Airlines ban emotional support animals ⁠

My partner, Dennis, often says that he would love to play for the NBA. But he has accepted the limitation of being too short and though it causes sadness and disappointment, he has moved on with his life.

He’s being facetious, but he’s making a good point: there are disappointments like that in life. Even grave and tragic circumstances that lead to those disappointments.

I know people who have accepted the limitations of their disabilities with grace. They understand that the world cannot and should not accommodate any problems that they themselves have. And that problems actually make you stronger.

But in this day and age, we are all asked to bend over backwards to inconvenience ourselves for people who wish to fly on airplanes but need an animal with them to do so.

Alaska Airlines’ recent decision to ban emotional support animals in the airplane cabin is one of the best bits of news to come out of this politically correct world in so long that I’m actually dizzy from excitement. While I personally have not had any problems with people who have had small animals on airplanes, I know people who have. And as a person who suffers from anxiety, I have accepted that there are many things that make me uncomfortable that I cannot or will not do.

MY problem.

I either avoid these activities, or I figure out a way to do them without inconveniencing other people.

This decision is so important because it means that somebody has finally realized that in this world, we are not entitled to do everything just because we want to. There are unfortunate things that happen to everyone in this life. And those things might prevent them from getting or doing what they wish they could. And that’s life. But people are now unable to accept defeat, shortcomings, disappointment, being told no, or any bad thing at all.

People feel entitled to live in a constant state of happiness, comfort, and the feeling that all is fair and just in the world. But that’s not true and it’s not healthy for human beings to be that way. It’s the PURSUIT of happiness that we are guaranteed in this country and in this life— not the happiness itself.

Adversity is a part of life and designed to make us stronger and better human beings. And the fact is, whatever it is that causes you to need an emotional support animal, is your problem. It should not be visited upon everyone else on an airplane.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.