Australian Man Booted From Plane After Passenger Complains About His 'Terroristic' Notepad Doodles

from the pen-beats-common-sense dept

Wed, Sep 24th 2014 5:51am — Tim Cushing

The apparent spike in terrorist activity -- a perception mainly due to the ongoing release of beheading videos by ISIS/IL -- has resulted in the Australian government setting its national threat level to the highest it's ever been. This has, of course, "heightened awareness" in other venues normally associated with terrorism (i.e., airlines), leading to the sort of reactions detailed below.

A Melbourne interior designer flying to the Gold Coast on Tiger Airlines was removed from the flight and questioned by authorities over some sarcastic doodles he made during the flight.

Oliver Buckworth, 28, claims he was removed from a Gold Coast-bound flight after a fellow passenger saw the contents of his notebook over his shoulder and informed Tiger staff.

Here's the page in question as photographed by Buckworth:

According to Buckworth, it was the passenger sitting next to him who brought it to the airline staff's attention.

Mr Buckworth said a neighbouring passenger told a flight attendant: "Look what he's writing." "I turned to him and said, 'Yes, look what I'm writing. Read the whole sentence. I'm just writing some notes.' "

Yes. Look what he's writing. Some people see the word "terrorism" or "terrorist" and refuse to look further. Both Buckworth's seatmate and Tiger Airlines couldn't get past those words, even if true terrorists wouldn't sketch out terrorism plans in the open during a flight and very definitely wouldn't refer to themselves as "terrorists" or their planned acts as "terrorism."

Here's the context:

"The irony is I was writing a sentence about the absurdity of the fearmongering when we live in such a happy country of ice-cream and beaches and fluffy things," he said.

A page of Mr Buckworth's notebook seen by Fairfax Media contains the sentence: "In a land of melting ice-creams, sandy feet and fluffy bears, how could anyone be fearful of terrorism."

Other doodles include a sketch of a chandelier – Mr Buckworth is an interior designer – and the play on words: "Terrorismadeup." In a cartoon of a child clutching his head, Mr Buckworth wrote in a thought bubble: "Tyrannosaurus Rex. Terodactyl. Tarantula. Terrorist."

He may as well have been carrying an [f] bomb. Off the plane he went to be questioned by the Australian Federal Police, who, to their credit, let him go with as minimal hassle as is possible when airplanes and terrorism are the subjects being discussed.

An AFP spokesperson confirmed they had "responded to a request for assistance" from an airline at Melbourne Airport. "The AFP briefly spoke to the individual concerned. No further AFP action will be taken."

Tiger Airlines hasn't acknowledged whether the incident was prompted by Buckworth's drawings, instead inferring that it was Buckworth himself who was the problem.

A spokeswoman for Tiger has defended the airline's conduct, claiming air crew were responding to a "disruptive passenger".

"Tigerair has a zero-tolerance policy towards inappropriate and antisocial behaviour. Safety and security of staff and passengers underpins the operation at all times and is never compromised," she said.

Yes, this sounds like the sort of "disruptive" behavior that gets kids kicked out of school, even though the only people actually being "disrupted" are the person lodging the ridiculous complaint and the staff members overreacting to it.

My guess is that the most disruptive person on the flight was the passenger who wouldn't shut up until the airline did something about the perceived threat seated next to him or her. Stuck with the unsavory prospect of convincing a paying ~~customer~~ alarmist that he/she would make it through the flight alive no matter what Buckworth drew in his notebook, the airline opted to take the easier route: boot the "offending" person. This decision probably irritated Buckworth, who likely expressed his irritation in a verbal fashion, turning him into a "disruptive passenger" -- something the airline has "zero tolerance" for -- and salving the mildly-troubled conscience of airline staff.

Tiger Airlines was in a terrible situation and did what it could to mitigate the damage. The real problem was the passenger who -- despite flying at the same altitude -- had the satire sail over his/her head. But if the airline had decided to boot the offended passenger, the story would have been "Airline Boots Passenger For Warning Staff About Potential Terrorist." There's no winning here, only the minimal gratification of erring on the side of safety.

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Filed Under: doodles, fear, terrorists

69 Comments

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Ninja (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 5:13am

He did it wrong
Here's the proper course of action.

