The US Freedom Flyers (USFF) is a grassroots organization of different airline workers from 25 carriers. Its membership is currently at around 15,000. According to its co-founder Ron Souther, who’s working as a pilot for 31 years, he said that other people who aren’t part of the airline industry are joining the group.
US Freedom Flyers
Souther clarified that the US Freedom Flyers is not against vaccination. However, it is against the government’s imposition in individuals’ healthcare choices.
Souther said that “Regardless of somebody’s preference for vaccination or not, that’s not the issue. Our issue is to defend the country to help maintain our freedom and preserve our freedom”. He also added that “We have to pushback on this top down oppression and restore bottom up governance”.
No Need for a Vaccine Mandate?
Souther argued that President Joe Biden’s executive order is unnecessary. He said that before the executive order airlines perform health screenings.
Souther said that “The airlines kept operating, most employees kept working and all of a sudden, they can’t work. All of a sudden it’s not safe? It doesn’t make any sense”. He explained that “If you want to protect the airlines, stop the mandate period because it’s so unnecessary”. He even called the vaccine mandate “forced ideology” and “not flexible”.
Vaccine Deadline Extension
The Biden administration announced an extension of the vaccine mandate deadline to January 4. This gives employees more time to request for a religious or medical exemption. However, things are different with airlines that have federal contracts. Federal contractors don’t have the option to offer regular weekly testing.
Randy Erben, an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law said that “For private employers, they have the option to get the vaccination or to be tested weekly”. He added that “The federal contractors, they don’t have the option”.
The US Freedom Flyers is looking to block Biden’s executive order. However, Erben said that judicially, there were instances when vaccine mandates have been supported.
Erben said that “We have 7 mandated childhood vaccines for public schools and so, why is the COVID vaccine any different?”. He added that “On the other hand, you can argue that you have medical freedom to exercise but the Supreme Court as far back as 1905, has said jurisdictions can require vaccines in the context of small pox and polio”.
