Early in the pandemic David Harris, Jr. videotaped himself refusing to wear a mask on American Airlines and recommending viewers claim a medical exemption and handwaving about HIPAA, before major airlines eliminated medical exemptions (but were then required to bring them back by Biden administration mask mandates). He was banned from American Airlines.
Then he took to United Airlines in a promotional stunt for the MyPillow Guy, presumably joining a small and elite club of passengers banned by more than one airline just like racist Burger King.
This finally happened. #MAGA@DavidJHarrisJr pic.twitter.com/6yjeuctVis
— Jillian Anderson (@Jillie_Alexis) December 21, 2020
But since mask refuseniks were generally allowed back on airlines once mask rules were dropped (as long as they didn’t have other violations), David Harris, Jr. is back. He’s wearing a “ballot” shirt where he selects the “convicted felon” over Joe Biden and shows himself seated while passengers boarding a plane file past him.
What was the point of this? pic.twitter.com/qBZejF2M2K
— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) June 8, 2024
Frankly, he should be banned from an airline again having nothing whatsoever to do with his preferred candidate. He’s bringing politics into a metal tube that’s about to be sealed, trapping everyone – from different backgrounds and beliefs – inside. This can only serve to provoke. In fact, the reason for wearing the shirt is to provoke.
Airlines frequently enforce a dress code, and do so unevenly. The F-word on clothing is sometimes impermissible while other times the word gets a passenger kicked off the plane, and the airline says they were wrong to do so. And other times the standards for showing too much skin are enforced in unusual ways.
A simple ‘no politics’ rule would have been a great way to handle it when passengers projected “Trump 2020” onto the ceiling of an American Airlines flight to D.C. for January 6th. Instead, American stopped serving alcohol.
Right after the 2016 election, a United pilot announced that passengers had to leave politics off the plane and the whole cabin cheered.
I did not support Trump in 2016, or in 2020, and I do not support him today. However the ‘convicted felon’ notion is bizarre. A Stormy Daniels payoff could not have been a concealed campaign contribution, because it would not have been a legal use of campaign funds. Even if it was dual-purpose, intended both to hide embarrassment and to benefit his campaign, such expenses are usually considered personal. And having his attorney make the payment could not have been intended to avoid disclosure prior to the election, because the timing of the payment meant that it would not have been disclosed until after the election in any case. Surely the judge’s instructions on this issue, ultimately, constitute reversible error.
It was just a story, then you added the last paragraph, I suppose to ensure the input from the political screeching howler monkeys in the comments. So what Gary, you’re going to turn this into yet another place we cannot get away from all this garbage?
No politics on the plane seems like a great blog post. No politics on the blog would be great too.
Peter+1
First amendment rights issues are a battleground. I’ve seen some provocative T-shirts on pretty much every flight I’ve been on but I choose to ignore them. Provided the wearer isn’t harassing or haranguing other passengers, who cares.
Gary – your political view on President Trump is uncalled for and completely asinine – you should be ashamed. I, for one, take umbrage. President Trump was and is still my choice for President. Pre – covid, America was flourishing – after the corrupt DemocRats and the lying media masterminded the 2020 election, putting the brain dead puppet Biden in office, America has spiraled downhill and is suffering from inflation, horrible economy, and overrun by millions of illegals – all issues that President had under control. There is still time for you to recover from the brainwashing you have received – just look around at all of the destruction the DemocRats have caused – the choice for President is Donald Trump. I am 76 years old and President Trump is the best President that America has had in my lifetime – with Ronald Reagan a close second.
@Phil C – do a little research and educate yourself. “First amendment” has nothing to do with this. The first amendment only refers to government restrictions on speech. Private businesses (and airlines are) can enforce any dress code they want provided it is consistent and not biased against a protected group.
Two words — Douche. Bag.
Phil C… What AC says. It isn’t a 1stA issue… at all. I find it ironic the people who cry the most about the 1stA have the least ampunt of understanding as to what it means.
That being said… I don’t really find the T-shirt to be the “own” this dude thinks it is. Rather, it speaks to hus lack of functioning gray matter
And yes, Gary… What was also said above… love your articles and the “no politics on a plane” view is great…. But save your own political commentary… let us enjoy your writing
I’m disappointed that your posts continue to stray from your areas of expertise. The last paragraph, in particular, is unfortunate.
Technically, he’s not a convicted felon until he’s sentenced on the charges for which he was found guilty.
Pretty pathetic when people worship a politician. That’s all that needs to be said about that person.
@Peter – you’re not trapped inside a metal tube having this blog forced upon you!
Geez Gary. You were doing great until the final paragraph. Apparently, you’re not an attorney and don’t understand both campaign finance laws and corporate records laws either. Please stick to transportation. Thanks.
I agree that we could use less divisiveness, but:
Streisand Effect. He would have only been seen by some people on the plane and his twitter followers. Now bloggers and reposters promote this behavior (by being against it). Delete this post and don’t support attention seekers by giving them attention. regardless of who’s side anyone is on.
