On the Bush "Meet the Fuckers" T-Shirt.

Anytime some asshole tells someone wearing a marginally obscene t-shirt condemning the Bush Administration, I remember a trip I took to Astroworld in Houston.

My oldest was 10, and he pointed a t-shirt and said "Hey Dad! That shirt is nasty: why did they let that guy wear it in here?"

The shirt said in large letters "SILLY FAGGOTS! DICKS ARE FOR CHICKS!"

I reported the wearer to the Park and they just shrugged.

Besides that, I've seen FUCK on t's so many times (INCLUDING on aircraft) that it doesn't even register as a dirty word.

So I hold that the "Meet the Fuckers" shirt wearer was victimized for being ANTI-BUSH, not vulgar.

But I have never seen a t-shirt with the f word. The f word is what bothers people, in fact that one always bothered me too. Don't ask me why, it's hard to explain. Btw, did you hear that Astroworld Six Flags is closing shop?

Like it or not, Southwest's Contract of Carriage clearly states that they had the right to remove this lady from the plane:

"Carrier may refuse to transport or remove from the aircraft at any point any passenger in the following categories as may be necessary for the comfort or safety of such passenger or other passengers:
(1) Persons whose conduct is or has been known to be disorderly, abusive, offensive, threatening, intimidating, or violent, or whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive;"


No reasonable person (as in on a jury, or under the legal precept of "reasonable person") would not consider "Meet the Fuckers" lewd or obscene.


Sorry, but the passenger agreed to not wear that shirt under contract, and she violated that contract. At least, that's how the law is going to look at it.

I can't believe anyone would be uncivilized enough to wear a shirt like that in public, especially where children are around. I actually got that shirt for my birthday just two weeks ago. And you know where I wear it? To bed.

women who wore anti-Bush (or antiwar) T-shirts near or in a Bush rally last year, and they were asked to leave.

They were very quick to make a big stink about it.

It wasn't a free speech issue. The women deliberately did that to pull a stunt, and never mind the fact that rallies typically prohibit signs, t-shirts, and the like that would provoke trouble.

I would bet this woman was pulling the same type of stunt. Either that or she's a blithering idiot.

I wouldn't go around calling people blithering idiots if I were you.

I just don't want to see swearwords on clothing. And I cuss like a sailor.

dyslexia not withstanding.

it says, "cool as fcuk", but i rarely wear it, makes me too self-conscious.

EOM

i HATE the FCUK (French Connection UK) t-shirts. When I lived in England in 1998, they were all over the place. I just felt that people liked them for the "shock" value and bordering rudeness.

I go up to the person and say in a loud voice, "You like Chicks with dicks and you're proud of it!! Good for you!!! you go girl!!"

:toast:

... and it didn't bother me in the least. (In fact the guy was getting cheered for it.) But considering the event, I'd said it was appropriate.

Despite the prevalence of the "F-word" in society, I'm still not sure I would wear it one in a public setting where all types of people might be gathered.

Heck, I have a t-shirt that says "Doing my part to piss off the religious right" and I would be hesitant to wear it out in public unless I really, REALLY want to make a statement and/or get in someone's face.

and it was forced out of the stores.

FCUK. About the only time that the fundies actually found that they could read. Of course, it would only be blatantly offensive to the dyslexic . . .

The airline was in the right here, for the moron (and face it, the woman is a self-aggrandizing moron) violated the regulations.

You choose to use a service, you abide by the rules.

It ain't "free speech" or any of that other bogus crap.

I defy this idiot to try and sue the airline.

Every line of fine print?
I understand what you're getting at, but I think calling her "a self-aggrandizing moron" is just a tad harsh.

There is certainly a credible argument to be made the in this particular situation the rights of the passengers and employees outweigh the right of the passenger to free expression, but there is a free speech issue here, and there is an equally credible argument that profanity on a shirt does not place an undue burden on others.

Where is the line to a passengers right to free expression and free speech. What if the t-shirt didn't have profanity on it but said

"I'm going to blow up Southwest Flight Number 657 and kill everyone on board, and nobody can stop me because i'm wearing this t-shirt"

Would that fit into the person's right of free expression? Free speech has repeatedly been shown to have limits whether that expression is shouting 'fire' in a theater, forced school prayer, or public obscenity. People have a right to free speech, but it's consistently been shown that it is within reason.

