For four years, liberals, especially the blue-check brigades in media and politics, referred to former President Donald Trump in the vilest terms, and often openly endorsed death threats made against him. But the veiled, tongue-in-cheek announcement of one Southwest Airlines pilot critical of President Joe Biden is apparently cause for a national scandal.
On Sunday, Southwest announced that it had launched an internal probe into reports that one of its pilots declared “Let’s go Brandon” on Friday during comments from the cockpit on a flight from Houston to Albuquerque.
But some conservatives dispute the account, saying the alleged audio of the incident seems to be doctored.
Over the past month, “Let’s go Brandon” has become a rallying cry among conservatives, code for saying “F–k Joe Biden.”
An Associated Press reporter on the flight noted that the pilot’s jab at Biden caused “audible gasps” among passengers. She also claimed she happened to be working on an article about people saying “Let’s go Brandon” when the pilot uttered those very words.
While many on the right gather an impish pleasure from the “Let’s go Brandon” taunt, Southwest was not amused.
“The Southwest Team takes pride in providing a welcoming, comfortable, safe, and respectful environment for the millions of customers who fly with us each year,” the company said in its statement Sunday.
“Southwest does not condone Employees sharing their personal political opinions while on the job serving our Customers, and one Employee’s individual perspective should not be interpreted as the viewpoint of Southwest and its collective 54,000 Employees,” the airline added.
The company further said that it would “address the situation directly with any Employee involved while continuing to remind all Employees that public expression of personal opinions while on duty is unacceptable.”
“Southwest does not tolerate any behavior that encourages divisiveness, as it does not reflect the Southwest Hospitality and inclusiveness for which we are known and strive to provide each day on every flight.”
Becket Adams, a reporter for the conservative Washington Examiner, pointed out one obvious flaw in the reporter’s story. She claimed she heard the pilot say it on Friday when a Tik Tok video of the alleged comment was made on Oct. 12.
Adams also said it sounds like the video was edited, and that the pilot was really saying, “Let’s go Braves,” for the Atlanta Braves, in order to troll any Houston Astros fans who may have been aboard.
“As far as I can tell, the sole source for the southwest story is a lone AP lunatic who bragged she demanded access to the locked cockpit after she supposedly heard the pilot say the phrase. so, you’ll excuse me as I await secondary confirmation before I believe the story,” Adams tweeted.
Regardless of that point, with Southwest, it’s appropriate for the company as a whole to express its political beliefs, no matter how divisive they are, and whether its employees agree with them.
On June 3, 2020, a few days after George Floyd died in police custody, Southwest said in a statement that the “circumstances of his killing — and that of too many other Black Americans — must finally serve as the catalyst to affect real change. We must not tolerate racial injustice; we must not tolerate hate. We must stand for love.”
“We stand alongside our Black Employees, Customers, and communities whose voices will no longer be silenced,” the company added.
“There is plenty of work to be done, but we are committed to doing our part to drive change. Our values, for all People, are based on the Golden Rule. Our Purpose is to connect people to what’s important in their lives. What’s happening in our nation is extremely important; it is a loud cry for us to listen, to see, and to truly understand. Then, we can and must do better.”
Support journalism by clicking here to our GoFundMe or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here
Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. It’s Free And Coming To Apple Users Soon
- Illegal Alien Arrested For Attempted Murder In Florida After Slashing Man With Box Cutter
- Kenny Chesney Returns To The Road With Here And Now 2022, Tampa April 23
- Separate Polls, Similar Results: More Than 70% Of Americans Both Think Country Is Off Track, Disapprove Of Congress
- “Simply Recovery” Florida Woman, Owner Of Drug Rehab Clinic Arrested Selling Fentanyl To Clients