@NSL14 – I’ve generally been persuaded of this view by very smart attorneys with specific expertise in campaign finance laws, see for instance law professor and former FEC chairman Brad Smith
@David Miller I diont agree with you on many of your points nor am I a Trump fan.. But the Democratic party totally weaponized the justice system and are destroying our constitution while they make the outlandish claim that Trump is a threat to democracy. They are obviously the threat to democracy and if the Democrats win we will be one step further on the road to becoming a dictatorial legal banana republic. So i and many of my friends have abandoned the democratic party completely. Lets hope other americans who wnat ot save democracy rexcongize the threat of the democrats befor eits too late
I love this guy. Masks were a complete scam and gave a license to airline staff to control people. He should be able to wear anything he wants on a plane–no difference between him wearing something MAGA than. a blue haired wearing a pride shirt.
No @Gary, I’m not. But this argument doesn’t fly.
You know as well as I do that there are 2 or 3 FF blogs that are worth it and have good info. This is one. I don’t want to see it continue down this path from *any* political viewpoint. If we want to hear the extremes screeching politics there’s always Twitter.
I am against passenger dress codes that prohibit legal political and religious messages and symbols.
If a passenger can wear it on Amtrak or the city buses, then they should be able to wear it on a plane. If people get offended by attire or accessories, the person feeling offended should mind their own business when using US airspace to get around in common carriers.
Referring to yourself again “Gene” lol
I agree. I really don’t care about an attorneys input on this. Please keep your view of politics out of it. I enjoy your articles, but let’s keep controversial stances out of it.
Boy did you get this one wrong. Trump was not convicted of election law violations but of falsifying business records, which is a felony in New York under certain circumstances. The purpose of the falsification was clearly concealment, but the charges weren’t taken from federal election law but entirely from state business records law. So don’t be so sure about a reversal since Trump signed the checks and the jury easily could have found he acted knowingly in violating New York law. Plus the judge has an excellent reputation for being quite fair and balanced.
@Josh…. Project 2025… Now there’s your real threat.
https://time.com/6986995/what-is-project-2025/
See Morgan, that isn’t it. It’s the cheap attention seeking by the “no longer banned” guy that makes him invite that DB characterization.
My concern is that if airlines ban “political” attire, they will do so unevenly. You can get away with pro-A shirts, but not pro-B. I have no use for Brandon, Felon, or Junior, but I don’t trust an airline to be even-handed. Look at the FAs with Palestinian, BLM, etc. flags.
Gary,
Have you considered why a State court is trying someone for a Federal offe
nse? When you truthfully answer that question, you might realize, maybe, that the motive id is against all that Americans believe in. Too bad you revealed what a lefty you are.
Anyone who thinks Trumps conviction was a political ignores the basic facts.
Is it a crime to falsify business records in New York?
Yes.
Did Trump falsify business records in New York?
Yes.
Case closed, STFU.
BTW, the Dems are prosecuting a Dem senator from NY from taking bribes, whilst the Repulsicans pardon murderers (Abbot) and refuse to remove the Texas AG for taking bribes.
Different things offend different individuals. And things that don’t offend most passengers may still offend some other passengers. Were airlines to aim for making sure no passengers offend no other passengers, they will fall short of doing so and will fail at delivering that unless and until the airlines issue uniform airline-specific attire — and even that may be offensive to people who are offended by uniforms and what uniforms mean for individual liberty.
Completely agree with you Gary. All political signs should be banned on airplanes. It’s a powder keg waiting to go off. I hope everyone votes in 2024 but it’s better to keep it to yourself who you voted for.
A person has a choice to be provoked or not be provoked. The power to ignore clowns trying to provoke or annoy is within each of us.
Airlines banning lawful political or religious attire, accessories and symbols is a slippery slope. If they do so, why not also ban people from reading the news “from the ‘wrong’ source” on the plane and also ban people from working on the plane on their laptops if their work is in the political or religious realm and the screen has no privacy filter on it? What if someone is reading a book for class that other people want to see banned at libraries and at schools? Ban it all so as to offend fewer or no one? No thanks.
The commitment to freedom of expression and freedom of speech should also apply to passengers on privately-operated commercial mass transit making use of the public facilities — be it the public’s airspace, public roads and public waterways — as long as they aren’t engaged in disorderly conduct of the sort that can lead to an arrest and conviction under federal, state or local law.
President Trump is actually not a convicted felon. Judge Juan Merchan is facing disbarment and prison for lying under oath.
Since have when have Americans become so weak and pathetic that they can’t even see a t-shirt they disagree with? Do we really need to bend over backwards to protect a few people’s sensibilities and ensure we don’t offend them? Nobody is ‘forced’ to look at it. Turn away.
Gary, it’s a great blog you run and I appreciate you for it. Your political commentary does not improve it.
I am sort of amused about how our dear Señor Leff — a self-avowed libertarian over the decades — has so relatively recently shifted to be supportive of privileged corporate and governmental actors deciding what passengers should be disallowed to wear on planes even when it comes to what can be worn at the airports and on the sidewalks around the country. What are we afraid of, that people are snowflakes who can’t control themselves in the face of something that someone may find offensive? Then they they shouldn’t he flying in a metal tube unless and until they can take responsibility for themselves and control their own emotions in public even in the face of public nonsense.
