Oh, for pity's sake...
The BBC has yet another bit of coverage that has caught my eye.
Someone wearing a t-shirt saying "We will not be silent" in both English and Arabic was asked to remove it in an airport. He was told it was offensive, and that several passengers had complained about it.
I have a beautiful t-shirt that a friend of mine gave me. It also bears a slogan in both English and Arabic - dark blue with writing in white and gold within a gold border - "Stand with your friends, even in fire." I've worn it in the greater DC area post 2001, and never once have I been asked to remove it.
In the end, he changed to a different t-shirt. But he shouldn't have had to.
Someone wearing a t-shirt saying "We will not be silent" in both English and Arabic was asked to remove it in an airport. He was told it was offensive, and that several passengers had complained about it.
I have a beautiful t-shirt that a friend of mine gave me. It also bears a slogan in both English and Arabic - dark blue with writing in white and gold within a gold border - "Stand with your friends, even in fire." I've worn it in the greater DC area post 2001, and never once have I been asked to remove it.
In the end, he changed to a different t-shirt. But he shouldn't have had to.
posted by Plain Foolish | 8:46 AM
7 Comments:
An eye for an eye can make the whole world blind. We are becoming blinder and blinder as a society because we allow those among us who would demonize others to flourish. We need to stand up or stand in the gap for those who are mistrusted, misused and marginalized because they are not like us.
It might be my Anglo Irish prudity, I must say, I am rather against asking people to remove their clothes in public no matter what the message... besides, what if it reveles tattoos?! WHAT THEN!!!! Oh this silly old world, eh?
Apparantly, someone bought him a shirt in the airport, but I have to admit that if government agents decided to make me remove my shirt, I'd be sorely tempted to buy a lipstick and write on my belly "this view brought to you by paranoia."
But what do I know? I've been considering making and wearing bunny slippers through the airport next time I have to go.
I'd be sorely tempted to buy a lipstick and write on my belly "this view brought to you by paranoia."
I'll have to remember that one in case I ever get asked to remove something. I always carry a Sharpie. I didn't foresee using it for that particular purpose but, hey . . .
I would totally wear bunny slippers. And I would get some of those brightly-colored socks with individual toes to wear with them, just to draw as much attention as possible to the fact that we all have to take off our shoes.
I've got a month. Maybe pink and purple naalbound wool socks... with lime green embroidery... and matching ones for my husband.
No individual toes, though, unless I just do tabi style and separate out the big toe but not the little ones -- too thick. I'm thinking of maybe putting "Harm None" across the toes, though, like knucks.
I'd be sorely tempted to buy a lipstick and write on my belly "this view brought to you by paranoia."
thats a really good one.
Hi! Welcome. Thanks for dropping on in. I noticed on your blog that you're a country girl married to a city boy, and teaching him up. That is one way of describing my husband and I, as well.
Living just outside DC, we get to experience the national paranoia every day on our way to work. The public transit system has taken to announcing (on the trains, and even the busses) "public safety is everyone's responsibility. Please report..." Every time I hear that on the bus, I think what's the bus driver going to do? Turn into Rambo? I don't think so. Yeesh.
It was like when there was a sniper targeting the greater DC area. I stopped at a gas station to fill up the old car I sometimes drive, and the gas station owner asked me if I'd prefer to have one of his employees fill up the tank, so I could hide in the car. Well, first of all, the car isn't bulletproof. Secondly, why should some poor slob earning maybe half what I do take the risk? Not, as I thought about later, that the risk was that high to begin with. We were off a crowded side road that would have made getaway difficult at best.
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