1. Quietly and calmly open his laptop.
2. Boot it.
3. Make sure the person who is a moron could see the screen.
4. Close his eyes and tilt his head up to the sky while mumbling Arabic like sayings adding Allah every once in a while.
5. Then hit this link: http://www.thecleverest.com/countdown.swf
6. Profit!

Courtesy of https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2007/05/joke_thatll_get_1.html
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 5:55am

They overlooked the correct response...
...which was to identify the "offended" passenger, open the rear cargo hatch, and throw him/her off the plane while still at altitude. This would have solved the immediate problem ("whiny paranoid prattling asshole on the plane") as well as forestalling a number of future problems ("whiny prattling paranoid asshole remaining on planet and using precious oxygen").

I do hope they'll amend their policy and procedures manual to include this simple and effective solution.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- art guerrilla (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:03am
  
  Re: They overlooked the correct response...
  (parasitizing off your post)
  
  this brings me to a point i find idiot libtards can not fathom: with THEIR uber-PC attitudes, THEY are laying the groundwork for unka sam to go full Big Brother on them ! ! ! they are building THEIR OWN JAIL CELL, bar by bar, and are too fucking stoopid to realize it...
  
  these shrill shrikes wailing about this and that PERCEIVED slight, or butt-hurt-by-proxy bullshit 'crime against humanity' ARE PAVING THE WAY FOR TOTALITARIANISM...
  
  idiots: the puppetmasters are only TOO HAPPY to have clueless pearl-clutching libtards (and others) do the heavy lifting for them of establishing a CITIZEN-APPROVED censorship regime and criminal sanctions for living life...
  
  morons, AS IF THEY control WHO will be the next 'inappropriate' cohort to be struck down in the name of CONFORMITY and the trains running on time...
  
  no, as all this is put in place, The They(tm) will let the 'good' prejudice FOR -say- gays, etc, AGAINST domestic abuse, stand... but it won't be long until THE SAME PRINCIPLES are applied to the dissidents, ne'er-do-wells, and other citizens critical of society based on the criteria of The They(tm)...
  
  oh, as an aside, please name me the other industries where ALLEGED domestic abuse perpetrators are being ridden out of their jobs on a rail ? ? ? but pro athletes -some, what?, .01% or less of the population are going to be made 'an example' of ? ? ? yeah, that will solve the problem, we got all three of 'em now... *snort* of derision...
  
  gosh, funny how they don't start with a more -let's say- high profile, capable cohort -like business executives, or politicians- who have FAR MORE influence on society than mere gladiators... funny that...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Toestubber (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:12am

It's the tragedy of the commons
...airlines enforcing the Bedwetter's Veto.

The customer who claims to be the most frightened wins the argument.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
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Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:14am

Tim, you try too hard. You are trying to be outraged but wow, you are way off the mark.

If I saw this guy next to me on the plane writing stuff about terrorism and making weird drawings, I would be worried too. Considering that Australia just rounded up a group who were planning public beheadings in Australia, I would say that there is no over reaction here at all.

If you are offended by this, well... then you need to get out more or something, because you are missing the real world.
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- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:26am
  
  Re:
  Because "writing stuff about terrorism and making weird drawings" is something to fear? I have not searched for stats but I am betting there is better odds on a psychological term for your fear than a list of the number of people killed or harmed in any way by being in proximity of "writing stuff about terrorism and making weird drawings"
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:56am
  
  Re:
  Considering that Australia just rounded up a group who were planning public beheadings in Australia, I would say that there is no over reaction here at all.
  
  1. The only source we have for this claim is known to lie, lie, lie. Why should we believe them?
  
  2. If you are actually so abysmally stupid that you think these two are connected, then I wonder how you manage to exist inside such a tiny intellect.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:50am
    
    Re: Re:
    Because it is your civic duty to believe their lie lie lies... unless you are a terrorist, methinks?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:45pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      That's pure BS! That sort of conformity leads to totalitarianism. It's our "civic duty" to challenge and question EVERYTHING a government says or does, and they don't like it one bit.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - That One Guy (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:55pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Your sarcasm detector seems to be broken, might want to look into getting a replacement.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:58am
  
  Re:
  "Tim, you try too hard. You are trying to be outraged but wow, you are way off the mark."
  
  Read everything you wrote after that and then realize that what you said about Tim applies far more to you. Or don't and the reason for why will be seen in my next point given as a rebuttal to your next remark which I'll quote below.
  
