Two former Alaska Airlines flight attendants are filing religious discrimination complaints against their former employer for allegedly firing them because they expressed unwelcomed religious views on a company forum.
Earlier this year, Alaska Airlines announced that it supported the Equality Act, a divisive bill that aims to change the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include “gender identity and sexual orientation” among the legally recognized “non-discrimination” classifications. This would mandate that Americans accommodate and facilitate behavior and events associated with the LGBTQ movement in private establishments, schools, churches, business, health care, entertainment and many other areas.
Lacey Smith got onto the Alaska Airlines forum and posted a simple question to her employer: “As a company, do you think it’s possible to regulate morality?”
Likewise, one of her now terminated colleagues posted, “Does Alaska support: endangering the Church, encouraging suppression of religious freedom, obliterating women rights and parental rights?”
The corporate ‘canceling’ of our clients by Alaska Airlines makes a mockery of laws that protect religious Americans from employment discrimination.
According to First Liberty Institute, a national legal organization that is now working with the former Alaska Airlines employees, the second flight attendant copied and posted information about the Equality Act that she received from the Heritage Foundation.
“Both clients were subsequently investigated, questioned by airline authorities, and fired from their jobs,” First Liberty Institute’s website notes.
It adds that the airlines told Smith she was discharged because she claimed that defining gender identity or sexual orientation was a moral issue. The airlines claimed that was a “discriminatory statement.”
“Our other client’s notice of discharge stated that her posting was ‘hateful,’ ‘offensive,’ and ‘discriminatory,’” First Liberty explained. “Both our clients are firmly committed to equality and diversity and always treating others with kindness and respect. They each simply sought clarification of the airlines’ position on a particular piece of legislation, yet after posting concerns shared by millions of Americans – including many in Congress – they were fired.”
First Liberty has filed a religious discrimination complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, stating that in firing of the two flight attendants “Alaska Airlines discriminated against them on the basis of religion, perpetuated a hostile work environment, failed to grant them a religious accommodation allowing them to express their opinions on the same basis as other protected classes, and retaliated against [them].”
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“The corporate ‘canceling’ of our clients by Alaska Airlines makes a mockery of laws that protect religious Americans from employment discrimination,” said David Hacker, Director of Litigation for First Liberty. “It is a blatant violation of state and federal civil rights laws to discriminate against someone in the workplace because of their religious beliefs and expression. Every American should be frightened if an employer can fire them for simply asking questions based on their religious beliefs about culturally important issues.”
First Liberty’s website praises Smith for being willing to “stand by her God-given rights to believe as her conscious and faith dictate, not the official ‘woke’ narrative from a corporation.”
It adds that Smith’s termination “demonstrates the heavy hand woke corporate America wields over religious employees, as well as the devastating repercussions that can follow. The consequences for those who dare to violate the ‘acceptable’ speech codes set up by the corporate elite are extreme – it cost Lacey her whole career and dismantled her lifelong professional reputation.”
CONTACTS TO RESPECTFULLY SHARE YOUR OPIONIONS
Alaska Airlines Corporate Offices
P.O. Box 68900
Seattle, WA 98168
206-433-3200
14 Comments
Flight Attendants Stand your Ground.
These are important battles!
Thank you for keeping us informed!
I for one ‘great grandma’ am sick and tired of ‘weak kneed sisters (Not a real slam to females) ! Seems all of WE the People’s elected, who work for and are ‘supposedly paid for by US, are so seeming unsure.. Their responses so lackluster. Where are are true strong Patriots? Where are the eloquent, voices! Really standing up of rule of law, their own oaths of office, our US Constitution as it applies to each and every “Legal US Citizen? Where are they. Dunleavy gets a “C” grade and so does US Senator Sullivan (Marine Corps huh?) . WE want to know that without reservation you stand with WE the People who pay your way. Grandma
Stand your ground and let them terminate you, don’t walk. I won’t go anywhere near a business that mandates the vax, hell no, not even a medical office, we’re talking mutant covid breeding grounds, besides, they turned their backs
The main expressed DUTIES of those accepting a stipend from public trust funds is defending US Constitutional rights like freedom of conscience and expressions of such beliefs anywhere in the US. If you are a public servant you cannot object to personal jurisdiction. Rights CAN NOT be diminished under “this” Constitution of 1776 which still stands or treaties like statehood enactments. Judges are bound by this Constitution. State constitutions can not conflict with it or the state Constitution is void for effect. MEmbers of state legislators are all bound to support THIS Constitution. What can they be doing? How about “Inquiring” (investigating) the creation (corporation) Alaska allowed to be licensed and benefit by handsome margins off of Alaska’s travel needs in Alaska. Do you see them doing any of their actual duties? The government created instruments of the minds (free consciences) of the people. Instruments of government do NOT EVER yield the people’s sovereignty. We retain all sovereignty it doesn’t go to dictating agents because that would repugnant. Public servants REMAIN servants and never become dictators. Ironically, the state of Washington’s old state constitution says that more explicitly than most.
