The airline personnel are trained to act responsibly in the event that there is a question of risk to the other passengers. Evidently, what was reported as to what was said was questionable enough to warrent the action taken. The pilot of the plane decides whether to take off or not. If there is any apprehension, the pilot could lose focus and not be able to fly the plane safely.

Safety is the main idea here. Heed the warnings and obey the rules to avoid trouble.

I have a friend that was questioned for nine hours in France after making small talk to another passenger about safety on the plane. Guess what? He is Anglo-American, but he does have a beard. He was frustrated but understood the precautions taken by the airline. He learned a lesson.

You can talk about civil rights all you want. Be my guest. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Just examining life so it can be worth living.