  "If I saw this guy next to me on the plane writing stuff about terrorism and making weird drawings, I would be worried too."
  
  That says all we really need to know, that you are incapable of rational thought and logically inquiring of the person next to you about what exactly those doodles are and why they are drawing them.
  
  In fact, it points to the simple fact that logic and rational thought waved bye bye to you and fear mongering and an alarmist nature are very much part of your personality.
  
  "Considering that Australia just rounded up a group who were planning public beheadings in Australia, I would say that there is no over reaction here at all."
  
  Group planning public beheading. Guy writing about fear mongering and doodling chandeliers. You can't see the difference between the two? You don't see the clear overreaction here? Please see my previous remarks concerning your capability for rational thought or lack thereof.
  
  "If you are offended by this, well... then you need to get out more or something, because you are missing the real world."
  
  Says the man who outright admitted would be worried about a guy making chandelier doodles and writing things that basically laugh at the head of fear mongering in a notebook.
  
  You need to get out more or something, because you are missing the real world. That would be the same real world where simply lying or sleeping in a bed constitutes a greater actual threat to your safety and well being than any posed by a terrorist or terrorist threat. (The odds of asphyxiating yourself with your blankets/sheets is greater than dying at the hands of a terrorist or terrorist attack. The odds of dying from accidentally falling out of bed are also significantly more within the realm of possibility than, again, dying at the hands of a terrorist or terrorist attack.)
  
  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/16/eight-facts-about-terrorism-in-th e-united-states/
  
  http://reason.com/archives/2011/09/06/how-scared-of-terrorism-should
  
  http://www.medhe lp.org/general-health/articles/The-25-Most-Common-Causes-of-Death/193
  
  http://www.washingtonsblog.com/ 2014/07/youre-much-likely-killed-brain-eating-parasites-lightning-alcoholism-obesity-medical-errors- risky-sexual-behavior-terrorist.html
  
  Should I continue with the links? I can if you'd like. I really feel like it helps with my "citations needed, Whatever" point, which you time and time again refuse to acknowledge and outright avoid responding to. (You've still provided no citations for anything Android related I've called you out on by the way.)
  
  Oh, alright. Just one more. There's this infographic which points out you'll probably be struck by likely wayyyyy before you die because the guy sitting next to you is doodling chandeliers.
  
  http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AEpByoHk--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80 ,w_636/18mnxvwgnky3ajpg.jpg
  
  Whatever, the man who time and time again advocates for a society where fear mongering and scare tactics are acceptable and where the authorities are never wrong, even when they are.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:00am
    
    Re: Re:
    That should read "you'll probably be struck by lightning wayyyy before you die because the guy sitting next to you is doodling chandeliers".
    
    My bad on the minor mistake.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:38am
    
    Re: Re:
    Wonderful long post, but you missed the point entirely. Your Washington post links are a perfect example. YES, you are more likely to be killed by obesity than a terrorists, but when the guy next to me writing about terrorism is up and making weird looking drawings, I get concerned that I have won the proverbial lottery and the payout is sitting next to me.
    
    Whatever, the man who time and time again advocates for a society where fear mongering and scare tactics are acceptable and where the authorities are never wrong, even when they are.
    
    Wow, an an adhom too! How sweet.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 8:06am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Whatever, the man who time and time again advocates for a society where fear mongering and scare tactics are acceptable and where the authorities are never wrong, even when they are.
      
      Wow, an an adhom too! How sweet./
      
      Your previous statement
      
      but when the guy next to me writing about terrorism is up and making weird looking drawings, I get concerned that I have won the proverbial lottery and the payout is sitting next to me.
      
      Is you succumbing to, and encouraging the scaremongering
      that you object to being accused of supporting.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 1:52pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      "Wonderful long post, but you missed the point entirely. Your Washington post links are a perfect example. YES, you are more likely to be killed by obesity than a terrorists, but when the guy next to me writing about terrorism is up and making weird looking drawings, I get concerned that I have won the proverbial lottery and the payout is sitting next to me."
      
      Actually, no. You missed the point entirely. That point being that there are far more legitimate things to be worried about. Specifically more so than a guy drawing chandeliers and writing "terrorism is made up".
      
      Also, way to make my point for me. Fear mongering and subservience to authority. Present in your "proverbial lottery" bit.
      
