Islamic cabbies refuse to drive “Gay Games” taxis due to “religious reasons”
Interesting development:
Roughly 25 Muslim drivers dispatched to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are refusing to drive cabs adorned with advertising for the regionβs upcoming Gay Games, citing religious reasons.
Two of the three companies operating at Ohio’s largest airport were informed by the drivers β one-third of the airportβs total fleet β last week that they will no longer participate in the airportβs dedicated taxicab program. The companies, Ace and Yellow Taxi Cab, were told by the drivers that their decision was based on religious reasons, airport spokeswoman Jacqueline Mayo told FoxNews.com.
Ann Gynn, a spokeswoman for the Gay Games, said she believes the protest is an βisolatedβ case and not indicative of the beliefs held by most residents in Cleveland and Akron, where the Gay Games will be held on Aug. 9-16.
βWhat weβve been seeing for the last couple of years is a lot of positive support and a welcome atmosphere within the community,β Gynn told FoxNews.com. βThis was a decision by those individual cab drivers. It was a personal decision.β
This is the first year that the nonprofit Gay Games, which are open to all adults regardless of sexual orientation, has utilized advertising atop taxicabs, Gynn said. They were unveiled early last week, she said.
βWhatβs surprising is that the Gay Games are about inclusion,β she continued. βThe Gay Games are open to everybody. This is about inclusiveness on sporting fields and welcoming people as they are.β
The affected taxicab companies will now backfill the airportβs fleet with metered vehicles until each company can hire replacement drivers. That process is expected to take up to three weeks, Mayo said.
Expecting the same level of “OUTRAGE!!!” and “hyperventilating” over The Usual Suspects over people being “denied” – on religious ground – a service because they’re celebrating gay pride? Don’t hold your breath. Β If these were Christian cabbies, we’d already have wall to wall coverage on all the Β major networks, the Gay Gestapo demanding the cab drivers be fired/punished/sued. Β But because they’re not – crickets.
Move along here, nothing to see!