Sen. Reinbold apologizes for venting about masks aboard Alaska Airlines

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Sen. Lora Reinbold of Eagle River has issued an apology on Facebook for having over-shared on Facebook about Alaska Airlines’ enforcement of its mask policy, which she takes issue with over civil liberties concerns.

“My apology is for venting on Facebook with too much emphasis, that may have been offensive to some of the flight attendants. I’m shocked it made the news?? I stand by civil liberties. I stand by my decision to say no to two masks, because mine didn’t cover my chin. I stand firmly behind my decision to ask Alaska Airlines board room policy makers tough questions. I don’t support any corporate policies that violate rights. I empathize with employees & passengers that have to deal with unsubstantiated policies that are discriminatory to those don’t tolerate masks or have contraindications. Alaska Airline’s pilots are great, they have outstanding reservation agents and hard working flight attendants.”

Her prior Facebook post garnered national attention and criticism but she has plenty of supporters in social media who believe the mask mandates have gone too far.

“I appreciate you questioning the airlines on their policy. As Senator, you are giving a voice to those of us who do not have one. Many people cannot tolerate masks for short periods, let alone on long flights. I missed my grandfathers funeral because of Alaska Airlines policy. I understand that the flight attendants do not make these rules. However, some flight attendants have let the power go to their head and have kicked off people for wearing respiratory masks and moms who are having trouble keeping masks on their 2 year old children. Ridiculous!,” wrote Kirstin Hills, on Reinbold’s Facebook page, a sentiment echoed by others.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Everyone’s their own Public Relations and Marketing expert they [don’t] think today. This is an example of what not to do, along with rant at the tame AM talk radio professionals when you call in to their shows, sheesh.

  2. The mistake made here was they shouldn’t have apologized for voicing their opinion. Stewardesses should have thicker skin than that while working with the public. Everything was right in the quote, stewards and stewardesses do get drunk with power at times. When I flew down to Florida from Alaska, there was a steward who pulled his max down so he could have a casual face-to-face with a passenger while they were waiting to go to the bathroom in first class. Mind you they weren’t a first class passenger, I guess they just wanted to use the first class bathroom or preferred to chatted up with that guy. All this was happening right next to my seat and I cringed into my seat further wishing I had some super glue so I could glue my freaking mask on even tighter than it already was. People who can’t wear mask any longer than for a short period of time is malarkey. You can do whatever you need to do to keep you and everyone else safe. I’d like to see how they would have reacted in a Hanoi Hilton, where they tell the guards I’m sorry sir I just can’t take this little bamboo cage anymore. The pandemic is nearing it’s end as flu shots come out in the next weeks, but will it ever be truly over? I don’t know how many idiots I’ve heard say they’re not going to get one just because the government says they have to . Well the government tells you you got to do a lot of things you might not want to do like pay taxes, get your kids vaccinated against smallpox and other deadly illnesses so they can attend public schools. They say you have to have insurance if you want to own a car. LOL I had to throw that one in there for all you non-insured motorists. There are consequences for not following the rules be it a fine, a lawsuit or maybe even loss of life which could be yours. I think I’m going to get a magic marker out and right on my mask I have covid-19 so stay the hell away from me. See, you can speak your mind?

  3. Thank you. Yes ma’am, your civil liberties are important! But what about your duty to society and your fellow citizens? One would think that a politician would understand that concept.

    This event illustrates how an otherwise reasonable individual becomes radicalized by constant exposure to extreme (either right or left) ideologies, resulting in the need to prove themselves by grandstanding for the other members of their tribe. It doesn’t just happen to Muslim Fundamentalists.

    Most people don’t subscribe to the extremes. They follow the Golden Rule, realizing that such inconveniences are necessary for peaceful co-existence, and act like their mothers taught them to.

    Sure, call us Sheeple (yes, such a clever turn of a word!), but you know what? The world runs better with cooperation instead of conflict. So think about that before you don’t wear your mask, or carry your gun into a restaurant, or perform out any other type of civil disobedience just to prove a point.

  4. That was an apology?
    If a person makes the mistake of insulting employees just carrying out their employer’s policies and realizes they were wrong, they should make a sincere apology, not a political statement that merely waters down the criticism and insulting comment made earlier.
    Crow is a dish hard to get down . But swallow she must.

