sick little jag

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- A couple returning home from a Costa Rican vacation was ejected from an American Airlines flight because the man was wearing a T-shirt depicting a bare breast.

Oscar Arela and his girlfriend were removed from Flight 952 on Saturday after he refused to change the shirt or turn it inside out at Miami International Airport.

The couple, who were making a connecting flight, said nobody on their earlier flight objected to the shirt and claimed the airline violated their constitutional right to free speech.

"It's a picture of a man and woman, and the woman's breast is showing," said his girlfriend, Tala Tow. "The flight attendant basically walked up to us and yelled, 'You have to take off that shirt right now."'

American spokesman Tim Wagner said Sunday that crew members acted properly, and said the shirt was more graphic than the couple described. The airline gave them a refund, he said.

Wagner noted on American's Web site the policy clearly states that someone who is "clothed in a manner that would cause discomfort or offense to other passengers" can be removed from a flight.


Article from CNN.


--

I think this is kind of ridiculous, especially if they weren't spoken to about the shirt prior to arriving in the Miami airport. The guy probably should've just put the shirt inside out and avoided this whole trouble, but who knows. The airline is saying it's more "graphic" than the couple are describing it to be, but with some people you never know what their definition of graphic is. I'm probably talking myself out of feeling righteous idignation on behalf of the couple because um...yeah, it occurs to me that the airline is a business and has the right to refuse service I guess, but it seems a bit extreme to me. If you can get kicked off a plane for wearing a shirt that depicts bare breasts, why can't you get kicked off of for other things that are a of a little more levity?

Ok. I'm back to thinking that this is ridiculous again.

alli balli

I think its stupid. Its stupid that the airline wanted to kick him off, and its stupid that he wouldn't just turn the damn thing inside out. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

mh67511

If that was me I would have just turned my shirt inside out and saved myself the trouble. Some people are just so stubborn.

MalloryKeaton

That's gross. The guy was wrong for wearing a t-shirt like that. To think they even make those types of shirts--sick.

Drekkan

What happens when they decide something you like is "sick" and has to be censored. That shirt shows a naked person. Who hasn't seen a naked person? I see one in the mirror when I wake up. Being in Europe, I'll see several more in advertising. I'd see them in the US too, just in skimpy bikinis, and really, what's the difference between nude and a little strip of fabric?

David by Michealangelo is naked, so are a lot of renaissance and classical statues. Why? Because unlike us they didn't hvae this strange fetish with a nude body. A body doesn't have to be something sexual. If you think it does (like the poster above) you're obviously rather sick, and should probably get some help for your addiction to sex.

silver lining

Yeah ok the guy could have saved himself a lot of touble by turning the T-Shirt inside out but this story sounds ridiculous. A naked breast? Where's the harm in that? Madness

MalloryKeaton

You're making some very harsh accusations there. I'm not addicted to sex. You have no right to say that. You don't know me. I was simply stating my opinion, that the t-shirt was in poor taste. There is something to be said for modesty. That doesn't make me sick. I've never done anything to you so why are you lashing out at me? For the recond, I'm not the one who needs help.

JediBlastoise

oh wow. a breast. big whoop.

TheAngel

To be honest I'm glad they made him take it off. If I had a young child 4, 5, 6, somewhere in that range, I don't want them exposed to nudity that I am unable to control. On TV, I can change the channel, in a book I can turn the page, on a T-shirt, I can't exactly do anything. In my opinion that would be like a woman walking through the airport with a breast exposed. There are many young children as well as other people that the t-shirt might offend.

migamoo

he should have been able to keep the shirt on. or they at least could have asked him differently.

mh67511

He did have that option; he could have turned the shirt inside out.

Uh Blah

What if I wanted to "read" a Playboy magazine on the plane? Would they make me put it away?

Subject

I agree. They said it was a picture of a man and woman. No one said if the pose this characters were in was of a sexual nature or not. The airline stated that it was more graphic then they said, so I choose to think that it was of a sexual nature. Of course the majority still rules. If more people on the flight that they were kicked off found the shirt to be offense then I have no problem with them being ordered to change the shirt or get off the plane.

elisheva

I saw an article about this today; as i recall it said the shirt showed "a man and a woman engaging in a sex act".

Frankly, I think these shirts are rather stupid and tasteless. That doesn't necessarily mean they should've kicked him off, though. Not sure where I stand on that. Either way, he should've just changed or turned his shirt inside out, this caused delays for a lot of other people and that's just inconsiderate and childish

pacifierrocks

You have got to be kidding me!!! A whole boob!!! My goodness they should have just shot the man. I think both parties are being stupid. The man for not just changing his shirt, and the airline for making a big deal over nothing. it wasn't a big deal on the other airplane.