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May 04, 2007
Only the marginally greater stupidity of the enemy can save us now
Which is no compliment to us considering the enemy is offended by ice cubes, thinks masculinity is determined by an aptitude for rape and - excepting what they can loot or extort through welfare as warfare - has a seventh-century technological basis. Fear not: One tiny candle has been lit against the wall of darkness over Mordor as Virgin Atlantic removes an evil "documentary" from its in-flight film line-up.
Not good enough.
Someone in authority at Virgin Atlantic needs to take public responsibility, apologize and resign. Or better yet, be fired. Let us be clear on one point: I am not American. I do not believe in freedom of speech. I believe some kinds of speech represent a semantic contagion and should be treated as a public health risk.* I believe Virgin's marketing department should be charged with sedition and flogged, imprisoned or deported on a mix-and-match basis. Failing that, I have no intention of using any Virgin product ever again. No flights, no cds, no mobile phones, no nothing.
Virgin's simpering reply to my email:
Many thanks for your email.
We are really sorry that you felt you had to write to us about this movie.
We will not be showing Loose Change 2 on our aircraft. Virgin Atlantic is known for showing the latest movies and media trends, without censorship as we believe travellers have the right to choose from as wide a programme as possible. However as there is a danger with this movie that viewers may be offended, although they have the choice not to view it, we have decided to remove it from the in flight Entertainment menu.
We appreciate you taking the time to get in touch with us.
Yours sincerely
Caroline Lynam
Customer Relations Manager
And my reply to Virgin Atlantic:
The "choice not to view it"?
Why not give customers the choice not to view "Hitlerjunge Quex"? You obviously feel put out that anyone would be offended by your decision to include this evil film in your in-flight line-up. Any organization incapable of this basic level of cognition - or moral judgment - can obviously not be trusted to make rational security decisions, let alone protect my life at 35,000 feet.
Here is a "choice": I choose to never purchase or use any Virgin branded product ever again.
Yours,
Flea
Contact Virgin:
Virgin Mobile Canada
Virgin.com
Contact a Virgin company
* Relapsed Catholic hosts a remarkable think-piece on the subject of the ROP(MA), mental illness and public health (hat tip to Taylor & Company).
Posted by Ghost of a flea at May 4, 2007 05:43 AM
Comments
They have relented and realised the bad publicity they are getting. Seeing blogging works.
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.ghostofaflea.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 4, 2007 11:41 AM
I think Flea's point is that even the inital decision to show the film means that they have no corporate judgment whatsoever. Maybe.
Me, I'm wondering if you could interest people in special "disaster flights" -- kinda like those mystery trains -- where they show nothing but air disaster movies: Airport, The Horror at 37,000 Feet, Five Came Back, Zero Hour!, The High and the Mighty, Terror in the Sky, Air Force One, Executive Decision, and, of course, Snakes on a Plane. You could even have role-playing! -- crazed hijackers, imperious grand dames, obnoxious drunken businessmen, stewardesses trysting in the lavatories with Z-list celebrities...and an elderly retired Marine who retakes the plane with only a shoelace, a nine-volt battery, and a plastic spork. Fun!
The FAA would, as my sainted mother might say, shit a brick.
Come to think of it, an air disaster movie marathon might be pretty cool. On the ground.
Posted by: Angie Schultz at May 4, 2007 12:31 PM
An air disaster themed flight is an *** awesome *** idea.
And, yes, you are correct as to my assessment of Virgin Atlantic's judgment. Anyone who thinks it is possible - who thinks it is amusing - to consider the WTC towers were brought down by missile fire cannot be trusted to take security seriously. If they do not understand the seriousness of the problem, if they think somehow the televised deaths of three thousand people in hijacked airplanes, are somehow a joke or a source of entertainment they cannot possibly understand the threat facing their passengers, their crew and everybody on the ground endangered by their irresponsibility.
If anything, I understated the problem by suggesting some marketing flak should be fired. Virgin Atlantic should be grounded until it can prove this was a one-off, grotesque mistake. They appear to believe the real problem is that their film choices have been "censored". The hell with them, the hell with all their affiliated brands and especially the hell with Richard Branson.
If the British government will not act - and of course it will not - Virgin Atlantic flights should be denied admission to United States airspace.
Posted by: Ghost of a flea at May 4, 2007 12:40 PM
