become of age

4. Retorical statement.

PUGalicious
10-06-2005, 03:43 PM
1. Think of the difference between feminine and masculine.
I'm asking you directly why the difference in standard. Vulgar is vulgar, no matter what mouth it comes out of. The old saying goes, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."


2. Dis. The word the black community uses for disrespect.
I know what it was. I was cleverly using it to illustrate my point. You can respect the office without respecting the person holding that office.


3. I would not allow a small child to participate in those activities. Only when they become of age
I was pointing out the irony of someone speaking about teaching morals while promoting two activities that our society generally accepts as immoral. To you, it's not immoral. To others, profanity is not immoral and is a perfectly acceptable method of expression.


4. Retorical statement.
Wasn't her t-shirt a rhetorical statement?

Keith
10-06-2005, 05:58 PM
I don't think the issue was political as much as it was that the shirt contained offensive language that passengers didn't want to be subjected to.

Anytime the 'F' word is displayed it most likely will offend someone who doesn't want their kids to see it printed across a t-shirt. A private company has the right to set limits for a dress code.

If the shirt had pics of Bush with any other verbage, negative or not, she could have easily gotten onto the flight - it was the obvious curse word that was the problem.
I agree with Karrie....the issue was not political, it was about the very offensive language that was used on the shirt. The lady is a complete jerk as far as I am concerned. If she wanted to be noticed, she got her wish. I applaud the airlines for what they did.

Yeah, there is the first amendment which guarantees freedom of speech, but going to far, like she did, is public indecency. To me, anyone that uses the "f" word, shows their lack of intelligence and lack of vocabulary.

Patrick
10-06-2005, 09:47 PM
It's a private company. They'e entitled to make any rules they want to, within reason of course.

Jay
10-06-2005, 09:58 PM
That seems to be a concept that a lot of people have a hard time understanding.

You ever notice just how many adult-children we have in our society these days. You know the adults who have not yet realized that there is a proper time and place for everything.

Most people have that point of view of they have the right to do whatever they want. The only thing you have a right to (especially when dealing with a business) is to be treated with respect.

A private business reserves the right to refuse service to you. Provided they do not refuse your business on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or health condition.

Most mature adults would have asked themselves the question of " Is this shirt appropriate to wear on the plane?" before they left the house.

I don't know about the rest of you but, before I leave the house I do a mirror check and ask myself "Do I look appropriate for where I am going?"

Its common sense and I would like to think that is what most mature adults do.

Karried
10-07-2005, 08:19 AM
If she wins her lawsuit, I will be so disgusted with our judicial system. I hope she has to eat all of the costs herself and gets hit with a countersuit for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

mranderson
10-07-2005, 09:18 AM
If she wins her lawsuit, I will be so disgusted with our judicial system. I hope she has to eat all of the costs herself and gets hit with a countersuit for filing a frivolous lawsuit.

The article never said she threatened to sue. Even if she did make a threat, most people who openly threaten are only bluffing anyway.

Karried
10-07-2005, 09:43 AM
A Washington state woman says she intends to press a civil rights lawsuit against Southwest Airlines for barring her from one of its flights because of a message on her T-shirt.



In addition to the Daily Oklahoman, I read many other newspapers daily.

Shaggy
10-07-2005, 06:07 PM
In addition to the Daily Oklahoman, I read many other newspapers daily.
I agree with you, Karried. If this lady wins this lawsuit, something is wrong with our judicial system. I don't see how she could win though, because the airlines have their policies set. She was just trying to push her luck and she got caught. I hope she loses and it costs her an arm and a leg.

HOT ROD
10-07-2005, 07:03 PM
1. Think of the difference between feminine and masculine.

2. Dis. The word the black community uses for disrespect.

3. I would not allow a small child to participate in those activities. Only when they become of age

4. Retorical statement.

The BLACK community uses????

Dont you mean slang? Or are you inferring that the Black Community is slang or street? Or are you a member of the Black Community (since YOU used the word).

