Pirate

Bryan Killian is a high school student in North Buncombe, North Carolina who came to school in pirate regalia - with an eye patch and an inflatable plastic cutlass.

After warnings that he must revert to conventional landlubber attire, he was suspended.

"I feel like my First Amendment was violated," Killian, 16, said. "Freedom of religion and freedom of expression. That's what I tried to do, and I got shot down."

Freedom of religion?

Yes, Killian says, his "pirate regalia" is part of his faith -- the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (featured in the sidebar) does, indeed, prescribe pirate dress.

But, really, this all about a teenager trying to stir things up and push various adult buttons.

And I must say that I heartily celebrate that behavior, however difficult it makes some people's jobs.

Here at Dirty John Bonny the only objection is that he put the patch over the wrong eye. Proper pirates around here always "dress right."


Linky, and thanks for the picture, to the Asheville Citizen-Times.