False Alarm

Followers of Banana Winds might expect, at this point, for the Captain to take a victory lap around the deck after the Republican-controlled House of Representatives failed to pass their “American Healthcare Act” – “the World’s Greatest Health Care Plan of 2017”.

But like the failed Trump administration, we on the Banana Winds are ready to move on.

Because there’s a greater concern in the world today that has the ship in an uproar!

On Sunday, three girls were denied their right to board a United Airlines flight because they were wearing leggings.

Two were describes as “early teens”, the third a “10-year-old”.

Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demanding Action for Gun Sense in America” (MDAFGSIA...?), witnessed this travesty of justice and immediately took her concerns to Twitter.   

As these things go, the tweet went viral. Thousands of people around the world became outraged, threatening to never fly United again!

Anyone remember this classic?

Even celebrities got involved in the protest… because, celebrities.

The Captain looks forward to my next flight on United with Chrissy Teigen!

Seriously, the Captain has addressed the issue of leggings and yoga pants previously. (here and here)

Since then, leggings/yoga pants have become a regular feature of most women’s closets.

In fact, today at Walmart I saw a 60-something woman wearing yoga pants.

Sadly, there are just some things you can never un-see…

I have a friend who wears yoga pants regularly, and she looks cute in them! 

She also keeps her bum covered in a much-appreciated touch of modesty.

And did you know yoga pants are the fastest-growing fetish on internet porn sites?

Or so the Captain has heard…

So why are leggings/yoga pants prohibited at United Airlines?

Well, actually, they are not.

What Ms. Watts did not know – and did not bother to find out – is that the young ladies in question were traveling courtesy of United’s “Buddy Pass”. As relatives of employees, they are allowed to fly for free.

Non-Revenue Passengers.

And for those flying for free on United, there is a Dress Code.

Anyone else can wear leggings / yoga pants.

Okay, maybe not everyone...

Captain’s Note: Does anyone remember the “good ol’ days” of air flight, when people actually dressed up to travel? 

In the late 80’s, when the Captain was but a young preacher, the local Rabbi gave him sage advice: “Always dress up when traveling by air. You will get better service.”

Here’s the deal. If you are using a “Buddy Pass”, you are representing the company. And since the company is paying for your ticket, the company has a say in what you will wear.

It is, perhaps, trying to stop a fashion tragedy like this…

Rather than protesting, we should say “Thank You!”

Frankly, sometimes there are “rules” in life.

           

Be it known that the Captain would never infringe upon your right to self-expression…

... or your right to being comfortable. Lord knows I have flown enough to appreciate that!

But if you want to ride for free, you have to abide by the rules.

If you can’t, then join all those people who get to wear whatever the hell they want and buy your own damn ticket!

Captain’s Note: For what it’s worth, the last time the First Mate flew to Los Angeles, her ticket cost $750 - coach! How much is your self-expression worth to you?

The problem here is not the airline policies. United is free to make any policy it chooses. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else!

The problem here is Social Media and people who don’t bother to check out the facts before they post their faux outrage online.

Even Ms.Watts is surprised by the uproar her un-informed tweet created: "Even more outrageous than leggings discrimination and lousy corporate policy, is the fact that there was a shooting in Cincinnati and a shooting in Las Vegas this weekend and so many more shootings this week and weekend in which people were killed and injured,… not to mention, a serious issue with missing black women and girls... But here we are talking about leggings."

Perhaps you should have thought about that before you tweeted.

Johnny One Note

Dear Readers: The Captain would like to apologize for the repetitive use of images of President Donald Trump in today's post. However, this was deemed necessary to convey my point. I apologize to those who, like me, are sick and tired of seeing his ugly mug everywhere; I will try to do better in the future. - The Captain

***

When the Captain was but a wee cabin boy, the high school music department presented its annual musical production. That particular year it was a variety show. A very talented young man – who would later meet a tragic and untimely end while trying to make it big in Los Angeles – sang “Johnny One Note”, from the 1937 musical “Babes in Arms”.

Here’s Judy Garland doing the original.

That song came to mind recently as the Captain was reading through a Facebook post about, once again, President Trump.

Turns out that the President lied about being wire-tapped by President Obama during the recent presidential campaign.

Yet one Trump supporter replied to the allegation: “I don’t care what he does so long as he turns the Supreme Court pro-life.”

You see? Johnny One Note.

I have mentioned this before, but I’ll say it again. The job of the President of the United States of America is about more than just nominating a Supreme Court justice who will overturn Roe v. Wade.

First and foremost, the President is the nation’s Chief Dreamer, the Caster of the Vision, the Enabler of the American Dream.

He also gets to appoint Cabinet Secretaries, the people who will advise him and help shape the President’s dreams. In addition, there are some 2,000 other government jobs that are nominated from the Oval Office.

Then there is the Federal Budget. A President is expected to lead the way in determining where our tax dollars are spent, and he gets to sign off on the final budget approved by Congress.

The President also is the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. militaries, and has always within arms reach the “Football” – the briefcase capable of launching nuclear weapons against our enemies.

May it never be used. Amen.

And the President is the chief Ambassador of the United States, meeting with other world leaders to confirm and coax harmonious and mutually-beneficial relationships between the nations.  

Awkward!

In the past, many have also seen the President of the United States as someone to look up to: a father figure, a moral leader, a hero.

So the job of President is multi-faceted. And many of these facets have direct implications upon our lives and the state of our nation – our safety, our security, our economic viability.

But thanks in no small part to the “Johnny One Note”s out there who voted for Donald Trump based on a single campaign promise – and keep in mind, these were just campaign promises – we have a President who is detached, has filled his Cabinet with cronies and others who have absolutely no experience, has no military experience or respect for the military (beyond their ability to blow shit up!), has an unstable temperament, and is a chronic liar and manipulator.

If you want to see how the President is doing on his campaign promises, click this link:

36 Promises

Not to make unfair comparisons, but the President seems to operate from a mindset similar to what Adolph Hitler wrote in 1925 in Mein Kampf: 

“If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.”

Nonetheless, his approval ratings are abysmal, especially for a newly-elected President. Even failed TV host Arnold Schwarzenegger is trolling him!

And world leaders are definitely uneasy about this administration.

Germany's Angela Merkel reacts after Trump says Germany owes NATO money!

Japan's Shinzo Abe re-positions after an uncomfortable handshake with Trump.

And these are our allies!

As for the Johnny One Note who thinks this President will fulfill his campaign promise about abortion - apparently Johnny's sole concern - Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch told the Senate panel interviewing him today that if the President had asked him to overturn Roe v. Wade, he would have turned down the nomination.

Here’s looking to Election Day 2020!