      "Wow, an an adhom too! How sweet."
      
      Well, it would be an ad hom if only it wasn't.
      
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem
      
      Opening lines, sweetheart.
      
      An ad hominem is a general category of fallacies in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument.
      
      In this case, your claim is not being rejected because of an irrelevant fact against you. It's in fact validated because of it. You are clearly, per your own words, someone subject to and who promotes fear mongering and subservience under any and all conditions to authority figures.
      
      Or should I start going through every article you've commented in and gathering your choice quotes that ALWAYS spin things so even the government/authorities are in the wrong you argue otherwise?
      
      Cause I can do that.
      
      Also, the only irrelevant part of my remark could be seen as pointing out that you still have yet to present citations for your remarks concerning Android. Then again, more proof on my part about you right there. You've made numerous statements in this thread alone with nothing to actually support them by the way of any citations.
      
      You sir are a 'tard. There now you have your legitimate ad hom. But it doesn't detract from every single other verifiable claim I've made about you and your own words, all of which are clear for anyone to see.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Uriel-238 on a mobile device (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 2:06pm
        
        In order for your ad hom to be legit
        It should read "You sir are a 'tard and therefore your arguments are irrelevant"
        
        Calling someone a name is uncouth conduct in a debate, but not intrinsically an ad hom until the name-calling is used, itself as an argument.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        
        Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:06pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        and you sir Paul, are a baiting troll. You lose again!
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2014 @ 7:10am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        No offense, but you really need to stop calling people "troll" just because they call you out. That does not a troll make. Also, I'm the guy who posted that stuff yesterday and I'm not Paul. Get over Paul already, he's not the only one on here who sees you for who you are, which is what I stated before. Someone who promotes fear mongering and subservience to authority in any form.
        
        Also, it's not baiting to call you out and point out facts about you. Your claims are there for any and all to see, as are your lack of citations for almost everything you say.
        
        It's not a win/lose game here, it's a discussion and a really shitty back and forth since you refuse to engage me on anything I point out about your statements or behavior on this cite.
        
        It is verifiable that you do not present citations for anything you say. It is verifiable that you routinely excuse bad and retarded behavior and actions on the part of all authority figures. It is verifiable, in this very thread, that you promote fear mongering and the lack of rational thought or common sense. Per your own words, you'd be scared of a guy doodling a fucking chandelier.
        
        You sir are everything that is wrong with this world and if anyone is a troll here it is very much you.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Just Another Anonymous Troll, 25 Sep 2014 @ 7:27am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
        "Oh crap, I'm out of moronic arguments. Better call the other guy a troll and stop responding."
        Your troll detector is either broken due to it being in close proximity to you, or you're just an idiot. I'm leaning towards the latter.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 25 Sep 2014 @ 1:10pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      "...but when the guy next to me writing about terrorism is up and making weird looking drawings..."
      
      why are you looking over his shoulder and invading his personal space, dweeb?
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- observer, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:01am
  
  Re:
  It occurs to me that the person writing in a notepad about terrorism in clear view of another passenger is the one person on the plane who's the least likely to be a terrorist.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:03am
  
  Re:
  Perhaps that's because you're a hopeless pussy.
  
  Grow a set of balls, and quit crying like chicken little every time someone mentions terrorism.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - art guerrilla (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:22am
    
    Re: Re:
    thank you, i had started a post along those lines, but just didn't want to bother...
    
    have always harbored a desire to have a face-to-face somewhere, sometime with the human-shaped POS called whatever...
    
    but -realistically- he is such a wormtongued, wimpy fucktard, i can't imagine giving him the thrashing he so richly deserves, as he sits blubbering, shaking, and pissing his panties...
    
    he is a pitiful coward and bully...
    (as well as a high RWA)
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Ragnarredbeard, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:05am
  
  Re:
  Yes, we're missing the real world, where you still have a higher chance of getting hit by a bus crossing the street than you have of being involved in a terror attack.
  
  Apparently, you, like so many others, are incapable of doing simple math.
  
  The terror is real, yes, but its being aided and abetted by governments everywhere to get money and power.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:06am
  
  Re:
  You're so right about the reaction...what if the guy then ripped the paper into the shape of a gun?
  
  Holy shit! He might've shot an imaginary hole in the plane! It could've been a disaster!
  
