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When Kamala Harris told a couple of pro-life activists at a recent rally that they were at the wrong event, she was signaling to the approving crowd that she shared their open contempt for Christians and Christian values. Leftists hate Jews and Christians primarily because Judeo-Christian morality is the greatest obstacle to the communist Left’s cult of sexual libertinism and self-deification.
Another notable recent example came when the editor of the far-Left Mother Jones magazine complained that a flight attendant had shared a “Christian nationalist dog-whistle” by merely wishing the passengers a “blessed” night at the end of a flight. The editor even tried to pressure Alaska Airlines publicly to take action against that horrible bigot to ensure that no passenger would ever again be oppressed by the “dominant culture enforcing its norms.”
This is the sort of soft totalitarianism routinely directed at Christians by our cultural elites, who control the dominant culture and who have no reservations about enforcing their norms, such as kink-promoting “Pride” parades, transgender flags adorning classrooms, and pushing pornography in school libraries.
Another example, also involving an airline (a common flashpoint in the culture wars): a long-time United Airlines employee, Ruben D. Sanchez, Jr., was terminated recently after a self-identified transgender customer alleged that Sanchez, a devout Catholic, made bigoted remarks to a fellow flight attendant.
Full disclosure: Ruben has been a friend of mine for many years, and thus I can personally vouch for him as one of the most good-hearted, unbigoted people I know. He has friends from all political persuasions. He is a consummate professional in his long-standing career. He is gay. But none of who Ruben really is means anything to the Cancel Culture crowd; they simply wield their ruthless politics of personal destruction against anyone who doesn’t conform to Leftist orthodoxy, ruin that victim’s life, and move on to the next target. Ruben is a conservative patriot, and that is sufficient to mark him as human “garbage,” as deposed ex-President Joe Biden recently put it, by the new Red Guard of the Democrat Party.
I approached Ruben with some questions about his experience.
Mark Tapson: Ruben, can you give us a little background about who you are, what you do, and about your military service?
Ruben Sanchez: I graduated from the University of Southern California in 1994 and began working at United Airlines in January 1996. I traveled all over the world and felt like life couldn’t get any better. Then, [the terror attacks of] Sept. 11th happened, and it occurred to me that I had a very nice life because I lived in America, and now my country needed healthy young men to fight for her. I joined the Air Force Reserves and shipped off to Basic Training at the age of 33. Since 2005, I’ve done both military reserve duty and flown for United. I’m now in my 19th year with the military, and while I will qualify to retire in April 2025, I am being deployed at that time and I want to go, so I plan to stay in a little longer.
MT: So you worked for United for 28 years without incident. Presumably they had no issues with you or your performance, but then came an incident that turned everything upside down. Can you describe what happened?
RS: Yes, 28 years at United Airlines, and at the time of the incident I had no performance issues. On 30 May, 2023, a transgender passenger who describes himself on X [formerly Twitter] as a “deepthroat pro” and who had tweeted about the joys of anal double penetration, sent a tweet to United that he overheard me say “I hate all black people” and “I’m proudly anti-trans.”
This happened on a “redeye” flight from Los Angeles to Cleveland, so most everybody was asleep. I was having a conversation with my co-worker, the lead flight attendant. He told me that his father had just converted to Catholicism. As I am also Catholic, I told him how happy I was. As it was a day before PRIDE month started, I did say that PRIDE is not something Catholics should be affirming, celebrating, or participating in. Further, I said that the Church would never support the idea that men can give birth and women can have penises. When we deviate from the idea of God over Man, Man over Woman, Woman over Child, we shouldn’t be surprised when chaos results.
About the transgender thing, I brought up the book When Harry Became Sally by a Catholic scholar, Dr. Ryan T. Anderson. I said we need to treat transgenders with compassion and love as Jesus has taught us. Nothing hateful or disrespectful ever came out of either of our mouths.
MT: An investigator looked into this complaint by combing your social media posts going back nearly 15 years, looking for evidence of bigotry on your part. These are posts that had nothing to do with United or its customers or employees, correct? But the investigator decided your values didn’t align with the company you’d served for nearly three decades.
