Listening is optional

Which is, apparently, American Airlines' new corporate motto.

The background: Meryl Dorey of the AVN has recorded an interview, in which she repeatedly herps on topics of which she is ignorant and unqualified. American Air picks up the segment for its inflight entertainment program and magazine.

Public outcry, and right now, there's a twitter storm a-happening. PZ Myers (102,000 followers) and Phil Plait (174,000 followers) have picked up the story. Stop The AVN have been vocally hammering the twitter stream and email channels. Many prominent medical voices on social media are throwing their weight behind the message. This is not acceptable. American's response?

The mind boggles. I wonder if they'd be as happy to air material by, say, the KKK? Or David Irving? This is what we're talking about - dangerous and abhorrent misinformation carried by an apparently reputable organisation, which as a result has a strong implication of endorsement. It matters not a jot whether it was produced by a thrid party. Someone at American has had to sign off on the content, and as such American Airlines has given endorsement to anti-vaccination lies.

This must not be allowed to stand. Tell your friends, tell American Airlines, tell the press.

Most of all, live by their new company motto. Listening is optional. Just as optional as flying American Airlines. If you have a ticket in hand, consider cancelling it and finding another airline. If you're travelling soon, pick a different, reputable airline which does not screen anti-vaccination propaganda.

 

UPDATE 24 Apr 2012: A result!

American Airlines have tweeted that they will in fact not be distributing Dorey's material. Cue the AVN's flying monkeys in 3...2...1...

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