"A blind Vancouver man who was shunned by a taxi driver who didn’t want a guide
dog in his cab has reached a $2,500 settlement with North Shore Taxi. Bruce
Gilmour, 49, had called a cab from a West Vancouver coffee shop after a day of
skiing in November 2006. But North Shore Taxi driver Behzad Saidy, a Muslim,
refused to transport Gilmour and his golden retriever Arden, saying his religion
prevents him from associating with dogs."
I want to be clear, this is upsetting to me, even before I begin to read the details. A blind person with a dog should be able to use the same services as the rest of us. In my opinion blind people are one of the few groups that have the right to service animals. To discriminate against a blind person because they have a dog with them is wrong. It is doubtful to me that it had anything to do with the dog.
Then I read the excuse he gave about religion. I am not a scholar but I have never heard of this in my experience of studying religion. It sounds to me like a lie that was invented to cover the truth, that he did not want to service a disabled person. Even if that is the case, I have little respect for a religion that cannot allow its followers to look with grace and mercy on those who have greater struggles and to help them. Even when that means doing something you otherwise should not.
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