RS: Yes, the supervisor conducting the investigation told me that since the customer used X to complain about me, the supervisor told me that my entire X timeline from January 2010 was subject to scrutiny and fair game. He showed me some tweets he personally found offensive. One was a retweeted, unflattering photo of Michelle Obama I joked about. Another was a joke about Chris Christie’s weight. The first retweet was deemed racist, and the other he considered offensive and shaming to “passengers of size.” Neither had anything to do with the passenger’s original complaint.
When asked why I reposted certain things, I said I am a Roman Catholic and cannot support a lot of what I see in leftwing politics today, especially when it comes to family dynamics. Catholicism, more than any other Christian denomination, has been consistent in its teachings on gender roles, sexuality, and the sacraments. When I gave faith-based answers, the investigator treated me like I was ignoring his questions.
NONE of my supposedly “offensive” posts were made while I was on company time, using company equipment, or while in uniform on my days off. Further, as I was covered by a collective bargaining agreement, I am allowed to speak about working conditions with other colleagues at work. Discussing PRIDE events sanctioned by United is a protected workplace conversation.
There was one photo of me in uniform with a pilot buddy in uniform on my shoulders. It was a cute photo that I shared on many United employee sites, and it got so many likes it almost went viral. That photo is what the investigator claimed created a nexus between United and all my years on Twitter.
MT: So you were terminated, and then the union refused to defend you at an arbitration?
RS: During my investigation, I did have union representation. Once I was terminated, the union filed a grievance, and I was entitled to two appeals. Neither went my way, and the union decided they would NOT defend me at arbitration. To defend myself at arbitration would cost $15,000, and it all had to be paid in full by 11 October 2024, or my arbitration would be canceled and my grievance withdrawn.
Elon Musk had tweeted that he would pay the legal fees of anyone who has gotten in trouble at work for what they said on Twitter. I did all I could to get hold of him, but also felt I shouldn’t feel entitled to his generosity and help. This was my fight.
I never felt comfortable doing a GoFundMe page, but a friend convinced me and I’m forever grateful, because I raised $10K in about 48 hours, which was great, but it wasn’t enough by the deadline, so I am now terminated with cause.
MT: You mention on your GoFundMe page that you feel that God has a purpose for you in this personal trial. Can you talk about that?
RS: Yes. I was terminated for defending Catholic teachings that go against the Godless woke mob’s groupthink. I realized during these 16 months that this is a battle God has chosen for me, and yet, I didn’t think I was ready to fight it. I had asked so many people to pray for me and that I accept whatever God has for me, and if it isn’t what I want, I had asked that they pray that I be given the grace to accept it.
I should feel depressed, angry, and vengeful, but I feel none of those things anymore. I was at first, but the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the many people that have stood firm in their convictions when it was potentially detrimental to their livelihoods. When I heard [pro football player] Harrison Butker’s commencement speech that attracted so many haters to him and his family, I didn’t feel alone anymore, and that is when I started holding my head high and welcomed all the adversity that this would bring me. I felt I was on the right path and that God would give me the grace to continue and persevere in my mission to clear my name and get justice.
I serve in the United States Armed Forces, currently with the 176th Airlift Wing of the Alaska AIR National Guard in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I made an oath to defend the Constitution, and one of the rights that the Constitution protects is my right to live as a man of faith. People flee Communist regimes to come here to escape the kind of treatment that I received from both United Airlines and my union, the Association of Flight Attendants. Courage is contagious, so I want to express my sincere gratitude to God and to everyone I have met on this journey who has shown me so much love and support.
MT: What’s the best way for people to help you out, Ruben?
RS: The best way to help me is to make a donation to my GoFundMe page. I would really appreciate prayers, Mass intentions, etc. Prayer is so powerful, I couldn’t have come this far without an army of prayer warriors by my side. I have the best group of friends, and I know I’m doing the right thing!
Follow Mark Tapson at Culture Warrior
Robert Redford did ads for United ITS TIME TO FLY while opposing Fossil Fuels and this man should be allowed to Sue for the violation of his Freedom of Religion
Freedom of religion on a private airline, on private property?
