The Law? It's Only A Rough Guide

Looks like once Australian journalists read how Muslim cabbies at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport were refusing to take passengers carrying alcohol in their luggage, they did some digging around in Victoria and learned:

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.

Once again it appears the law of the land:

...there was a legal requirement for taxi drivers, shops, restaurants, hotels and supermarkets to accept guide dogs.

is thought worth less than Sharia law:

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.

Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder thinks:

...the guide dog issue would exacerbate the taxi industry's flagging respect in the community.

Don't think so. More likely it will exacerbate multiculturalism's flagging respect in the community.

Meanwhile, back at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport:

(Eva) Buzek, (a) flight attendant, said she was refused service in March after she told a driver to be careful with her suitcase because it had wine in it. Other drivers in the taxi line passed the word, she said, and four more refused her service. A dispatcher finally steered her to a driver who would take the fare.

Buzek, who grew up in Poland, said her treatment goes against American values.

"I came to this country and I didn't expect anybody to adjust to my needs," she said. "I don't want to impose my beliefs on anyone else. That's why I'm in this country, because of the freedom.

"What's going to be next? ... Do I have to cover my head?"

Quite.

-- Nick