Qantas bars man wearing 'Bush' T-shirt

[c.Tech]

An Australian who lives in Britain has threatened legal action against Qantas for barring him from a Melbourne-to-London flight wearing a T-shirt depicting US President George W Bush as a terrorist.

Allen Jasson said he was defending freedom of speech through his insistence on wearing the T-shirt.

Mr Jasson, 55, an IT specialist living in London, is staying with his daughter in Melbourne after he was refused entry to the flight to London at Melbourne Airport on Friday.

Airline staff argued the T-shirt, which bears an image of the US president with the slogan 'World's number 1 terrorist', was a security risk or an item likely to upset passengers.

The airline earlier had prevented him from flying to Melbourne for Christmas with relatives on December 2 until he removed the shirt.

Domestic carrier Virgin Blue took the same action when Mr Jasson tried to catch a connecting flight to Adelaide, but on a return flight to Melbourne with Qantas on Friday, he successfully wore the shirt.

Mr Jasson said he cleared international security checks and arrived at the departure lounge in Melbourne for the flight home when he approached the gate manager, congratulated him over Qantas allowing him to wear the shirt and demanded an apology for his earlier treatment.

"I concede that I raised the issue, but I wanted primarily to thank Qantas for relenting when (the gate manager) told me: 'I'm surprised you got this far, the staff should have stopped you'," Mr Jasson said.

Mr Jasson said he risked missing his chance of permanent residency if he spent more than two months out of the UK.

But the Adelaide-born former Melbourne resident said he was seeking legal advice to challenge the airline's policy and recover costs.

"To be fair to Qantas, they have said I can take another flight if I don't wear the t-shirt but I am not prepared to go without the t-shirt," he said.

"I might forfeit the ($2,500) fare but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for the principle of free speech."

When asked whether the stand was worthwhile, Mr Jasson said: "In Australia today it is very sad that that question has to be asked.

"It's very sad that I find that question has to be asked in Australia. It's a very unhealthy situation and it makes me feel very sad.

"It's one of the reasons that I now live in the UK."

Reading from a prepared statement, a Qantas spokesman said: "Whether made verbally or on a t-shirt, comments with the potential to offend other customers or threaten the security of a Qantas group aircraft will not be tolerated".

God bless this man, standing up for his rights and freedom of speech which we know in the western world is slowly being torn from our grasp.

Now according to Qantas if you wear an anti-Bush shirt you're a terrorist threat.

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=178766

[Chopper]

What a joke..

You'd be more likely to stir up real tensions with real consequences if you wore a t-shirt proclaiming Osama as the world's #1 terrorist. Are we really so precious about the little man that one can't wear a t-shirt that says what one thinks about him??

"comments with the potential to offend other customers..... will not be tolerated"
So does that mean that you can't claim that airline food tastes like shit, on the off-chance that somebody within earshot may actually enjoy it, as unlikely as that may be.



Well, look at the turkeys in Sydney. No Australian flags at the big-day-out!! Are they fucking serious?? It would be one thing to say no flags of any kind, but to single out one in particular, the national one no less, is beyond a disgrace. If someone gets drunk and disorderly, you kick em out - you don't ban alcohol. Similarly if someone makes a cunt of themselves with the flag, show them the door. Simple as that.

Mind you, the problem stems from people being bashed last year for refusing to swear allegiance to the flag of the country. That shouldn't have happened, but what the fuck were the idiots that got bashed thinking when they refused?? You shouldn't get bashed walking down a dark alley alone at night either, but you're certainly not risking bumping into the tooth-fairy now, are ya?

The world has gone fucking mad. It's starting to seem like only those prepared to be unreasonable have any chance of getting what they want..
Lemme the fuck outta here..

[cyclosarin]

This reminds me of a case involving a student wearing a similar T shirt and idiots at the school trying to stop him:
http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/youth/11405prs20031001.html
Luckily he pushed his case and won.

[fiknet]

I just saw the Australian breakfast show 'Sunrise' interview the man in question. You could tell from the tone of the dickhead presenters that they were clearly pissed and tried to have a go at him saying that he was doing on purpose to create a situation and causing fear by reminding people of terrorism. He replied that it was his right to express himself and express a suppressed view and went into a few details about Iraq and such which then the presenters interrupted by saying oh lets not get into that political spin side of things ( funny how it's 'political spin' ).

A few people sent in agreeing with the presenters but gladly some other people agreed with the man saying it's his right to express himself and that Qantas were taking it too far.

[Hirudinea]

What good is fighting for freedom is you have to give up the freedom to be a asshole?