I would be very careful if I were you because you sound like a closet racist. You may not truly know anything - but you probably shouldn't show your true colours especially if you want to be in government.

Aparently, you have great facts about the Black Community - perhaps you could educate us all. Until then, I (for one) am offended by YOUR comment as it just shows your true colour and ignorance as well as your DISrespect for minorities.

By the way, DIS is a slang word which originated on the street by street people - black, white, asian, native, hispanic, on and on. The word means to speak of rudely or mistreat and furthermore you misspelled it (as it is correctly spelled DISS).

HOT ROD
10-07-2005, 07:06 PM
Here's the facts.

From http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=diss

diss

v : treat, mention, or speak to rudely; "He insulted her with his rude remarks"; "the student who had betrayed his classmate was dissed by everyone" [syn: insult, affront]


Source: WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University

HOT ROD
10-07-2005, 07:18 PM
Now, back to topic.

I dont find offense to the T-shirt although I do find it distasteful. It is freedom of speech and is protected. Although Southwest Airlines has the right to refuse service given the vulgar word, the woman also has the right to wear the shirt and sue the airline for allowing her to board the plane then kicking her off.

If the airline has such a rule, it should have been enforced at the point of initial contact (ie, the gate). Since she was allowed to board, the airline accepted her as a customer and therefore should have delivered on its commitment to customer service. Since this did not happen, she should receive remuneration for the inconvenience and Southwest might actually be fined by the government for right's violation - depending upon who she hires as an attorney.

Also, most of you who comment about children - I grew up in the 70s and words like that were prevalent; but I dont have any side-effects nor was I traumatized. I never ran around saying the F-word but as a child I knew it was a bad, grown-up's word.

I think education is the best policy and I'd highly recommend you all to discuss these words with your children. You can't always expect the world to be like a nursery and everything to be perfect. You can teach what you will but to suppress one's freedom is nothing more than Oppression and IS a violation of the 1st Amendment.

Two wrongs don't make it right!

Keith
10-07-2005, 07:34 PM
Now, back to topic.

I dont find offense to the T-shirt although I do find it distasteful. It is freedom of speech and is protected. Although Southwest Airlines has the right to refuse service given the vulgar word, the woman also has the right to wear the shirt and sue the airline for allowing her to board the plane then kicking her off.

If the airline has such a rule, it should have been enforced at the point of initial contact (ie, the gate). Since she was allowed to board, the airline accepted her as a customer and therefore should have delivered on its commitment to customer service. Since this did not happen, she should receive remuneration for the inconvenience and Southwest might actually be fined by the government for right's violation - depending upon who she hires as an attorney.

Also, most of you who comment about children - I grew up in the 70s and words like that were prevalent; but I dont have any side-effects nor was I traumatized. I never ran around saying the F-word but as a child I knew it was a bad, grown-up's word.

I think education is the best policy and I'd highly recommend you all to discuss these words with your children. You can't always expect the world to be like a nursery and everything to be perfect. You can teach what you will but to suppress one's freedom is nothing more than Oppression and IS a violation of the 1st Amendment.

Two wrongs don't make it right!
You just find it "distasteful?"the word is a very vulgar word that should never be used...or printed on a shirt. I grew up around the "f" word myself, and it is not a "bad, grown up word," as you put it. The only grown ups that use that word are unintelligent with a very limited vocabulary. Plus, I have never had to discuss these words with my kids, because they never have had a desire to use that kind of language.

Yes, the 1st amendment does guarantee the right to free speech, and in this case, it guarantees the right to be stupid. In my opinion, too many people beat the 1st amendment to death.

fromdust
10-09-2005, 12:54 PM
sean hannity had her on his radio show the other day and she said that she thought it might offend parents who have kids, but she said that if they didnt want to see the shirt they shouldnt have read it. her free speech rights were not harmed, every one here is right its a private business.

