-
Welcome
to BookAndReader! We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!
Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.
The word "****" on a t-shirt - freedom of speech?
- Thread starter Motokid
- Start date
Libre
Member
I have no problem with the airline refusing to condone the offensive shirt. By the way, I happen to agree with the message of the shirt.
So, because we have freedom of speech, does that mean that EVERYTHING must be allowed? I'm excluding the fire in a movie theather example. That well known exception to freedom of speech is perfectly reasonable - it's a public safety issue as Peder pointed out. Also, you can be prosecuted or at least sued for slander. So let's exclude that from the discussion too.
Now, should someone be allowed to have ANYTHING written on a T-Shirt? How about DEATH TO ALL ***** (fill in the most offensive term for the race of your choice).
How about an image of Hitler, complete with swastikas? How about pornographic pictures? How about a picture of someone being murdered or tortured - even if the picture is an actor and the depiction is faked?
None of these really threaten public safety or slander any specific person. But I would not allow them if it were my airline, restaurant, or whatever.
No, I think lines have to be drawn. Who draws them? Thats a good question. The person in charge at the time. If that person makes the wrong call too often, you get someone else.
So, because we have freedom of speech, does that mean that EVERYTHING must be allowed? I'm excluding the fire in a movie theather example. That well known exception to freedom of speech is perfectly reasonable - it's a public safety issue as Peder pointed out. Also, you can be prosecuted or at least sued for slander. So let's exclude that from the discussion too.
Now, should someone be allowed to have ANYTHING written on a T-Shirt? How about DEATH TO ALL ***** (fill in the most offensive term for the race of your choice).
How about an image of Hitler, complete with swastikas? How about pornographic pictures? How about a picture of someone being murdered or tortured - even if the picture is an actor and the depiction is faked?
None of these really threaten public safety or slander any specific person. But I would not allow them if it were my airline, restaurant, or whatever.
No, I think lines have to be drawn. Who draws them? Thats a good question. The person in charge at the time. If that person makes the wrong call too often, you get someone else.
StillILearn
New Member
Motokid said:
Motokid said:
Jemima Aslana
New Member
Libre, while I agree with you that lines have to be drawn somewhere, what I noticed in this was that it was not the slander against the President they banned, it was specifically the word '****'. Now, as much as I disapprove of using that word in daily speech I must accept that it has become a part of normal everyday language for many people (perhaps even a majority?) so much so that movie titles can be puns relating to that word.
Your other examples of shirt prints: yes, I would accept them all, as such I really can't think of anything I wouldn't allow on a t-shirt. One of my friends has a print of a skinned rabbit on a shirt, looks macabre and horrid, but I really don't think there's any harm in it.
Generally/ @ topic
If it is only the word '****' they had a problem with they should be consistent and close the mouths of all those passengers who might have the audacity to use that word, plus they should put up a sign: No swearing allowed. Mainly I don't think it's fair of them to ban the word **** if they hadn't written that previously in the agreement every passenger 'signs' when buying a ticket. when I order a trip, I'd certainly like to know what I can and cannot wear, so this banning of a shirt without previous warning does not sound good to me.
It's against the rules to smoke on many airlines - if people smoke anyway, there's a reason to tell them to change their behaviour, I really doubt any airlines have a specific ban on the use of the word ****, so if they want to ban it they should do so in their rules. If the woman was not in any other way inciting riots or making trouble I see no reason to ban a silly t-shirt.
For some reason I sit here with the feeling that it was a grumpy old 'Mrs. Poulteney' who took offense and complained when she briefly saw the woman pass her in the aisle, but I could be wrong.
Your other examples of shirt prints: yes, I would accept them all, as such I really can't think of anything I wouldn't allow on a t-shirt. One of my friends has a print of a skinned rabbit on a shirt, looks macabre and horrid, but I really don't think there's any harm in it.
Generally/ @ topic
If it is only the word '****' they had a problem with they should be consistent and close the mouths of all those passengers who might have the audacity to use that word, plus they should put up a sign: No swearing allowed. Mainly I don't think it's fair of them to ban the word **** if they hadn't written that previously in the agreement every passenger 'signs' when buying a ticket. when I order a trip, I'd certainly like to know what I can and cannot wear, so this banning of a shirt without previous warning does not sound good to me.
It's against the rules to smoke on many airlines - if people smoke anyway, there's a reason to tell them to change their behaviour, I really doubt any airlines have a specific ban on the use of the word ****, so if they want to ban it they should do so in their rules. If the woman was not in any other way inciting riots or making trouble I see no reason to ban a silly t-shirt.
For some reason I sit here with the feeling that it was a grumpy old 'Mrs. Poulteney' who took offense and complained when she briefly saw the woman pass her in the aisle, but I could be wrong.
Geenh
New Member
I am a mother of a 15 year old so I understand about what children see and explanations, etc. I couldn't care less if the woman had that on her shirt. Buffering kids from '****' on a t-shirt and allowing them to see anything having to do with dead people, war, etc.... which would you choose? You can explain that t-shirt away with politics.
"Honey, sometimes there are people in the givernment who are nasty, mean, stupid, evil, etc....."
"Honey, sometimes there are people in the givernment who are nasty, mean, stupid, evil, etc....."
StillILearn
New Member
Geenh said:
I saw a truck with a bumper sticker on it that said "I (heart) GITMO" the other day. Should they be allowed to park in the airport's parking lot?
(I don't know why I picked on you to ask, Geenh!)
Peder
Well-Known Member
Cajunmama,cajunmama said:
Since the discussion is going in that direction, I'll offer the opinion that that sign is certainly the way it used to be. Nowadays however, in the US, I believe Federal Law governing companies that deal with the public at large, prohibits denying service to anyone on the basis of race, national origin, gender, probably religion, and possibly also gender preference. So if a business wishes to not deal with someone in one of those listed categories then they better have a good and different reason for not doing so. Or else they are up against a lawsuit --and maybe even one anyway. A real Federal Case, as we used to call it.
And if the airlaines receive Federal money, which I think they do, then they automatically have to follow Federal law.
But 4-letter words on T-shirts I'm pretty certain are not one of the listed categories, unless someone might bring a denial-of-civil-rights complaint, or a denial-of-equal-protection complaint.
And I'm not even a lawyer. Think of the number of reasons a good lawyer could think up!
Any lawyers here?
Cheers!
Peder
abecedarian
Well-Known Member
Hmm, I wonder what slogans Gremlins wear on THEIR t-shirts???
M
moonshot
Guest
The very cute Playboy logo represents a very large pornographic industry. The logo appears on young childrens clothes and other childrens fashion items. So children are walking advertisments for the Playboy industry, all be it subliminal advertising.
Isabell
Active Member
Speaking of the Vice Prez and the word "****" didn't he not too long ago say that exact word when he was being interviewed when he was visiting the Gulf region?
I say let her on the plane and they can deal with it....
Where can I get that T Shirt??
I have a T Shirt that says; "There's a Village in Texas that missings it's Idiot" AND a Bumper Sticker on my car that says "My Italian Greyhounds are smarter then George Bush" (It's my passive aggressive side of me)
(Now you all know were I stand on issues)
I say let her on the plane and they can deal with it....
Where can I get that T Shirt??
I have a T Shirt that says; "There's a Village in Texas that missings it's Idiot" AND a Bumper Sticker on my car that says "My Italian Greyhounds are smarter then George Bush" (It's my passive aggressive side of me)
(Now you all know were I stand on issues)