I often like to say that I might not have seen it all, but I've seen most of it.
So it wasn't a complete shock when, scrolling through the comments posted to American Airlines' Tweet the other day that the carrier would file a "friend of the court" brief to support marriage equality, that I came across a combination of outright vitriol and utter selfishness.
Not a lot.
But enough.
American Airlines posted this tweet on Tuesday:
Followed by:
This isn't something new for American Airlines. This isn't something trendy. This isn't something being done to get in on the rising poll numbers that indicate more acceptance of marriage equality than ever before.
Oh no.
No, no, no.
American Airlines has been a supporter of gay rights and marriage equality for a long time, long before its current CEO, CFO and Human Resources manager. These current executives didn't make policy, they inherited it - and they have done a wonderful job of running with it.
American was the first major airline to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits in 2000 and offers equal health benefits and travel privileges to same-sex partners of LGBT employees.
Because, well, it's the right thing to do.
Most people saw it that way.
And:
Others, well, ridiculously selfish.
Weather was awful. Getting bumped sucks. And everyone is entitled to their opinion but … really? Piggy-backing American's Tweet about an issue that affects tens of millions with a Tweet that, in the relative landscape of things, qualifies as, oh, a pimple?
And that Tweet wasn't even close to the vulgar one I saw that has apparently been since taken down.
I guess you could say I'm everything a marriage equality supporter shouldn't be - a married, heterosexual male with a political party affiliation and religious preference that frowns upon same-sex marriages. My words, my thoughts, my beliefs are my own.
American Airlines, Apple and the many other companies and institutions that support marriage equality? Well, they are giant entities who speak for the masses within their respective organizations, and certainly there are masses within those masses that do not agree with the overall position American has taken.
But you have to applaud American for living up to the standards it set for itself 15 years when it comes to this divisive issue.
Because it's the right thing to do.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