HOT ROD
10-09-2005, 09:14 PM
HOT ROD,

So what your saying is that If I show or showed up at your wedding and made it through the front door and sat down with my F*** You shirt that's cool? In your terms you should have been paying attention to the F***in door.

I assume you are trying to be humorous.

For one, how does a wedding corrolate to a business such as Southwest Airlines.

For two, since you mentioned "my wedding" - weddings they are private events and I could kick out anyone I wanted, especially someone like you with a F*** shirt OR even just because I felt like it.

Not sure what you meant buddy. You might want to stick with the facts, jack!

====

Southwest Airlines has a charter (called a corporation) which allows it to operate as an agency which provides service regardless of the clientelle. Any rules it has in place should be enforced prior to the execution of such service. In the SW case, this did not happen. SW should have told her at checkin to remove or conceal the shirt according to their rules prohibiting profanity - obviously the woman did not know of such rules or otherwise did not exercise "good judgement".

Jay
10-10-2005, 12:58 AM
The main point everyone is making here is that her lack of taste and good judgement got her in trouble.

Now her and her white trash mentallity (Yes, I do know for a fact that she is white trash. I saw the video on Reno, NV TV station website) thinks she can score some cash off of Southwest Airlines.

In my opinion if you lack common sense and good judgement you need to be locked up in padded room and kept away from society. That way we don't have to listen to you gripe when someone points out to you.

Keith
10-10-2005, 05:02 AM
The main point everyone is making here is that her lack of taste and good judgement got her in trouble.

Now her and her white trash mentallity (Yes, I do know for a fact that she is white trash. I saw the video on Reno, NV TV station website) thinks she can score some cash off of Southwest Airlines.

In my opinion if you lack common sense and good judgement you need to be locked up in padded room and kept away from society. That way we don't have to listen to you gripe when someone points out to you.




Exactly. Anyone wearing a shirt like that with vulgar language on it lacks common sense and does need to be put in a padded room.

HOT ROD
10-10-2005, 01:22 PM
Agree totally.

mranderson
10-10-2005, 01:28 PM
sean hannity had her on his radio show the other day and she said that she thought it might offend parents who have kids, but she said that if they didnt want to see the shirt they shouldnt have read it. her free speech rights were not harmed, every one here is right its a private business.

Humm. What a rediculous thought. Did it occur to this lady (That sounds like an oxymoron to me) that when someone observes something written, they will read it? How can one avoid an article of clothing like that? They will not know it is offensive uless they read it. She and everyone like her need to learn to think before they do something.

No wonder why the world calls the typical American "the dumbing of America." too many people like this woman.

Jay
10-10-2005, 03:36 PM
I have strong political views on many issues. One thing I understand is that anytime I express my political views I anticipate someone else to strongly disagree with me. Its their right to do so regardless if their right or wrong.

I think more people need to understand this basic rule of thumb. Your supposed right to post a message online, wear a t-shirt with a political message, or voice your opinion in public or private, gives everyone else the right to approach you and agree or disagree.

I think overall the Airline noticed a problem and did what they thought was necessary to eliminate the problem.

As they say there are three sides to every story. We never will know the real truth of what happened.

You have what she said and what Southwest said. Then somewhere in between that you have the truth.

mranderson
10-10-2005, 03:47 PM
I have strong political views on many issues. One thing I understand is that anytime I express my political views I anticipate someone else to strongly disagree with me. Its their right to do so regardless if their right or wrong.

I think more people need to understand this basic rule of thumb. Your supposed right to post a message online, wear a t-shirt with a political message, or voice your opinion in public or private, gives everyone else the right to approach you and agree or disagree.

I think overall the Airline noticed a problem and did what they thought was necessary to eliminate the problem.

As they say there are three sides to every story. We never will know the real truth of what happened.

You have what she said and what Southwest said. Then somewhere in between that you have the truth.

...Unless this is an episode of "Airline." Then you will get a better idea of what happened.