Servants just don’t dictate to their literal masters the people. God is Sovereign. He spoke us into being. Man is independent. All men are free. It was codified too in our American instruments. Governments and corporations do not have lawful RIGHT to usurp people’s rights. Corporations are privileged to engage in interstate and foreign commerce and are obliged to act in compliance with the US Constitution and not to infringe on individual rights. There is remedy ($300,000 and plus) per instance Judges as public servants must apply remedy. You ARE NOT PRIVATE CORPOATIONS. Realign with the US Constitution and correct these violations. None of your policies are allowed to infringe on our equal rights in all cases. Our public employees are under duty to check their creations, your business licences, they have licensed to see if their conduct is discovered to be usurpations. Our public servants should show up for the show down and video this expose. We the people are simply petitioning for redress from our legislators as we have a right to do. If you don’t do this work are you complicit? That becomes a separate grievance. There may be more to these complaints. Legislators please look into them. Can an airline “policy” vacate our form of government? Evidently, the legislators of Alaska are fine with this. The persons of Alaska do not consent to their rights to travel being ceded to airline employees who have no in-depth training in US Constitutional rights and it has become a severe deprivation of guaranteed rights in Alaska. If you receive a stipend from public trust funds and don’t lift a finger to defend rights you must also be removed from your stipend and office I believe since this and preparing a budget are your main job duties as representatives.
“The government created instruments of the minds (free consciences) of the people.” Weird. Seems antithetical to general libertarian thought.
“Our public servants should show up for the show down” I like that.
“Can an airline “policy” vacate our form of government? ” Can’t. Doesn’t.
“severe deprivation of guaranteed rights in Alaska” WAY over stated.
Educational. Thanks.
Wow. So the lie of sexual identity must be upheld and protected above Biblical truth and the constitutional right of religious freedom. That withstanding, it is Christianity that is the foundation of treating others with kindness and respect, no matter whom they are, what the look like, or how they behave. This is entirely doable and it is ironic that Ak Air would fire employees that are so capable of doing so even if they don’t agree with the customer.
Jesus was pretty clear, and those of us who are Christ followers abide by …. Mark 12:30-31. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.
“ it is Christianity that is the foundation of treating others with kindness and respect”.
That’s the sort of arrogance that diminishes religion.
“ it is Christianity that is the foundation of treating others with kindness and respect”.
That’s the sort of arrogance that diminishes religion.
Flying with Alaska this week and then no more.
This is the perfect example of Christophobia that is on the rise in every part of our world and our nation. It is real and it is hate.
This from an airlines that removed prayer cards because they might offend someone. So sad to see a once great airline go so far down!
I remember the days when Bruce Kennedy was at the helm of AK Air. The prayer cards were there for anyone who embraced the message and comfort. Those who did not embrace that belief simply could throw them away…they had the “freedom” to choose for themselves to do that. Mr. Kennedy understood that balance. He honored all who worked for the airline and flew with them by providing safe travel, excellent service and respect for individual choice. He did not promote divisive actions or words nor were the prayer cards intended to divide those with opposing viewpoints. Embracing the message was optional, NOT required as a pretext to fly with or work for AK Air. With his God inspired discernment, he led AK Air through the most successful time of it’s operational history even in the midst of some major tragedies. He was a man of faith who actually put God first in his professional life having left AK Air after many years to pursue mission work. He has passed away now but the LEGACY he left with AK Air was one of respect for all. It’s a shame those now in control of company policy did not use him as a role model; maybe they would’ve had courage enough to remain on the side of logic while giving freedom for people to act and believe as they choose. As a closing FYI to the “demanding woke” among us: Yes, we do need more civility toward our fellow man (or woman). Start with teaching MANNERS to your kids and promote MANNERS in the schools instead of labeling entire cross sections of society “oppressors” and “oppressed”. Rudeness toward “anyone” was not tolerated “in” our house nor in our behavior outside of the home. At the same time, it is ridiculous for the LGBTQ community to need the world to embrace their personal, sexual behavior or to legislate and require that lifestyle be “embraced”. If you’ve found happiness with someone…more power to you. It’s your PERSONAL business. WE DON’T CARE!…just like you don’t care for our viewpoint. Anytime one group’s need for validation overrides another group, society ALWAYS LOOSES.