Freedom of association also means freedom not to associate. If a Christian baker wants to refuse to bake a wedding cake for a homo couple that is his right because the bakery is his private property.
If a private airline wants to refuse to let Muslims on board their airplanes because of 9/11 and the jihad nature and commandment contained in Islam that should be their right too.
You can practice your right to magical thinking mysticism on your private property and on your time not on your neighbor’s property and his time.
Never mind your usual insult of Christians. We are used to that. You see, what you fail to mention is that the airline would never refuse a Muslim passage on a plane….even if they yelled Allahu Akbar. But the airline has stooped to your excrement level in firing the Christian. Did you do a little “dance of joy” in your crummy little apartment?
And your low rent level of insult is degenerating the past two days. Yesterday it was Mr. Ex Porn Pimp for Tapson’s article. Today in your two posts for this article it appears to be ‘homo.’ Your Mom would be proud.
As usual you have about as much class what the dog leaves on the sidewalk.
….. Blow me ••••• °°°°°
Looks like the best part of you trickled down your mother’s ass crack!!!!
Would you be pissed if your employer, who for the sake of argument was a Christian and fired you for what you say on FrontPageMag on your own time?
Proverbs 14:12,
Yes, an injustice has been done civilly. But spiritually a greater injustice has been done. If you’re going to suffer, suffer for serving Christ. This man portrayed, and the author of this article has done neither.
I actually subscribed to Mother Jones magazine when I was in my teens.
Jesus, the editors today are 🐀 🐀 rats.
Trannies are rats too.
____________________
….as for corporate HR departments and Unions ….
Well, they have always been slugs from the beginning of time.
Never fly on United
https://images.app.goo.gl/K6GgANg8qJeAZm1F9
Thank you for the piece. It is important we know about this type of behavior so we know where not to spend our hard earned money.
You can’t be a homo and a Christian, not if you are serious and consistent about Christianity. This homo is fortunate he lives in modern and predominantly SECULAR America.
Today’s modern Christianity is essentially CAFETERIA CHRISTIANITY, you pick and choose whatever you want to believe out of your mystical fantasy Holy Book. In predominantly secular modern times a Christian is free to interpret and misinterpret the magical thinking fantasy of his Holy Book any which way he wishes.
Consistency is a requirement of reason and logic, not of faith.
Oh I see……..you forgot to include this little anti-Christian screed in your first post. Yet another classless comment from a truly classless excuse for a human being.
“Consistency is a requirement of reason and logic, not of faith.”
Not that you ever have shown us reason or logic.
Let me remind you what Daniel Greenfield said directly to you:
“”Daniel Greenfield says
September 29, 2023 at 9:14 pm
The idea that you and your particular belief system, for which you are an absolutely terrible representative, represent ‘reason’, is as much of a fallacy as the idea that Fauci represents science.
You are only as good as your arguments.””
Game, set, match, T!
You are assuming that identifying as gay necessarily involves genital expression of that identity. The Christian church does not, and never has had, any problem at all with same-sex-identified people who choose celibacy, which may be the case here.
The erm “gay” strongly indicaes the one in question ACTS on their particular attractions.
I can be very sringly attracted to women (I am….) bu that is no sin or failing. when I begi to ACT on that attraction outisde if marriage that is when I violate God’s laws agains fornication/adulterey.
If he laels himself or identifies himself as “gay” that means he ACTS on that proclivity. And that IS in violation of God’s laws. Of course, if you don’t believe God’s laws are binding, that is another issue. I know the RCC strongly opposes homosexuality, though it would seem it is quite common in both genders because of their mandated celibate (not sexually active in theory) Not to mention the “extracurricular activity” between the ordained priests and the equally ordained nuns….. and don’t tell me that does not happen. I grew up in that outfit………..
And do you consider yourself an honorable atheist?
Please remember your right to practice your atheistic beliefs exists, as does that of your long-admired objectivist Ayn Rand, under that set of “inalienable rights” granted in the Declaration of Independence.
