Southwest Airlines is the product of a true southern sensibility. Meaning there is little sense – or heart – in anything it does. It represents all that is ugly about the US south. Especially lately. It is making a name for itself not for excelling in air service but for evicting passengers for petty and discriminatory reasons.
It recently created a brouhaha when it evicted L-Word star Leisha Hailey for sharing what appears to be an innocent kiss with her lesbian lover. Not long before that, it grounded the pants of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong for low riding. And who can forget its booting of director Kevin Smith for being too fat.
The latest lapse of southern hospitality on a Southwest Airlines flight is a little more ugly, if not downright Islamophobic.
A Muslim woman is suing Southwest Airlines for being kicked off her flight after a flight attendant reported hearing her say “it’s a go” into her phone — though according to the suit, she was just saying “I’ve got to go” as the plane was preparing to take off.
Irum Abbassi alleges that on March 13, Southwest Airlines employees unlawfully removed her from a flight from San Diego to San Jose, where she was headed to finish research for her Master’s thesis.
On the upside for the airline, I’m sure Hank Williams Jr. loves Southwest.
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If you want to criticize Southwest Airlines then do so. But to use the occasion to take a swipe at the entire southern United States discredits and distracts from any legitimate point you may have.
Jymn Reply:
October 10th, 2011 at 8:51 PM
I lived there a long time. I paid my dues. I’ve flown Southwest countless times. I can say what I want because it comes from experience and it is the truth.
rabbit Reply:
October 10th, 2011 at 9:03 PM
If you want people to listen to you, you have to avoid distraction like gratuitous put-downs.
Totally up to you whether you want to be effective, of course.
Jymn Reply:
October 10th, 2011 at 9:53 PM
Thank you for your concern, Rabbit. You’ve been commenting on my blog (and now my posts at Sister Sage’s) almost since its inception almost three years ago. You know I am not PC nor do I care if I have any credence. If I wanted that I’d be making money doing what I do for free. This is my diary, warts and all.
ck Reply:
October 10th, 2011 at 10:07 PM
I don’t think we need to be taking lessons from ol’ Rabbit,
rabbit Reply:
October 11th, 2011 at 1:03 PM
I’ve commented on this blog only a handful of times, and I’m not particularly concerned how you run your blog.
Only puzzled why someone would blog, but not care if they are given any credence.
Jymn Reply:
October 11th, 2011 at 1:34 PM
It doesn’t make money or reward me any other way than my own satisfaction. Besides, the more I fly under the radar the more I can freely speak without reproach or penalty. Except for pesky commenters.