Palin once again fails to understand what religious tolerance REALLY means.

"What? Alaska Airlines removed those prayer cards that insult every other religion but my own? How dare they!"

Recently Alaska Airlines decided to end a 30 year tradition and stop providing little prayer cards along with meals in first class:

Airline spokeswoman Bobbie Egan said the airline heard from customers who preferred not to mix religion with transportation. 

The decision reflects respect for the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of Alaska Airlines' customers and employees, the company said in announcing the change. "Some customers were comforted by the cards and some didn't feel religion was appropriate on the plane and preferred not to receive one," she said.

Seems pretty cut and dried doesn't it? The airlines is FINALLY recognizing that not everybody wants to have a religious faith they may, or may not, adhere to thrust in their face while traveling.

It seems like an obvious choice, not to mention one that probably should have taken place decades ago.  Who could possibly find fault with it?

Oh that's right, HER!

It seems astonishing that someone would be offended by a simple prayer card placed on an airline’s meal tray, ( Because I lack the imagination to understand how non-Christians might feel about finding these cards attached to their meals.) but I guess that’s the politically correct world we live in now. A few days ago, Rev. Franklin Graham ( Of course!) gave me a heads up that Alaska Airlines may discontinue its nice, decades-long Alaskan tradition of including a little prayer card on flight meal trays. Rev. Graham is a frequent flyer to Alaska on Alaska Airlines because of his missionary work. Of course, as an Alaskan I’m also a frequent flyer on this airlines, which always seems to provide superb service. When I heard from Rev. Graham, I immediately sent the following letter to the CEO and President of Alaska Airlines. 

It feels so odd that some may be offended by a little card with an encouraging non-denominational verse from the Psalms, (But not nearly as odd as hearing somebody so completely lacking in religious sensitivity saying how odd it feels.) but how often do we hear complaints about tawdry ads or billboard images flashing at us everywhere we turn? (Uh, all the time?) People of faith and common decency just shrug and move on from the constant assault on their sensibilities; we don’t call for censorship – at least I don’t. (That part made me laugh so hard I choked a little.) So, why in this day and age must every reference to faith in God be censored from the public square? Why must a private company buckle under pressure from a handful of people who find a little card saying “the Lord is my shepherd” offensive? I’m sure there are many more people who appreciate the cards, or at least are ambivalent about them. 


That is the problem with people who grow up completely saturated in the teachings from one narrow version of religion, they simply do not understand why EVERYBODY does not want to be exposed to their belief system.  I can only imagine how completely insane Palin would suddenly get if, on her next flight, she opened her food tray and instead of finding one of these..

...found one of these in its place.

Somehow I think that Palin's desire to be "ambivalent about them" would disappear in a white hot flash of outrage.

For your amusement here is the letter that Palin had ghostwritten for her to send.



Dear Mr. Ayer and Mr. Tilden: 

Thank you for your tremendous service to Alaskans and so many others over all these years! We love Alaska Airlines. As I tell everyone, it is my favorite. 

In my book “Going Rogue” (Book pimping opportunity!) I gave a special shout-out to airline employees because of the extraordinary customer service and good attitudes I witness on flights that my family and I take around this great country. It’s inspiring and impressive to see the sweet spirit of hard working airline employees shine, in spite of sometimes difficult people and circumstances dealt with everyday. 

Also inspiring and impressive, and very encouraging, is the special touch Alaska Airlines has blessed fliers with for many years. Your small prayer cards that remind us of the beauty of thankfulness have never ceased to amaze me. In this tumultuous world, finding this little tangible reminder of such an important virtue is always uplifting! Thank you for providing the cards. 

It’s come to my attention that the cards may be discontinued due to a few who are offended. I really hope this is just a rumor. Please remain strong and courageous in the face of a cultural trend that wants to wage war on any positive thing that a few may construe as offensive. The Alaska Airlines tradition should be looked upon as an all-American, (And by "all America" of course she means Christian) hopeful, encouraging gesture. Please don’t discontinue the cards. 

Thank you again for your service! 

Sarah Palin and family

You know if I were Sarah Palin (And hopefully that very idea will not cause me to wake up screaming into the night), I would be VERY careful not to irritate the Alaska Airline executives. Especially since they provided cover for her by having their spokesperson Caroline Boren, respond to questions about her flight from Texas while supposedly in labor by saying the following: 

"The stage of her pregnancy was not apparent by observation. She did not show any signs of distress," Boren said. 

Of course we happen to know that the stage of her pregnancy was VERY evident.

Picture of Palin taken on March 26th, just 23 days before she gave "birth."

Don't we?

And certainly the flight attendants could not help but notice it as well.  So far they have stayed quiet, but it would only take one irritated Alaska Airline's executive to open the floodgates and instruct their flight attendants to go public with what they ACTUALLY observed on that flight.

Now wouldn't THAT be fun?