Posted on 08/30/2006 5:10:08 AM PDT by sonsofliberty2000
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Iraqi architect on Tuesday said he was forced to change his t-shirt before boarding a flight in New York because the shirt had "We will not be silent" written on it in Arabic and English. ADVERTISEMENT
Raed Jarrar wrote on his Internet blog (http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com) that he was required to change out of the shirt prior to boarding a JetBlue flight from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport to California this month because officials told him people were offended by the shirt.
In an interview with New York Public Radio on Tuesday, Jarrar said, "I grew up and spent all my life living under authoritarian regimes and I know that these things happen. But I'm shocked that they happened to me here, in the U.S."
Jarrar could not immediately be reached for comment.
JetBlue said it was investigating the August 12 incident.
"We're not clear exactly what happened," JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin said.
The American-Arab Anti-discrimination Committee said the U.S. Transportation Department and the Transportation Security Administration were also investigating the incident after the committee lodged complaints on behalf of Jarrar.
I am calling BS.
Not on your post, but on his blog ramble.
There is NO WAY the federales told Raed "people here in the US don't understand these things about constitutional rights".
Somebody shoot the SOB!
I am offended that this happened. Go back and read my previous posts if you must to ensure that I'm not a Lib or a Troll, but I think this guy got unnecessarily pissed on.
Secondary search "for the first time" in his life ??!!
My blue-eyed blonde Boston bred wife has been searched multiple times, as have my equally blond teenage sons. If this guy isn't shaken down EVERY SINGLE TIME he approaches an airport something is seriously wrong with the whole process.
I'm seeing a trend here of muslims "getting up in our face" now. Purposely trying to push our buttons so they can squawk they are being discriminated against - sort of like the gay activists when they say "we're here, we're queer & we're in your face!".
These people are instinctively genius at manipulating the media - but I think a lot of people are starting to catch on now.
We need the Israeli screening process for the flying public. Their planes are safe, ours are not necessarily.
This hezbo wannabe doesn't understand why a t-shirt sporting a message of defiance with arabic script might cause concern on an airplane. From his incoherent essay about his little vacation through jihadistan, it is apparent that a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
"Somebody shoot the SOB!"
Shootin's too good for him. A horrible waste of ammunition. Better off feeding him head-cheese.
I don't think it was the meaning of the shirt that got him in trouble - it was the arabic writing that no one knew what it meant. He was daring us to stop him - daring people on the flight to be scared of him. This is their new plan - keep us on edge & freaked out - so that WE look like paranoid idiots.
It's a media war.
Well...this time it worked.
Yeah, I know.
Oh, and while you're on the plane -- don't reach down to tie your shoelaces!
Have a nice trip.
The message is one of defiance, and it is presented in both English and Arabic. Wear the tshirt to an anti-American flag-burning rally, but don't wear it when you are traveling on an airplane.
They should have just shot this asshole and been done with it.
The grammar in this sentence should be sufficient to start deportation hearings.
It all depends on WHO asked him to remove the shirt. If it was the airline - they have every right to ask their passengers to do whatever they want. The airline is a private company - not the United States government. If the airline insists that all their passengers have to wear orange tutus - so be it. The customers have the right to fly on another airline if they don't like it.
Correct.
The airlines have a right to keep you from making everyone else on the plane uncomfortable or nervous.
We already know what happens when you get very nervous people on airplanes, such as those that need to be on their medication, but aren't for some reason.
"I got some cheese and grapes with some orange juice and I went back to Gate 16 and sat down in the boarding area enjoying my breakfast and some sunshine."
HUH?
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