PJ: Mrs. Palin complains (so what else is new?*) that giving every passenger a Christian prayer card is all about religious freedom. I wonder what she'd say if the head of the airline became a Muslim and decided to give out Islamic verses instead. She also said that this was the latest example of how it had become “hip to wage war on American traditions lately.” I did not know that it was an American tradition to give out prayer cards on flights? In fact, I've never received a prayer card on any other American carrier.
I've always thought that the US was the 'home of the free and the brave'; a place where religious freedom was paramount. In Mrs. Palin's America, all people, citizens or not, are to be forced to observe the Christian faith...kind of reminds me of the extreme views of the Taliban and it doesn't sound very free to me.
* Just for fun I Googled "Sarah Palin complains" and 59,300,000 options came up!
The Daily Telegraph
Sarah Palin complains about Alaska Airlines decision to drop prayer cards
Sarah Palin has written to Alaska Airlines, her favourite carrier, to complain about a decision to end its decades old practice of giving passengers prayer cards during flights.
By Nick Allen
Since the 1970s the airline has included cards bearing phrases from the Book of Psalms with its in-flight meals. The cards were intended to put people at ease during their journey.
After a rising number of complaints the company said it would be abandoning the tradition from next month.
“This difficult decision was not made lightly,” it said. “We believe it’s the right thing to do in order to respect the diverse religious beliefs and cultural attitudes of all our customers and employees. Religious beliefs are deeply personal and sharing them with others is an individual choice.”
Mrs Palin, the former governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential candidate, as well as a frequent flier with Alaska Airlines, said it “provides superb service” but called the decision “nonsensical.” She said it was the latest example of how it had become “hip to wage war on American traditions lately.”
Writing on her Facebook page, Mrs Palin said: “It seems astonishing that someone would be offended by a simple prayer card placed on an airline’s meal tray, but I guess that’s the politically correct world we live in now.
“We don’t call for censorship – at least I don’t. So, why in this day and age must every reference to faith in God be censored from the public square?” In a letter to the airline’s chief executive and president, she said: “The Alaska Airlines tradition should be looked upon as an all-American, hopeful, encouraging gesture. Please don’t discontinue the cards.”
Alaska Airlines is America’s seventh largest carrier with 16.5 million passengers per year. The prayer cards included quotes such as “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.”
An airline spokesman said: “Over the years, we’ve received comments from customers who were comforted by the cards, but many others felt religion was not appropriate on an airplane and preferred not to receive one.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/sarah-palin/9045168/Sarah-Palin-complains-about-Alaska-Airlines-decision-to-drop-prayer-cards.html
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