The shirt had an american flag on it and 4 indians on the fight were offended by it and what if some one was wearing a Newport shirt and all the people who smoke Cools were offended by it and also the non smokers
What if there were a bunch of FR wing nuts on a plane and were offended by a DU shirt.
So yea lets make sure free speech has some limits to it :)
+ i don't think having fuck on her shirt is as bad as shouting fire or saying I'm going to blow up this plane by your way of of explaining it the word should only be limited if a person was wearing a shirt that Said
"Don't fuck that Guy/Girl over there they have Crabs"
and that would only happen if they were at an orgy.
( then again why would they be wearing a shirt at an orgy )

Basically what it comes down to is whether or not you feel that the word Fuck is profane (and to what extent) and whether wearing profanity places a burden on the rights of others. Is being exposed to profanity a violation of the rights of the passengers and crew. If so, then you can argue that in balance, the rights of the passengers outweigh the rights of the shirt wearer.

As far as the shirt about blowing up planes, I think that falls pretty clearly under the fire in a crowded theater example, which is very different than profanity. In those cases the burden on others is obvious and concrete. The shirt or yell of fire could incite panic which would likely cause injuries.

I guess nv stands for "not very"

in big crowds that much so I never have..but I was buying into the big thread, yesterday, when a lot said it was an obscenity issue not a political issue.

I read she was given the option of hiding it and she refused. And because she did all kinds of publicity has ensued..is that a bad thing?

Lenny bruce did die in vain :(
All words are dirty we know the meening behind flockers is suposed to be fuckers so what makes it less dirty the spelling so we can pat the poor innocent little kids and say its ok we will protect you from getting any older.
Make shure every one that doesn't like it Plz use white meet and dark next time your talking about chicken or turkey parts then maybe the little innocent children will want to learn about sex or something if the heard breast or thigh.

that looks sort of like the "Coverse" logo, but says Conservative and instead of a star, has a guy with his head planted up his butt.

It's somewhat more subtle, but still causes a minor stir. I also am aware of where I wear it and where I choose not to.

Back to the topic, that woman should have known better than to wear that shirt on a plane.

because of the religious right wing christian bumperstickers on their cars. before his time. only because he had learned ot read

not to mention the tabloids at the check out stand. hm

right. Her shirt had language on it not suitable for children.

While I agree with the t-shirt's message, it was inappropriate for where she was wearing it (and I posit she even knew that), and I think this woman is "acting like Bush", trying to pass the buck of responsibility.

It was the "I'm Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?" one. I was told to put tape over the hell word. I did so and when the tape fell off after going on some rides, I was again told to put tape on.

I have a co-worker who wears about 4 or 5 different "fuck" shirts. They are all black with simple white lettering on the front, Fuck Religion, Fuck Bush etc. When he last flew he was asked to change his shirt, he was wearing the Fuck Religion one, or cover it up.

What does the above mean? Nothing it's all anecdotal bullshit.

at the local mall

a freeper family, with a 12-14 year old girl wearing a shirt that said "dont FUCK with the US". And the F word was in letters several inches high - the largest word on the shirt.
Mall security refused to do anything.

So they can stomp around with that self affirming sense of righteous indignation. The shirt said "Meet the Fuckers". Big Fucking Deal!

It IS a speech issue. I've seen that "SILLY FAGGOTS..." shirt in MALLS, in SUPERMARKETS and SCHOOLS, so the "MEET THE FUCKERS" shirt is fair play. Spencer's Gifts says it's one of their best sellers, and I say GREAT, FUCKING GREAT.

I'm sorry but as long as "R" rated films containing soft core pornography and 50+ uses of the word FUCK make $300 million bucks in the US alone, I'd say anyone objecting to that shirt outside of a church or a high school needed to have Sherman set the WAYBACK machine to 2005, because they sure as fuck aren't living in the present.

n/t

the mall is private property, as is an airplane. The owners of both have the right to allow t-shirts that they see fit on them.