Pro-choice activists went on the offensive this week after one of their own got dressed down by a flight crew for donning what American Airlines personnel deemed to be an over-the-top T-shirt.

(See the offending shirt after the jump.)

The clothing in question rehashes the headline-grabbing sign Oklahoma state Sen. Judy McIntyre (D) waved at abortion rights’ rallies this spring:

RH Reality Check editor in chief Jodi Jacobson earlier this week chronicled the commotion that ensued when the American Airlines crew finally got a good look at the expletive-laced covering in question.

Jacobson was so incensed by the treatment visited upon her colleague, the mystery provocateur identified only as “O,” that she launched an online petition demanding the airlines apologize for the sartorial smack down. But the 4,100 (and counting) petition signatories probably shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for any mea culpas.

AA spokesman Tim Smith told HOH the company has absolutely nothing to apologize for. He pointed out that the corresponding “Conditions of Carriage” empower employees to proactively deal with potentially noncompliant consumers.

“Our cockpit and cabin crews are the final arbiter of any decision for something like this,” Smith said.

Smith insisted it was the prominently displayed f-bomb, not the underlying political message (Jacobson’s core concern) that was the true cause for alarm. “We routinely do not allow any garment of any type to display that word,” he said.