New Jersey

SpankMe

(3,838 posts)

39. It's not a question of enforcing a long-standing policy

Mon Jul 13, 2026, 12:08 PM

Monday

Rather, it's a question of degree. The point of the gripe here is...what constitutes "not properly clothed, or...clothing [that is] is lewd, obscene or offensive"? Why should a shirt protesting the bombing of children be offensive enough to threaten getting a guy bumped?

I fly Southwest a lot, and on one flight I saw a t-shirt with a picture of Mickey Mouse giving the middle finger. I also saw one years ago that said "I second that" with a sillouette of an AK-47 type rifle (a pro-second amendment shirt). In spite of the profane Mickey gesture and image of a gun, the airline didn't tell the passengers to hide or change their shirts.

So, it looks like the airline in this case is cloaking a political objection by justifying it with a vague policy.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

14 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

hlthe2b Tasmanian Devil Imalittleteapot duhneece Lokee11 BadgerMom enigmania AloeVera oberle LovelyStuff Permanut spudspud Farmer-Rick Haggard Celine

96 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

N.J. man says he was almost kicked off plane after flight attendant found shirt offensive [View all] mahatmakanejeeves Monday OP

Did his darker skin (visible in picture) RockCreek Monday #1

Hmmmm - let's guess. 3catwoman3 Monday #3

Or three guesses, first two don't count....🤔 littlemissmartypants Monday #6

Hmmm.... OldBaldy1701E 20 hrs ago #92

I'm not offended. badhair77 Monday #2

"How dare you prick my conscience... AloeVera Monday #4

Who supported bombing kids? yardwork Monday #12

The person "offended". AloeVera Monday #18

???? yardwork Monday #19

You are somehow conflating two very distinct policies. AloeVera Monday #30

There must be a more detailed article that is being referenced here. yardwork Monday #31

Since you believe a policy against offensive attire and one on endangering public safety are one and the same... AloeVera Monday #45

I appreciate your research into this. yardwork Monday #46

I appreciate your research into this. yardwork Monday #47

Lack of research is not the problem here. AloeVera Monday #51

It's not a question of enforcing a long-standing policy SpankMe Monday #39

We all know what the shirt refers to TBF Monday #68

Airlines treat flying as a privilege, not a right. yardwork Monday #69

lol - yes all of that is factual TBF Monday #70

I'm certainly not defending it. yardwork Monday #71

Wearing a shirt is not defacing property - TBF Monday #73

We all must kowtow to our corporate masters Farmer-Rick 20 hrs ago #93

If you want to fly on a commercial airline, yes. yardwork 20 hrs ago #94

What the heck United? One of your flight attendants found that offensive? Biophilic Monday #5

Welcome to the United States of Authoritarianism. littlemissmartypants Monday #8

Here's what I would have told the personnel he spoke with BaronChocula Monday #64

Any reference to bombing or bombs gets anyone kicked off planes, yardwork Monday #7

My thought exactly. And good morning. NT mahatmakanejeeves Monday #9

Good morning! yardwork Monday #10

Maybe she should have explained that policy whathehell Monday #16

Sounds like she did. yardwork Monday #17

As the passenger said, whathehell Monday #41

According to the article, that's exactly what happened. yardwork Monday #42

"joked about a bomb" ... VERY DAMNED DIFFERENT. Again CONTEXT matters. hlthe2b Monday #50

I read your report of the article whathehell Monday #52

You might be responding to the wrong post? yardwork Monday #54

You are correct whathehell Monday #58

No worries at all. yardwork Monday #61

Good.. whathehell Monday #66

You are correct whathehell Monday #59

Again context matters for use of the word "bomb" hlthe2b Monday #49

Exactly.. whathehell Monday #56

Nice stretch there. AloeVera Monday #20

Context matters, yardwork. That is an incredible stretch. I like his lawyer's odds on this one. hlthe2b Monday #24

Really. yardwork Monday #27

Uggh huh. Threatening to remove him if he did not remove his shirt is a viable "harm" especially hlthe2b Monday #36

yeah- R0ckyRac00n Monday #55

Thanks for confirming what I suspected. ShazzieB Monday #67

The First Amendment is not relevant Cirsium Monday #83

THANK YOU Skittles Monday #81

It will be settled out of court. The Wizard Monday #11

Did he miss the flight? yardwork Monday #15

So their policy is if anyone of their staff is offended by your shirt, intheflow Monday #34

I think the DID understand what the shirt meant, Haggard Celine 18 hrs ago #96

You don't say the word "BOMB" in an airport or on a jet... nor should you make references to them. QueerDuck Monday #13

His subsequent actions tend to support that conclusion. yardwork Monday #14

Really...? displacedvermoter Monday #23

You. Don't. Say. BOMB. In. An. Airport. 💣️✈️ QueerDuck Monday #26

Ok displacedvermoter Monday #29

He didn't say it. AloeVera Monday #38

Blaming the flight attendant personally ignores the reality of the airline industry and how corporate liability works. QueerDuck Monday #72

The airline itself characterized it as a dress code violation, not a safety violation. AloeVera Monday #74

Passengers must obey flight crew instructions. He did. Then whined about it. End of story. QueerDuck Monday #75

So, using your own words, someone made a "subjective judgement" AloeVera Monday #78

As a legitimate backup to the threatening word of bomb. Yes. When it comes to flight crew the rule is simple.... QueerDuck Monday #79

I gave up to attend to my whiplash. AloeVera 19 hrs ago #95

I want that shirt to wear to protests, Bayard Monday #21

This is the ridiculous side of those who want to make everything antisemitic and there are those hlthe2b Monday #22

Who said this incident is antisemitic? yardwork Monday #28

I listed this as but one of several possibilities. Again, jumping to conclusions is problematic hlthe2b Monday #32

What similar incidents? yardwork Monday #35

If she found that offensive then she must find 'Bombing kids is self defense' acceptable ToxMarz Monday #25

Exactly! If his flight partner had a t-shirt with your slogan, which one would get kicked off? TheRickles Monday #77

A thought experiment relogic Monday #33

I find that to be extraordinarily unlikely. yardwork Monday #37

Please be specific relogic Monday #40

Your last sentence. yardwork Monday #43

So, then relogic Monday #53

Sure, the Trump administration is nuts and authoritarian. yardwork Monday #60

You underestimate relogic Monday #85

or maybe Skittles Monday #84

Hell, I want one! no_hypocrisy Monday #44

Just don't try to wear it on a plane! yardwork Monday #48

In related news Soul_of_Wit Monday #57

He'll win Joinfortmill Monday #62

He didn't mention any names. Why would one be upset?. twodogsbarking Monday #63

Me feelwings were hurt. I've seen shirts on planes WAY more "Hot Words" chouchou Monday #65

Irony... Both sides of the conflict could use the same meme/slogan on their propaganda. OC375 Monday #76

Would an idiot donning mAga attire get treated the same? BHDem53 Monday #80

Not likely... displacedvermoter Monday #82

In solidarity.... Dethhogan Monday #86

Selective reading by a not too bright airline person. Aussie105 Monday #87

I'm offended by that United flight attendant RainCaster Monday #88

Will United make the MAGAt change their shirt? Or take off their red hat? maspaha Monday #89

Gonna go out on a limb here and say air travel is not the place to fly your position flags high LearnedHand Monday #90

I'm giving the flight attendant a mulligan on this Ruby the Liberal 21 hrs ago #91