A former Marine who wasn't allowed into an amusement park because he was wearing a shirt with a red, white and blue rifle pictured on it has been given an apology.
Mario Alejandro, who served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, received a phone call from Six Flags Great Adventure President John Fitzgerald on Saturday apologizing, and he accepted, NJ.com reported
Alejandro, a father of three from Woodbridge, said he went to the park with his family on Aug. 9 wearing the shirt, which was a Father's Day gift and was bought from a nonprofit that supports Marines. He said a security guard told him the shirt, which included the phrase "Keep calm and return fire," was offensive and he had to change it or cover it if he wanted to go into the park, located in Jackson.
"I told them (that it's) not offensive, that it's a military shirt and that it means something," Alejandro said. "But they said, 'I don't care. Get out of the park.'"
A spokeswoman for the park, whose rides include the Nitro and Runaway Mine Train roller coasters, said it didn't realize Alejandro's shirt was related to a military charity, The Reconnaissance Foundation.
"Six Flags takes great pride in the various ways we honor, celebrate and support our military heroes," spokeswoman Kristin B. Siebeneicher said by email Monday.
Thats dumb.
Since when is a picture of a gun and a saying threatening or offensive? Did he have a gun on him? No. Then its nothing to worry about. Now if he had a gun i'd probably be a little worried.
Its almost as bad as suspending kids because he drew a picture of a gun...because a picture can do so much harm to someone. lol
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
Yes. It's nice to have level-headed people.
Oh gosh. I think I remember that tattoo story.
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
Yes. It's nice to have level-headed people.
Oh gosh. I think I remember that tattoo story.
The one with Tinkerbell getting off with a lightswitch? Yeah...I wasn't on that lady's side at all. emotion_facepalm
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
Yes. It's nice to have level-headed people.
Oh gosh. I think I remember that tattoo story.
The one with Tinkerbell getting off with a lightswitch? Yeah...I wasn't on that lady's side at all. emotion_facepalm
She was, to put it nicely, not situationally-oriented.
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
Yes. It's nice to have level-headed people.
Oh gosh. I think I remember that tattoo story.
The one with Tinkerbell getting off with a lightswitch? Yeah...I wasn't on that lady's side at all. emotion_facepalm
She was, to put it nicely, not situationally-oriented.
Oh god, I remember that story. Didn't she try to claim freedom of expression or something, and said they were discriminating?
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
Yes. It's nice to have level-headed people.
Oh gosh. I think I remember that tattoo story.
The one with Tinkerbell getting off with a lightswitch? Yeah...I wasn't on that lady's side at all. emotion_facepalm
She was, to put it nicely, not situationally-oriented.
Oh god, I remember that story. Didn't she try to claim freedom of expression or something, and said they were discriminating?
The park can set its own dress code: it doesn't violate the 1st Amendment because it isn't run by the gov. That said, yeah, the shirt could be offensive to some. It has a picture of a gun and encourages it to be fired when you are shot at, in short, it says to shoot a gun. I doubt that is a bit some (not all) parents might object to. It's good that the guy wasn't an a** about it and accepted the president's apology. Good on him for not blowing this out of proportion like that Tinkerbell tattoo lady... emotion_facepalm
I had not even heard about the Tinkerbell story.
Googled and found an article that I think includes the one you are referring to.
I can see where naked Tinkerbell masturbating on a light switch and sporting an 'O' face could be considered not exactly kid friendly.
As a drawing, it is somewhat amusing. As a permanent tattoo on my leg - well yeah, you kind of expect some folks to not be cool with it. Especially at places aimed at kids like Legoland. http://themeparkuniversity.com/editorial/clothing-can-get-kicked-theme-park/
Usually these "Keep Calm and... something" are meant as tongue-in-cheek. So I don't think this was particularly offensive... unlike the Tinkerbell tattoo, which was intentionally provocative and in an inappropriate context xD
That's completely within the right of the amusement park. I wouldn't want a gun-loving yank in my amusement park, where there's probably also plenty of young kids.
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