[jim35]

"...Do you believe that it is appropriate behavior to discuss your religious beliefs with perfect strangers, at any time, in any place?..."

Just what is it about religious speech that frightens people so much? That makes them so uncomfortable? If he'd started talking about his house, or his furniture, would that have been prohibited also? After all, it doesn't fall under the category of "accepted pilot speech" either. I'm amazed that Freepers, of all people, can't see the secularist movement to eliminate free religious expression from the public dialogue, or you even openly advocate it. Sure, the company can prevent your religious speech to a degree if you're an employee, but the fact that you're on board with this loss of a basic freedom is quite disturbing. "Any time any place...?" I hope when your particular type of speech is squelched, that you take it this well. And you, modernman, now espouse the belief that ANY person should keep mum about religion, except at some particular time or place. So who decideds what time or place? Business? Governmental speech police? The ACLU?

"...What about those passengers on the flight who might be bothered by a Christian message?..."

There is a simple matter of right vs wrong. Just because both would be a type of religious speech, doesn't mean that they are equal. Muslims are at war with America, Christians are not. The difference is easy to see. Any religious speech in public that is not the utterances of our blood enemies is acceptable. Before 9/11, it would have been ok for muslims, too. But now we're at war. Remember? You seem to be in the camp of those who believe that their right not to be offended supercedes the right of others to speak freely. This is a very dangerous precedent.

"...I'm not against what this guy said, I'm against the context in which he said it..."

Sure, sure. That's what they always say when they take away your right to speak out. The reasonable voice of the judge of all men will soothe your fears, until it's your ox that's being gored.

[Modernman]

Just what is it about religious speech that frightens people so much?

It's not religious speech, it's the context in which it was used. Nobody is frightened by religious speech on a street, in a church, in a bar, in people's homes, on TV etc. However, when a pilot starts talking about religion as he is ready to fly the plane, it is unusual. Many people have a fear of flying, especially since 9/11. Anything unusual coming out of the cockpit is bound to make people nervous.

If he'd started talking about his house, or his furniture, would that have been prohibited also? After all, it doesn't fall under the category of "accepted pilot speech" either.

If the pilot had started talking about random things that were unrelated to his job of flying the plane, I would have gotten very nervous about that, too, becuase such speech would have been unusual, given the context.

Sure, the company can prevent your religious speech to a degree if you're an employee, but the fact that you're on board with this loss of a basic freedom is quite disturbing.

You have very few constitutional rights when on someone else's property- if you're in my living room, you have no right to free speech or religion. You have no right to bear arms.

So who decideds what time or place? Business? Governmental speech police? The ACLU?

When you're on a private person's property, they get to decide what the appropriate time or place is for yo to exercise your rights.

Any religious speech in public that is not the utterances of our blood enemies is acceptable.

A privately owned airplane is not a public forum, any more than your car is a public forum. Any more than FR is a public forum. Or, do you believe that Jim Robinson has no right to set rules as to what people can and cannot say here?

You seem to be in the camp of those who believe that their right not to be offended supercedes the right of others to speak freely.

Actually, a private company is free to decide which is more important: the right of its customers to not be offended or the right of its employees to say whatever they want. If American decides the right of its customers not to be offended is less important, that's American's choice.

Sure, sure. That's what they always say when they take away your right to speak out.

So, you're a 1st Amendment absolutist then? Anyone can say whatever they want, whenever they want it and nobody, not even a private entity, can limit that right? Are you in favor of flag burning, too?