Man threatened with arrest at Heathrow for wearing Transformers T-shirt

snavej · Post by **snavej** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:33 pm

From the (London, UK) Evening Standard website (Last updated at 13:04pm on 02.06.08):

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/arti ... article.do

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:55 pm

thats pretty rediculous heathrow hasnt been doing to well lately has it?

if i read the daily mail id make a comment on political correctness lol

martyboy70 · Post by **martyboy70** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:32 pm

Im more outraged at the fact he thinks its Megatron on his shirt as opposed to OP.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:03 pm

The London Evening Standard's not technically a newspaper, now, is it?

burnitall · Post by **burnitall** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:24 pm

Wow. That's f***ing stupid.

martyboy70 · Post by **martyboy70** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:53 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:The London Evening Standard's not technically a newspaper, now, is it?

Well i also read it in either todays Sun or Star.......Oh wait.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:55 pm

if there are 2 things i hate its the sun and the star

Neuronutter · Post by **Neuronutter** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:52 am

electro girl wrote:if there are 2 things i hate its the sun and the star

And the daily mail.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:22 pm

Ah, consider the use of the word 'offensive'.

On the one hand, there may indeed be some utter ****wit who believes that a gun of any kind, even one printed on a T-shirt, can be construed as an offensive weapon that might just injure someone. There are rules against guns, you know...

On the other hand, the Great British Thought Police may been involved, deeming the T-shirt offensive to everyone out there who hates Transformers - or, possibly in this case, any Decepticons who might be in the vicinity. Which begs the question: are any pictures and/or slogans on T-shirts to be considered offensive to someone, even if no one has been offended? Will T-shirts in the future only be permitted if plain? What about logos on trousers, jackets, bags etc.

This would appear to be a real case; it has been widely reported and the police are now wondering what the fizz to say beyond PC (how appropriate!) burbles:
http://theopinionator.typepad.com/my_we ... en-sm.html

PS. Anyone who thinks OP is Megs is probably just wearing the shirt because they've seen the film and the label is cool.

Springer007 · Post by **Springer007** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:31 pm

Here is something even more ridiculous passed by politicians in one U.S. city:

"Ohio City OKs Jail Time for Failing to Mow Lawn

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

CANTON, Ohio — Homeowners who don't mow their grass in this northeast Ohio city now face stiffer penalties — including possible jail time.

The city council unanimously passed a law Monday that makes a second high-grass violation a fourth-degree misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $250 and as many as 30 days in jail.

The previous law only made the first violation a minor misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $150 but no jail time. The new law is to take effect in 30 days.

"This is the type of action we need to take in order to clean up our neighborhoods and our city," Mayor William J. Healy II said.

The laws are an effort to reduce the roughly $250,000 the city spends to cut about 2,000 private lots each year and to address public complaints, Councilman Greg Hawk has said."

This ridiculousness when it comes to little things has to end because it just is a huge burden on the taxpayers wherever to uphold things. On the same note, I can sometimes understand the offensive material rule, but whomever needs to be more specific on what the definition of "is" is. If everything is offensive, then it's time to replace the law makers, managers, etc. who make up these ludicrous, and very burdening demands on the general populace because it'll just cost people in the long run and cause aggressive behavior in neighbors and public servants.

rattrap23 · Post by **rattrap23** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 3:17 pm

This is to much, how sanitised can the world get when optimus prime on a t shirt is offensive?

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:13 pm

When a people constantly and consistantly demand that their government do everything, they don't have the right to bitch when it actually does. This is the curse of the nanny state.

wolfbolt86 · Post by **wolfbolt86** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:39 pm

Seems outrageous, and the one about the flag is outside the insanity limits even for PC.

For the people with kids, would the schools allow that shrit, or would they just do as the airport did.

Some of the things that are done in the name of PC is just right out bull.
I've read Tom Sawyer, and found nothing bad that can be a cause for the book being band. Does it seem that the PC crowd is trying to white wash histoy inorder not to offend people.

Springer007 · Post by **Springer007** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:20 pm

It's Orwellian, Bradbury, and many, many other author's full of views that basically come to the same intersection. We were warned decades ago, but as stated, if we allow ourselves to be ruled by our governments, instead of it being the common man and woman to rule (like it was intended), then this is what we get. It's sad, very very sad. I know here that shirt might be borderline, but there is not much they can do here, unless they went after the producer of said shirt. Then if they did, that would be even scarier.

wolfbolt86 wrote:Seems outrageous, and the one about the flag is outside the insanity limits even for PC.

For the people with kids, would the schools allow that shrit, or would they just do as the airport did.

Some of the things that are done in the name of PC is just right out bull.
I've read Tom Sawyer, and found nothing bad that can be a cause for the book being band. Does it seem that the PC crowd is trying to white wash histoy inorder not to offend people.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 7:55 pm

Having read the article (I'd read something about it on a different site; didn't someone else post a different link and it went in the server change), that's typical tab reporting in there... The first few lines are about him being threatened with arrest; the next bunch are about him being pretty politely asked to change his shirt and complying with minimum fuss; the end there being no sign he actually complained.

General analysis: mate told him he'd make a few quid phoning it in when the story was relayed later, tart it up with a bit of outrage and you have the standard cookie-cutter broadloid "Society has officially gone to shit" quasi-outrage.

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:14 pm

Cliffjumper wrote:General analysis: mate told him he'd make a few quid phoning it in when the story was relayed later, tart it up with a bit of outrage and you have the standard cookie-cutter broadloid "Society has officially gone to shit" quasi-outrage.

the result is that this kinda stuff just becomes ammo for tories

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:20 pm

electro girl wrote:the result is that this kinda stuff just becomes ammo for tories

Why would they bother resorting to using dross like this?

electro girl · Post by **electro girl** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:26 pm

cos its one more thing in their whole 'vote us in cos britain has gone down the crapper' thing they've got going on

Jaynz · Post by **Jaynz** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 9:07 pm

Well, they're right... :P

I mean, who would have thought Britons would WANT to be ruled out of Belgium, after all? :P

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:27 pm

TFVanguard wrote:Well, they're right... :P

I mean, who would have thought Britons would WANT to be ruled out of Belgium, after all? :P

Oh! Oh! I know the answer to that one! Politicians who want to be MEPs!