And so it starts

And so it starts

I knew this was only a matter of time before this crap started. I'm not sure if this was in retaliation for the airplane incident or not. But what I'd like to know is "where" is the moral outrage on this? It seems that both here and the Land of Oz that muslim taxi drivers are refusing to pick up passengers who are toting alcohol or blind ones with guide dogs. I don't know about the land down under....but here in the US it is "blatantly" against the Disability Act. I wonder how long it'll be before someone sues the spit out of the drivers. How long are we going to put up with appeasement? Below are 2 examples of this.

From America:

Jan 4, 12:20 PM (ET)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Officials at Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport are proposing stiffer penalties - including suspension of an airport taxi license - to Muslim cab drivers who refuse service to passengers toting alcohol or service dogs.
Officials on Wednesday asked the Metropolitan Airport Commission for permission to hold public hearings on a proposal that would suspend the airport licenses of cab drivers who refuse service for reasons other than safety concerns. The penalties would also apply to drivers who refuse a fare because a trip is too short.
Drivers would have their airport licenses suspended 30 days for the first offense and revoked for two years after the second offense, according to the proposal.
"Our expectation is that if you're going to be driving a taxi at the airport, you need to provide service to anybody who wants it," commission spokesman Patrick Hogan said.
The commission is expected to vote Jan. 16 on the request for public hearings.
Airports Commissioner Bert McKasy said the issue raised by Muslim cab drivers who say that carrying alcohol or dogs, including those that help people with disabilities, violates religious beliefs is "unfortunate."
"I think it's pretty much the consensus of the commissioners and the staff that we have to provide good service to the public, and that's pretty much the bottom line," McKasy said.
Each month, about 100 people are denied cab service at the airport. Airport officials say that in recent months, the problem of service refusals for religious reasons has grown. About three-quarters of the 900 taxi drivers at the airport are Somali, many of them Muslim.

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From Australia:

Muslim cabbies refusing the blind and drinkers
By Lincoln Wright and Ian Haberfield
October 08, 2006 12:00am
Article from: Sunday Herald Sun
MUSLIM taxi drivers are refusing to carry blind passengers with their guide dogs or anyone carrying alcohol.
At least 20 dog-aided blind people have lodged discrimination complaints with the Victorian Taxi Directorate. Dozens more have voiced their anger.
And there have been several complaints that drivers refuse to allow passengers to carry sealed bottles of alcohol.
Victorian Taxi Association spokesman Neil Sach said the association had appealed to the mufti of Melbourne to give religious approval for Muslim cabbies to carry guide dogs.
One Muslim driver, Imran, said yesterday the guide dog issue was difficult for him.
"I don't refuse to take people, but it's hard for me because my religion tells me I should not go near dogs," he said.
There are about 2000 Muslims among drivers of Melbourne's 10,000 taxis. Many are from countries with strict Islamic teachings about "unclean" dogs and the evils of alcohol.
Drivers who refused to carry blind people with their dogs attended remedial classes at Guide Dogs Victoria, Mr Sach said.
"They are taught why blind people need dogs," Mr Sach said.
"The Victorian Taxi Association has included a program in their taxi driver training program."
Guide Dogs Victoria spokeswoman Holly Marquette said blind people regularly reported taxi drivers refusing to carry them because of their dogs.
"It's sad and quite upsetting," Ms Marquette said. "We try to work with new drivers to educate them about their responsibilities and the needs and rights of blind people.
"We explain that the dog is clean, well trained, won't go near them and will stay in the foot well with the client.

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