Joe Levi:
a cross-discipline, multi-dimensional problem solver who thinks outside the box – but within reality™

Shirt with Gun printed on it Posed "Security Threat"

File this under "we’re not making this up!"

A man wearing a T-shirt depicting a cartoon character holding a gun was stopped from boarding a flight by the security at Heathrow’s Terminal 5.(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7431640.stm)

Okay, I can see being suspicious about someone if they have a picture or phrase depicting a violent or offensive act, but honestly. If I had a Glock t-shirt on that shouldn’t be considered offensive. If I had a picture of a person, neck in a noose, hanging from a tree that said "one less (insert racial category here) to worry about," then yes, that would be offensive/inappropriate.

image The wearer, one Mister Brad Jayakody said "It’s a cartoon robot – what threat is it to security or offensive to anyone at all?"

Yes, that’s right. It was a picture of what looks to be Optimus Prime from the Transformers. Was he fighting Megatron? No, he was just standing there, weapon in hand. That’s it.

A BAA spokesman said there was no record of the incident and no "formal complaint" had been made.  "If a T-shirt had a rude word or a bomb on it, for example, a passenger may be asked to remove it," he said. "We are investigating what happened to see if it came under this category. If it’s offensive, we don’t want other passengers upset."

If I were them, I’d be more worried about pissing off a 40-foot alien robot that can camouflage itself as a vehicle.

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1 Response

  1. Ron Jones says:

    When it comes to the hiring of TSA employees (and their British counterparts), then this story should come as no great surprise.

    Though I’ve never flown in or out of Heathrow, I can’t be certain; but I’d be willing to bet you a dollar that they (the Brits) are in a boat very similar to our own.

    Remember when “federalizing” airport security into the TSA was supposed to make it all better?

    Now, we’ve got an agency who hires the virtually unemployable, gives them the power to detain and incarcerate travelers on a whim, and leaves ‘we the people’ no recourse.

    The Joke, it seems, is on us. And it’s almost too funny for words.

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