[festergrump]

Years ago, I bought an L7 "Smell the Magic" shirt (band T-shirt) just because it might be deemed offensive by many soccer mommies and "Ned Flanders" types. It depicted a rather slutty blonde in red latex thrusting a man's face into her crotch by a leather strap or whip around his head and under his ears... I wore that shirt everywhere I thought I might get a rise out of somebody. (The band was just alright, but the shirt was really pretty funny. I loved it and the reactions it would usually get).

Once I was wearing the shirt at a family resteraunt and on my way to the restroom almost bumped face first into a woman in her early sixties. She took a step back (shocked from almost a head on collision with me, I REALLY had to go!) then she noticed my shirt. She sized me up head to toe with an evil little grin. It was I who blushed and was shocked, not her! I felt..............icky....... After that, I never wore the shirt again. :o

My point: You might try to invoke a certain responce out of others by making an effort to offend, but you have to take the good with the bad when doing so.

In my case, the bad was enough for me to cease and desist. If the price of his airline ticket was worth it to him, so be it, but there is a time and a place for tomfoolery, and when it costs hard earned cash to shock and offend... nope, not me. Airplanes wouldn't be my first choice for making any kind of statement just for shock value.

If my statement is important enough to me I'll do more than wear a shirt. I'll get involved somehow where my presence or money can be better spent...

[ShadowMyGeekSpace]

Funny shirt, http://www.theweathermen.com/acatalog/l7_smell_music.jpg

But yeah, I'd be more angry if this guy gave in.

[c.Tech]

If you think that freedom rape is discussing you should read what this reporter is saying.

I won’t quote the whole think here because the article isn’t likely to get removed unlike articles that make the governments movements look bad (and they do delete them.)

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4661303/

The Best Ways to Beat Terror

Open societies will have to get used to some invasions of privacy. We need pre-emption but against individuals more than states

*SNIP*

Terrorism today doesn't need government backing because it is fueled by three broad forces: the openness of free societies, the easy access to technologies of violence and a radical, global ideology of hatred. It can be stopped only by responses at each level.

Western societies—and increasingly others as well—provide enormous freedoms to people living within them. Terrorists use these freedoms to hide. Now we have to find them. This means, as Tony Blair said last week, measures such as national identity cards and biometric identification systems. It also means much deeper cooperation between law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. People with known connections to terrorists should be picked up, at least for detailed questioning, if not detention. We need pre-emption, but of individuals more than of states.

Terrorists use freedoms? QUICK, we must ban these freedoms.

Prepare for the new western society where war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength.

[festergrump]

Prepare for the new western society where war is peace, freedom is slavery and ignorance is strength.

"Bother!" said Pooh as he chambered another round... :p (don't ask)

[Hirudinea]

My point: You might try to invoke a certain responce out of others by making an effort to offend, but you have to take the good with the bad when doing so.

In my case, the bad was enough for me to cease and desist. If the price of his airline ticket was worth it to him, so be it, but there is a time and a place for tomfoolery, and when it costs hard earned cash to shock and offend... nope, not me. Airplanes wouldn't be my first choice for making any kind of statement just for shock value.

I disagree, an airlines job is to provide for the saftey of their coustomers, not edit their clothing, so unless his shirt was made of 100% guncotton and he was sitting in the smoking section Quantas had no buisness kicking him off the flight.

[Alexires]

Hirudinea - I think festergrump was more pointing towards the fact that by wearing a t-shirt like that, you expect responses (normally negative) from people.

While doing that is well and good, doing it in a place where there is a fair chance that you stand to loose ALOT of money is just stupid. While making a point is important, if it costs you THOUSANDS of dollars to do so and possibly citizenship in a country that you want to move to (fuck knows why) why would you do it?

Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Still Quantas is in the wrong and a bunch of ass fuckers.

Look at that, niggers walking around Adelaide drinking bottles of booze and being as loud as fuck and swearing everywhere offend me, but I can't say anything because they are black and that would be "racist".

Fucking niggers.

[Hirudinea]

Hirudinea - I think festergrump was more pointing towards the fact that by wearing a t-shirt like that, you expect responses (normally negative) from people.

Yes people, people have the right to have feelings and opinions, not corporations, they are supposed to be emotionless autotomtons who just provide their services in exchange for money without judgement, you know like prostitutes. ;)

While doing that is well and good, doing it in a place where there is a fair chance that you stand to loose ALOT of money is just stupid. While making a point is important, if it costs you THOUSANDS of dollars to do so and possibly citizenship in a country that you want to move to (fuck knows why) why would you do it?


Which is my point, unless this fellows shirt was a manifest physical danger to the passangers on this flight then Quantis had no right to bounce him, regardless of what it said, its not their option to decide what a passangers clothing will say, or what it will be, as long as it confroms with the laws of the nation (eg. his dick ain't hanging out), imaging the outrage if some raghead bitch was told she couldn't wear her ugly sack on the plane, fucking outrage!