  5. masks are another conditioner conditioning YOU to more government control over what you can and can not do, what you wear and what you can not wear, and what you say and what you can not say, and what you believe and what you can not believe. Masks seem harmless, just like stripping your shoes off at the airport and a wand scanning between your limbs, but it takes new territory for a government like one property owner moving his fence over increment measures over your property line until his fence is right up against YOUR house!

  6. They got this first amendment thing going on . I don’t know how long it’s going to last but for now it is valid and you are entitled to express your belief on any given subject. I added a new window sticker to my truck today to keep my blue lives matter, don’t tread on me, rebel flag company. It says global warmer on it. If it hurts some snowflakes feelings so be it. Anyways driving a car or riding in a car is contributing to global warming if they believe there is such a thing . Even the people that make solar panels are contributing to global warming if there is such a thing . I don’t worry about offending someone mostly because if they get upset about something on my window they are hypocrites and don’t truly believe in the first amendment. I’m not one of these people that are trying to erase the history of the United States by burying their head in the sand and pretending things didn’t happen. People need to get over it whatever it is that’s got their panties in a wad period and if they break a window on my truck that’s why I pay insurance and if I feel threatened while I’m in the truck that’s when my second amendment rights phase in.

  7. Reading and then re-reading the article here, it is not obvious that Senator Reinbold actually offered an apology. Oh well …………………

    • Good point. The glitterati politicos certainly don’t when entertaining off camera. Fight these battles with the camera phone, as they did with Pelosi, Feinstein and Newsom lately.

      See how this works Lora? Record the hypocrite politicians you see in Juneau!!!

  8. I’m a Patriotic American so that’s why I will wear the mask for as long as the flight takes. I or you could be carrying this deadly virus and it would break my heart if I was the one who caused a child’s or anyone’s death because of my negligence. Praying for my nation’s complete healing and speedy recovery so we can get back to normal! So Stop Being a Sniveling and Whining Snowflake and Wear The Mask!

  9. According to the U.S. Constitution, and many U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Citizens United, corporations are U.S. citizens which entitles them to all constitutional rights. I suggest Alaska Airlines use its constitutionally protected rights and refuse further service to Lora Reinbold. She has the right to refuse to wear a mask, and Alaska Airlines has the right to deny her service as long as it does not violate the protected classes of the Civil Rights Act.

    It really is unfortunate, for any citizen, but especially for an elected politician, to be so totally clueless about rights. All rights have limitations.

    For instance, the 1st amendment states that Congress ( and therefore state and local government) shall make no law “abridging the freedom of speech.” That only applies to government, and to any other entiry. For example, my employer can legally forbid me to communicate, either verbally or nonverbally support for political candidate X or ballot measure Y. If I violate my employers edict, I can be legally fired. An employer can fire an employee for smoking, even in the privacy of that employee’s home. An employer can fire an employee for drinking the wrong kind of beer.

    Business’ rights extend to costumers as well. Most of us are familiar with the business sign that reads, “No shirt, no shoes, no service.” Individuals have freedom to go shirtless or shoeless where permitted, but they don’t have that right in a business that refuses to serve shirtless and/or shoeless people.

    I really hope Alaska Airlines uses its rights and refuse service to Reinbold, and teaches her a civics’ lesson. She could still get to Juneau via the ferry from Whitter.

    • You are one of the crowd that believes a baker can’t refuse to bake a wedding cake if he doesn’t want to but now you are on the other side of the coin. You are so full of it in many of the claims in your diatribe, it is obvious your cheese has slipped of the cracker.

  10. I am with Lora, this crap is beyond stupidity. The incredibly irrational, illogical positions taken by many in the population with this virus lends credence to the assessment that people are crazy. All that has to happen is for the media to start hyping up a virus and for someone like Fauci , who is raking in millions because of the panic, to get a microphone and a huge segment of the population loses the ability to process information. “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

    • Those who would give up essential safety, to purchase a little temporary liberty, deserve neither safety nor liberty.

  11. I’m curious as to what form of logic you employed to infer that I implied any business, such as a baker, hasn’t the right to refuse to provide service to a customer, when I explicitly argued in my diatribe that a business does possess that right. Please let me know what is the difference between a baker refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple and Alaska Airlines requiring stipulations on customers? I acknowledge my ignorance. Please enlighten me.

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