  We're so lucky this was nipped in the bud.
  People writing words on paper MUST be stopped!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Ninja (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:20am
  
  Re:
  You try to hard to be a moron too so seems you are even then.
  
  You can't see the absurd but let's point it:
  
  The guy was drawing something about terrorism in the open, because every single real terrorist would do it instead of keeping a low profile. I'd imagine they also openly discuss their plans with law enforcement at the airport before boarding.
  
  Not content with this obvious sign nothing was wrong the flight went on without incident. So yeah, the 'offended' passenger was up there with a full-fledged-doodling terrorist during the entirety of the flight and yet nothing happened. Either it's a very incompetent terrorist or, you know, just a guy doodling random sarcasm over people like you. Would be even funnier if the movie displayed had some terrorism in its plot but he could have read an article about it and started doodling while pondering over. But hey, TERRORIST!
  
  The best part of it is that he was making fun of people like you in his doodles.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:41am
    
    Re: Re:
    The guy was drawing something about terrorism in the open, because every single real terrorist would do it instead of keeping a low profile. I'd imagine they also openly discuss their plans with law enforcement at the airport before boarding.
    
    Welcome to "out of context". Go back and re-read the whole thing based on the issue of domestic terrorism being front and center in people's minds right now is Australia, and you may understand that someone can be more than a little jumpy.
    
    I don't think the guy was intending to anything bad, but I am certainly not too upset at someone who might have thought it. Maybe they are a little wild in the brain about it, but I can imagine some might take it the wrong way.
    
    It's like the old joke, if you see your friend Jack on a plane, never yell "HI JACK" really loudly to get his attention.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Ninja (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:57am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      and you may understand that someone can be more than a little jumpy.
      
      Jumpy? Maybe dumb? Or easily scared?
      
      Maybe they are a little wild in the brain about it, but I can imagine some might take it the wrong way.
      
      True enough but it takes 3 seconds to think about it, read the rest of the doodle and dismiss it.
      
      The good out of this is that the Aussie cops were much more reasonable than their American friends and nothing bad came to the doodler.
      
      There was a case a while back where a mother let her kids play on the street and kept a close eye from the house. Some idiotic neighbor was shocked and called the cops. The mother went through hell (as did the kids) because of it even though she went towards the cops when they approached the kids. Nowadays with the cops overreacting without further comprehending what's happening (or flat out being idiots like the fbomb case) a single misplaced worry can ruin somebody's life.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - nasch (profile), 25 Sep 2014 @ 6:18am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re:
        Some idiotic neighbor was shocked and called the cops. The mother went through hell (as did the kids) because of it even though she went towards the cops when they approached the kids.
        
        20-30 years ago there were kids playing on residential streets all the time...
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 9:02am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      I do happen to remember a time when it was said that terrorism is solely designed to make us all afraid, so we will succumb to the whims of the terrorist.
      
      It seems like not only has it worked, but worked well.
      
      Congratulations on being part of the new problem!
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 8:59am
  
  Re:
  If I saw this guy next to me on the plane writing stuff about terrorism and making weird drawings, I would be worried too.
  
  And that is EXACTLY what terrorists want you to do. Congratulations, you, in your ignorance and cowardice, have done more to support terrorism today than any of the rest of us. By giving to your stupidity and fear you've accomplished their aims for them: and they didn't have to behead anybody, blow up anything, shoot anybody, or even get off their asses.
  
  Somewhere, some terrorist is reading your comments and laughing his ass off at you. He should. You deserve it.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Michael, 24 Sep 2014 @ 9:03am
  
  Re:
  Considering that Australia just rounded up a group who were planning public beheadings in Australia, I would say that there is no over reaction here at all.
  
  So what you are saying is that stopping terrorists should make everyone more afraid?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - John Fenderson (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 9:21am
    
    Re: Re:
    That is the plan, yes. If no terrorists are caught, you should be afraid of all the invisible boogymen running around. If terrorists are caught, you should be afraid of all the invisible uncaught boogymen running around.
    
    The whole idea is that you should be constantly afraid.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- G Thompson (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:08am
  
  Re:
  Maybe you should learn the TRUTH before you jump all over those assumptions of yours about what Australian Authorities have and have not done in regards to threats as of late.
  
  There is only an allegation that there might... EMPHASIS on might have been someone planning to go into martin Place in the centre of Sydney and behead a random person.
  