Look at that, niggers walking around Adelaide drinking bottles of booze and being as loud as fuck and swearing everywhere offend me, but I can't say anything because they are black and that would be "racist".

Fucking niggers.

Oh God tell me about, I live in the "Most Multicultural City in the World" (said in a mocking faggy tone), there's not enough ANFO in the world to fix this fucking place!

[atlas#11]

While I applaud the man for standing up for something, I find his timing to be horrible. The airlines are trying to maintain peace on the plane so no one starts a fight over it on the flight. Though the shirt is not that likely to arouse controversy, it's still in the airlines best interests to keep potentialy offensive things off of the plane. I doubt the airlines even like bush, after all, his media scare drove off alot of business.

Besides, Bush isnt a terrorist, he just works for them:D .

Edit: Don't get me wrong here, every inch we give up to the man is an inch we'll have to one day take back by fire. I'm all for free speech, but arguing about it with some redneck in coach on a plane over the medeteranian isn't going to help anyone. I respect his right to express his opinion, but if you go around wearing a shirt that says "Jesus was a kike" your probably not going to convert many christians.

[nbk2000]

Oh God tell me about, I live in the "Most Multicultural City in the World" (said in a mocking faggy tone), there's not enough ANFO in the world to fix this fucking place!

You must live in either San Francisco or Antwerp, right? :p

[sbovisjb1]

I personally think It might upset the stupid American tourists. The reason they are stupid is that a lady was on holiday in Tahiti (Or something of the sort) and she met an American couple. When she told them that she was from Australia, they exclaimed in surprise that she speeks English very well for an inhibitant. >.<

[nbk2000]

I can so totally see that happening. :D

[Hirudinea]

While I applaud the man for standing up for something, I find his timing to be horrible. The airlines are trying to maintain peace on the plane so no one starts a fight over it on the flight.

Then pray to God they never get a devout muslim man on a flight or they'll have to kick off all women not wearing burkhas.

Though the shirt is not that likely to arouse controversy, it's still in the airlines best interests to keep potentialy offensive things off of the plane.

Its the airlines buisness to carry paying passangers who abide by their rules to their destinations, and since I don't believe Quantas has advertised "We reserve the right to kick your ass off our planes if we don't like what your T-Shirt says", I believe Quantas has oversteped themselves.

Besides, Bush isnt a terrorist, he just works for them.

And funnier still I'm all for blowin' up sand niggers but I wanna keep my right to wear what I want when doing it. :cool:

Edit: Don't get me wrong here, every inch we give up to the man is an inch we'll have to one day take back by fire. I'm all for free speech, but arguing about it with some redneck in coach on a plane over the medeteranian isn't going to help anyone. I respect his right to express his opinion, but if you go around wearing a shirt that says "Jesus was a kike" your probably not going to convert many christians.

Well thats the whole slippery slope argument isn't it, if you say "We need Hate Speech Laws" well even if your speech isn't defined as hate speech to day whose to say it won't be redefined as hate tommorow? As unpleasent as they may be the irrational ravings of lunitic assholes are in fact the clairon calls of freedom and when they're silenced your next.

I live in the "Most Multicultural City in the World" (said in a mocking faggy tone),

You must live in either San Francisco or Antwerp, right?

Nah, we don't have the pot or the climate. :mad:

I personally think It might upset the stupid American tourists.

Well to paraphrase Ossama on Americans "Fuck'em"

The reason they are stupid is that a lady was on holiday in Tahiti (Or something of the sort) and she met an American couple. When she told them that she was from Australia, they exclaimed in surprise that she speeks English very well for an inhibitant. >.<

Don't worry, most Yankees are like that, if its not on within 2 blocks of their house, on Fox news or in USA Today (tabloid newspaper thingy) it might as well be on mars, the lady should have been happy the Americans didn't pat her on the head and feed her a hand full of raisins. :D

[anonymous411]

While I agree that freedom of speech is important, practically speaking, this guy is a complete dumbass. He's making it hard on himself for absolutely nothing. Bottom line: will his actions have the remotest chance of affecting policy? No. There's no sense in being a martyr for a trivial issue. Save your energies (and reputation capital) for problems that matter.

Furthermore, I believe private businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason whatsoever. If Qantas suddenly decided they wanted to limit their service to Asian men under 5'3" with a Southern accent who wear bow ties, it would be a-okay with me. In other words, vote with your wallet. Reward businesses who have sensible policies, and let the others see their profits go to hell.

[Nihilist]

While I agree that freedom of speech is important, practically speaking, this guy is a complete dumbass. He's making it hard on himself for absolutely nothing. Bottom line: will his actions have the remotest chance of affecting policy? No. There's no sense in being a martyr for a trivial issue. Save your energies (and reputation capital) for problems that matter.