While that might be meaningless to you, I doubt that every atheist believes the same things and should you voice your objectivist beliefs in Communist China or Iran the consequences would be swift and most likely torturous and or deadly. For you to reduce the unknown nuances of this man’s faith and the fact that he was conversing with another flight attendant who had willingly acknowledged having converted to Catholicism and their subsequent conversation as inappropriate flies in the face of it coming under both his and the other attendant’s freedom of religion and expression.
Had he been talking to “deep throat X” directly, that would be different. However, since it was a willing conversation between colleagues, one would charge the person feigning objection as nothing more than an eves-dropper listening to someone else’s conversation. Anyone onboard an airplane with several hundred passengers is highly likely to hear something with which they do not agree, however, to hold the expectation that your offense at overhearing another conversation is grounds for an employee’s termination is outrageous!! If this “deep-throat” is that much of a snowflake, perhaps all his/her future travel should be limited to car or SUV where the only voice heard will be his/her own!
An islamist would never have to worry about his religion-of-peace getting him fired.
When a Christian ever does to an airline what so man islamists have, then bitch to me about “Christian terrorism”.
Timothy McVeigh was called a Christian terrorist. Only problem is he wasn’t a Christian. (The press was so disappointed to learn that, they chose to ignore it.)
Agree and good article. One thing: you Cannot be a devout Catholic And ‘gay’. Period. You’re overall point is good however
The fact that he was criticising Pride sounds to me as though he might be same sex attracted but celibate.
If you are gay and do not live that life style or promote it you most certainly can be Catholic. If a thief stops stealing he isn’t is a thief any longer even though he may still have those tendencies or desires.
the thief who stops his stealing is no longer a thief. The homosexual who ends his perverted practices is no longer a homosexual. He may continue in his same-sex attraction but he is no longer “gay” or “queer”or “homosexual”. once he ceases to act on those impulses.
By identifying with the label “gay” or whatever, he indicates he continues to ACT on those drives, and thus he is in contuning sin, in clear violation ofGod’s law. He 9God) does not mandate we cease all such thoughts.. He only mandates that we cease ACIONG upn them.
Ever think you might want to kill someone who has seriously wronged you for no cause? Fine. But once you begin shopping for that murder tool, you’re ACTING on the desire to make him dead, clear violation of God;s law.
When Kamala’s “Catholic” boss Dementia Joe receives communion, it’s a Dorito chip received from Gretchen Whitmer (Kamala prefers boxed communion wine).
“Man over woman”? Yikes!
I think we need to allow for the illiteracy of many women in some Gentile cultures in ancient times. In 1 Cor 14:35, the only thing that would guarantee it being a good idea for all Christian women to seek guidance from their husbands would have been if the women were unable to check out the Scriptures for themselves (which would also mean that a teacher or preacher could not quickly address their questions in the context of a teaching session and then move on). When Paul was writing, accountability to a husband who could read the Scriptures and therefore could recalibrate the family’s course where necessary would have been an essential safeguard.
Mr. Sanchez has a strong case and hope he wins millions. He needs at once to contact Alliance for Defending Freedom (who I support monthly) to consider as a case. Best of luck. And I won’t be flying United anytime soon.. They have a Trans CEO and cannot imagine anyone flying with them for political or safety resasons.
United requires its employees to take DEI training annually, and required its employees to certify that they will not only comply with company requirements but will agree with the beliefs they espouse in the training. If you don’t do it, your pay stops, Most employees agree to the terms to keep their jobs. But, this constitutes a change in the terms of their contract and therefore is a violation of that contract, This should drive union action, but the unions actually support the company’s DEI position, Therefore, the employee is often left to fend for themselves. The unions have provided an escape route for themselves by saying that these are HR issues, and that they are limited in what they can do for an employee once an issue becomes an HR issue. I have seen United Airlines significantly decline as a good work environment, company and airline over the last 29 years as they have gone more woke. Good doesn’t lead the way at United and I would encourage all customers to consider their safety first when it comes to choosing an airline.