  There is actually a HUGE overaction from Tiger airlines here and under Aust law they are actually liable for paying Buckworth the full worth of the fare plus any reasonable compensatory costs because they unreasonable and without due process pulled him from the plane AND not at the same time the disruptive person who breached Buckworths privacy.
  
  Tiger Airlines are in the wrong here absolutely. Though the Main Stream Media are also partly to blame for fear mongering and playing into the Govt's actual agenda in trying to pass laws that were due to expire in one month and instead are trying to enhance and EXPAND those same laws due to 'terrorism'.
  
  Yes a terrorism event in Australia could occur, but unless its lone individuals working under some mentally flawed ideal (and we are talking about the bane of any securiyty service) they would not be in any way drawing sketches on planes nor doing ANYTHING to draw (pun intended) attention to themselves. Any reasonable glance should of settled that but instead Tiger, and persons like yourself want to go all 'holier than thou' and 'we know best' and 'think of the...xxxx"
  
  As for the real world... *snorts* READ more about Australian history, our laws, and also the rest of the world before you go spouting what YOU think should be or in your view 'is' the reality.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:14am
    
    Re: Re:
    As for the real world... *snorts* READ more about Australian history, our laws, and also the rest of the world before you go spouting what YOU think should be or in your view 'is' the reality.
    
    History really isn't relevant here. What can I say? The Australian government raises the terror level warning to it's highest in ages, they arrest a bunch of people in a plot to behead someone in Australia, and you don't expect people to be a bit jumpy? Oh, add to that the missing Malaysian plane and the one recently shot down, and there are plenty of reasons for flyers to be a little on edge.
    
    Tiger Airlines are in the wrong here absolutely.
    
    I suspect the airline, like many others, chooses absolute saefty and minimum risk compared to making Mr Buckworths feel good. They don't have a lot of space to take risks.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:52am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      they chose another person's "feel good" instead, the one that agrees with your current view (terrified and paranoid from a literal non-event: terrorists 1, austrailia 0.)
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Ninja (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:42am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      People with thin skin that would love to give up their rights and "denounce" doodle makers and you should live in your own totalitarian country then. Sheesh.
      
      Oh, add to that the missing Malaysian plane and the one recently shot down, and there are plenty of reasons for flyers to be a little on edge.
      
      None were targets of internal terroistic plots. No group took credit for the Malaysian and the plane that was shot down was flying over a zone in the middle of an armed conflict. Pick your examples more carefully if you want to be taken seriously. There's no excuse for overreacting like that.
      
      I suspect the airline, like many others, chooses absolute saefty and minimum risk compared to making Mr Buckworths feel good. They don't have a lot of space to take risks.
      
      Sounds nice, hope they don't mind the mounting costs in lawsuits. And loss of customers. Though I'd say morons like the one that was offended and you would find it to be more attractive...
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    - Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 12:53pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      There is no such thing as "absolute safety" with ANYTHING (unless you think they've figured out a way to prevent the plane from crashing due to the numerous technical possibilities that can occur that AREN'T terrorism-related).
      
      This is why you continue to fail, and continue to look like a hopeless pussy.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:32am

Ok, so the airline is caught in the middle of a dispute between passengers. Never funny.

But not necessarily difficult to resolve without losing face either:

If you make it clear that neither is going to fly if they don't drop it, they will probably settle down pretty quickly (or not, in which you kick them both from the plane).

Problem solved either way and no stupid fearmongering necessary...
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- Austin (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:47am
  
  Re:
  This. A thousand times this.
  
  I know this is going to sound like blasphemy to the TD crowd, but the proper response was to ask Mr. Buckworth to stop drawing and close his notebook, and ask his fellow passenger to stop freaking out, and make it painfully obvious to both of them that if either causes more disruptions to the flight, then they're BOTH grounded. Then delay takeoff 5 minutes and keep an eye on them. Odds are good by the end of the flight they'd be fast friends, and if not, kick them BOTH out.
  
  Neither is right here. Yes, the terrorism threat to aircraft is so close to zero as to be a statistical anomaly these days, but you, as a passenger, fly with the airlines you have, not the airlines you'd like to have. Mr. Buckworth knew this, or should've known this. The fault lies equally with both him and the other passenger.
  