He's standing up for an extremely important principle that he believes him. If that makes him a dumbass, then I can only aspire to be as much of a dumbass as this guy.



Furthermore, I believe private businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason whatsoever. If Qantas suddenly decided they wanted to limit their service to Asian men under 5'3" with a Southern accent who wear bow ties, it would be a-okay with me. In other words, vote with your wallet. Reward businesses who have sensible policies, and let the others see their profits go to hell.

It isn't an entirely private business. Airlines are heavily regulated and subsidized by the gov.

[anonymous411]

It is vitally important, but seeing as how you only get one life, you need to pick your battles. All I'm saying is don't waste yourself on something that's not going to make a difference. If you're a "direct action protest" kind of guy, then more power to you. I have no problem with that at all...I just hope act in a way that's going to get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.

Here are a few great quotes from William O. Douglas you might be able to use someday:

“As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there's a twilight where everything remains seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we must be aware of change in the air, however slight, lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.”

“The most important aspect of freedom of speech is freedom to learn. All education is a continuous dialogue - questions and answers that pursue every problem on the horizon. That is the essence of academic freedom.”

"Restriction on free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."

“The privacy and dignity of our citizens [are] being whittled away by sometimes imperceptible steps. Taken individually, each step may be of little consequence. But when viewed as a whole, there begins to emerge a society quite unlike any we have seen -- a society in which government may intrude into the secret regions of a [person's] life.”

“The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom.”

--William Orville Douglas.

[festergrump]

Airlines are heavily regulated and subsidized by the gov.

Wrong choice of words. Subsidize means "to furnish with financial aide". If this were the case, Delta would not be in the dire straights they have founds themselves to be in for so many years. Regulated by the government, yes, extremely... so long as it's to continue to scare the sheeple witless and keep them fearing an attack involving aeroplanes... (all for the better good of travel regulation. ie: tracking of every individual's movements).

Any privately owned business has the right to do refuse service to anyone they see fit. It is the bad press they will receive for doing so if the actions are deemed politically incorrect which keeps them from doing so.

It's easily side-stepped by simply calling the individual you are discriminating against a "threat"... which is exactly what this airline is doing.

Since 9-11 this is ever so easy to do.

Qantas' business will not suffer to even the least noticeable degree over this, I assure you. But the guy who got bumped from his flight did suffer to some measurable degree. He knew the battle he took on as he donned his shirt and set off to the airport, didn't he? If he didn't, he would have changed his shirt when prompted to do so. He was TRYING to make a statement, he did just that, he fought a battle he couldn't possibly win, and he lost. No surprise there.

If his lost battle wins over the hearts of sympathizers... this will need to be seen, and I even see parrallels between this and the Ed Brown/tax evasion case, but this is so much more dismissable IMHO. It's miniscule in comparison. I can't see him even getting his own wife to rally against the "oppressive" airline, let alone a small group of "supporters". [EDIT: Hmm... bad analogy, Fester. Poor Ed Brown couldn't get support from his wife, either! :( I'm sure you all get my meaning, though...]

It is vitally important, but seeing as how you only get one life, you need to pick your battles. All I'm saying is don't waste yourself on something that's not going to make a difference. If you're a "direct action protest" kind of guy, then more power to you. I have no problem with that at all...I just hope act in a way that's going to get the most bang for your buck, so to speak.

Most eloquently put, if I might say so, myself... :)

Reaction #1: If you choose your fight and lose... don't cry. Choose your fights more wisely next time, get a nice buttonup shirt for flying, and stuff the political statement in your checked luggage before you board. Simple.

Reaction #2: Lock yourself in your house armed to the teeth while sporting your Bush/terrorist shirt, invite many armed militia members over who share your views, start a blog referencing your actions and political stances, and dare the airline to "come get ya"! :rolleyes:

First Ammendment violation if this were inside the borders of the USA? Yes. Worth losing more than even the cost of the offending shirt? No.

@ any and all Americans: Never lose sight of the second Amendment to the US Constitution... it is this amendment that ensures all the others remain intact...

[Jacks Complete]

Surely the simple victory would be to wear a shirt over the T-shirt, then, about 3 minutes into the flight, remove overshirt and display message. If they get pissy, say you spilt something over your shirt, so you can't put it back on. What are they going to do? Arrest you on landing? That would be a far, far harder thing to do and then justify, especially if you simply ignored the steward.

Far more bang for the buck, and you even get to take your flight. The UK does have some crasy rules about flying, though. Cough too loudly and the bastards over here will charge you with something retarded. And that would scupper his citizenship. (Which, if you think Oz is bad, you haven't been over here very long!)