Then they**** shouldn’t be**** flying in a metal tube unless and until they can take responsibility for themselves and control their own emotions in public even in the face of public nonsense.
@GUWonder – where on earth did I say that GOVERNMENT ACTORS should decide who should be on a plane? Nope, nope nope.
@WileyDog – what you described is a misdemeanor, to make it a felony requires that the falsification be in furtherance of another felony.
The refusal of Texas Senators to remove AG Paxton from office was shameful.
His shirt design makes no sense – basically he’s saying he’s voting for the convicted felon … yea, okay, if that’s your vote, that’s your vote. You’re a moron, we get it.- it’s like wearing a WHO FARTED hat, yes, you want us to know you’re a moron, I’m okay with that.
@Arne Werchick – ” Trump was not convicted of election law violations but of falsifying business records, which is a felony in New York under certain circumstances. ” Those circumstances require another related felony (the election law violations, which these were not), without that it is just a misdemeanor
So let’s ban the guy. And while we are at it, let’s ban rainbow shirts, logos or any other LGBQT symbolism, ban any display of Black Lives Matter, and so on. That stuff costs both ways. As an old saying goes “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander”.
Corporate and government actors team up together to restrict passenger speech and expression. Didn’t they even do so over a t-shirt before?
Yes, and the ACLU took them on:
https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-sues-tsa-official-jetblue-discriminating-against-passenger-wearing-arabic-t
Everyone with a functioning brain has got at least a slightly different idea of what is offensive at times. I don’t want corporate America and/or the government deciding which slogans and symbols are allowed to be worn by passengers using public facilities for transport even when the transport vehicle operator is a non-state-owned enterprise.
Ultimately this is a decision for the airline, but I’m not greatly troubled by it and certainly less troubled than by the much more common Che Guevera T-Shirts which I find vastly more offensive and ignorant, but I never for a moment doubted one’s right to wear it – so long as the owner of the plane didn’t mind, and why should they?
Incidentally, he seems to have been right about the lack of efficacy of masks in preventing the spread of Covid.
As usual, the ignorant mouthbreathers come out of the woodwork whenever their cult leader is mentioned. Keep showing your colors, so I can avoid you.
I see nothing wrong with David Harris, Jr.’s shirt and if the other person had been checked, still nothing wrong. There are too many snowflakes that should feel the heat instead.
Long ago when I was young what we now call “triggering” was called “being a jerk”.
My mother told me not to be a jerk.
Now it seems across the spectrum the goal in life is to be a jerk.
People need both better hobbies and thicker skins.
I have no problem with the shirt (or any shirt that’s not vulgar) on a plane. But if anyone wearing any political shirt then wants to start a dialogue with other nearby passengers that could be construed as political or disruptive, then he needs to be removed from the aircraft. An aircraft is a confined space- all opinions need to be kept to yourself. Off the metal tube, say what you want and suffer the consequences.
The freedom to say and do whatever one wishes to is what is driving this nation into the ground. Folks are so cavalier about what they think is their god-given right, that they make a nuisance of themselves in public. Let them enjoy their creative exhibitionism within the confines of their four walls at home and not in public places. They need to dress like decent human beings, not walking billboards. I support your views, Gary!
Calling a flight to a likely vacation spot being trapped inside a metal tube only indicates claustrophobia. Insisting others wear masks only indicates hypochondria. How about no crazies on airplanes as a compromise?
Why is this column posting about politics now? Especially about a MAGA-Moron. We get enough of that elsewhere.
I see you’re afraid to post my original comment, you are a typical coward LIBTARD Gary and I will unsubscribe from your emails especially since you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to law-get a clue and stop listening to MSNBC and CNN. Even Alan Derschowitz a liberal lawyer said the NY case was the worst he has seen in 60 years, but hey don’t let actual facts about the fraud case keep you from your TDS rants
Reggie L is off his rocker. Our dear Señor Leff is not a “libtard”. He has been part and parcel of the traditional Republican-supporting machinery with the Club of Growth types. Not a RINO, but a die-hard Republican who knows Don the Con is just that and not shy about acknowledging the obvious on that.
Alan Dershowitz’s days of being a liberal lawyer are long past him. He is one of those 9/11 neocons who sullied his civil liberties credentials and put in doubt his liberal affinities as he shifted to supporting racism, Islamophobia, extrajudicial kidnapping and torture of suspects and witnesses. It’s not a coincidence that Dershowitz has been a crypto-supporter and fan of the racist T-rump. For T-rump, Dershowitz has sort of done to himself what “America’s Mayor” Rudy Giuliani did, but not in as stupid a way as Giuliani. That said, Dershowitz — much like Trump and Trump’s former buddy Clinton — was buddies with Jeffrey Epstei, and you can make of that what you want.
All it takes is a guy not wearing a mask, and GuWonder goes off the deep end…