  That said, the airline's response was still brain dead stupid.
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John Cressman, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:45am

Idiots
This is what happens when we make things subject to people's "feelings".... he made me FEEL threatened... etc.

People's feelings are base, corrupt and primal. Some people feel the same amount (or more) of anxiety and fear over a spider as they do over a man about to behead them.

Feelings are subjective. That's why there needs to be CLEARLY created laws with CLEAR definitions of what constitutes REAL terrorist threats.

Tiny plastic guns and swords that go to action figures should NOT trigger a response REGARDLESS of any small brained idiots "feelings".

People should not get thrown off a plane because the moron next to them is afraid of a pen and paper.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:46am

Photo?
Maybe someone got a photo of the incident and could let the world see what someone having a panic attack over nothing looks like.
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ML, 24 Sep 2014 @ 6:46am

Whatever 6:14:

It's absurd to think that someone should be reasonably suspected of engaging in terrorism when their notebook simply mentions terrorism and he offers a reasonable explanation of it. Would a terrorist do that? And all this is *after* a security screening.

People need to use common sense. It really is OK for us to set that low bar.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:02am

This part here concerns me the most:
and antisocial behaviour

They've basically outlawed all introverted people everywhere.
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Ragnarredbeard, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:10am

Where Mr Buckworth failed
is that he should have made immediate counter-accusations against the idiot. He says he's uncomfortable with your drawings? Fine. Then you be uncomfortable with him, report him for smelling like gunpowder, for being fidgety during the fligth. Whatever it takes. Stop being nice and cooperative to these clowns.
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Craig Welch (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:24am

Doodle all the day
I'm glad they caught up with the passenger who pretended to be doodling as he hatched his terrorist plot.

The most egregious aspect of this, in my view, is that he used pen and paper - clearly a move designed to prevent the forces of law and order from following the bouncing ball as they would have done had he kept his 'doodles' in the cloud where all law-abiding citizens put theirs.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:37am

Doodling is a symptom of creative and free thinking. We can't allow that kind of thing to take hold in America. Next thing you know he'll be wanting to do math.
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DB, 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:59am

Hmmm, I find the phrase 'Bedwetter's Veto' particularly descriptive.

It succinctly describes what happens when the criteria is changed from the putative "reasonable person" to the most timid. Or, in reality, to anyone that can pretend to be afraid.
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Anonymous Hero, 24 Sep 2014 @ 8:02am

Typo
> Yes, this sounds like the sort of "disruptive" behavior that gets kids kicked out of school, even though the only people actually being "disrupted" are the person lodging the ridiculous complaint and the staff members overreacting to it.

Should read "... even though the only people actually being 'DISRUPTIVE' are the people lodging the ridiculous complaints ..."
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 8:07am

'gateway' terrorism
We live in a society where young boys who bite Pop-Tarts into the shape of a gun are considered terrorists -- and treated accordingly. With our government inciting this "see something --> say something" hysteria, no suspicion can ever be considered frivolous.

And just like accusing your next-door neighbor of *suspected* child abuse (or the nuclear-bomb of accusations, child sexual abuse) these complaints to authorities will be dealt with in the most heavy-handed way conceivable. Because that's how authorities show how they're in charge.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 8:17am

Bad Plot Twist Coming Soon To A Technothriller Near You

On an airplane in flight. Bad guy slips incriminating terrorist literature to sleeping passenger next to him. Makes a fuss. Plane diverts to sleepy mid-continent airport, where bad guy terrorizes etc.

1st Moral: ANYONE WHO SPEAKS ON AN AIRPLANE MAY BE A TERRORIST

2nd Moral: FEAR EVERYBODY

Sheesh. Is there a way off this sissy planet?
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 9:22am

Halloween is just around the corner how many people will be shot for wearing assumed terrorist costumes.
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- Uriel-238 on a mobile device (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 2:11pm
  
  Terrorists look like Homicidal Maniacs...
  ...they look just like everyone else.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:10am

People have been conditioned to see the word terrorism and freak out. Don't think about it just trust in your governmental overlords to sort it out for you.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:14am

We live in a society where people are scared of their own shadow.
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- Eric Stein, 26 Sep 2014 @ 7:24pm
  
  Re:
  I blame Jung for this
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Uriel-238 (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:04am

I've been posting about this a lot.
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- Uriel-238 (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:05am
  
  Re: I've been posting about this a lot.
  (I so prematurely posted.)
  
  ...blah...blah...ass-covering...blah...
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bongo houzi (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:47am

No words
...
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 11:57am

New name!
The airline now needs to correct it's name to PUSSY Airlines. They obviously have no balls at all and act like cunts.
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John85851 (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 2:56pm

The terrorists have already won
I think the bigger point of this article is the terrorists have already won. Now too many people are afraid to sit next to an artist or writer in case he's writing plans on how to blow up the plane... in plain sight... without any explosives... and all by himself. Because obviously this is what every terrorist does: it's much more secretive to make plans on an airplane than at home.

But why should people think this through logically when they're afraid any person, anywhere, could be the next terrorist?
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- That One Guy (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 5:55pm
  
  Methods vs Goals
  Indeed, when most people think 'Terrorism' they think blowing up buildings, or planes, or detonating explosives in crowded areas and killing and maiming a lot of people, when the truth is those are merely the methods of terrorism, the goal, as the name makes clear, is 'To cause terror, to cause people to be in fear, and to change their actions because of it'.
  
  Focusing on the goal, rather than the methods of terrorism, there doesn't have to be a single explosion, not one life lost, for terrorism to succeed, and, thanks to governments constantly telling people to be afraid so they can use the 'Because terrorists!' excuse to expand their powers, and cowards so terrified of effectively non-existent threats that they are willing to sacrifice any right if it means they can 'feel safer', terrorists have completely and definitively won their fight against many countries.
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- Whatever (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 7:10pm
  
  Re: The terrorists have already won
  You got it exactly right. It's part of the issue at hand, which is the most significant effect of terrorism isn't the people it hurts directly, but the change of attitudes and lifestyles of those who fear it.
  
  We have nothing to fear but fear itself, right?
  
  In a spectrum of potential responses and actions from the public, this guy reporting on what the guy was writing is probably way down there at the 1% most worried. He is a victim of terrorism because it's made him scared of everything.
  
  Reading Tim's post and seeing get all upset about it just shows that he doesn't really understand that not all people think in exactly the same manner as everyone else, and not everyone has the same reactions. Then again, it is the Techdirt way to call out the 1% situations and try to make people think it's generalized and common.
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  - Ninja (profile), 25 Sep 2014 @ 4:19am
    
    Re: Re: The terrorists have already won
    Miss.
    
    The comment you are responding to is exactly pointing out that this overreaction is a deep issue and failed to see the irony. Keep clowning.
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  - Eric Stein, 26 Sep 2014 @ 7:33pm
    
    Re: Re: The terrorists have already won
    @What, never?
    
    How do you know this? Is 1% a figure that you've actually calculated, or one that, like most of your so-called proclamations, you've conveniently obtained from a secret compartment, the nature of I will encourage the group to speculate about with a fervor that exceeds the stench coming from your mouth/other device.
    
    Oh, I forgot my ad-hom, you vacuous, coffee nosed, malodorous, pervert.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 4:04pm

Thank goodness he didn't draw a picture of a knife. He could have given someone a nasty paper cut. Fear of terrorism and terrorist attack is a potent weapon. It reminds me of the episode of MASH where the character of B. J. has Hawkeye going almost paranoid with the non-eventuating practical joke.
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:53pm

If he had drawn a picture of kids on a playground he would be in prison for being a pedo.
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MadderMak (profile), 24 Sep 2014 @ 10:58pm

I guess the Pen *IS* mightier than the Sword - Blame the (Aus) DHS!
Why has the (insert Australian equivalent) of DHS not arrested all pen bearers and charged them with tyranny... oh wait Terrorism at the security checkpoint??!!

*sigh*

When Terrorism can breed Tyranny then truly have we been defeated.
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Uriel-238 on a mobile device (profile), 25 Sep 2014 @ 5:32pm

"Terrorism has won."
I disageee.

The terrorism campaign against the US was intended to change US policy regarding the mid-east. The US has only increased its involvement by magnitudes.

No, what terrorism has succeeded in doing is facilitate the deterioration of democracy into a paranoid police state, accellerating the downfall of a once-free world superpower...if we're lucky.

It would be like Dr. Evil trying to extort the US with a bioagent somewhere in Chicago... and rather than getting his money, instead watching the US firebomb the entire city
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