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A handful of cabbies operating out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are refusing to drive any vehicles displaying ads for the 2014 Gay Games, presumably because they are terrified that the gay may drip down from rooftop placards into the vehicle, thereby infecting any driver and/or passenger with gayness. Or something like that.
According to The Plain Dealer, several drivers from two of the three taxi companies operating at the airport have cited “religious reasons” for refusing to drive the cabs. Patrick Keenan, general manager for a third company, Americab, says the drivers do not represent the views of the company.
“We don’t have any objections to the signage,” Keenan said. “We’re fully supportive of the games. We’re not in concert with (the protesting drivers) on that. We don’t share those views.”
The three companies operating taxi cabs out of Hopkins International are reportedly part of a program that offers rides based on zones rather than by metered fare. The advertising sold on rooftop placards — where ads for the 2014 Gay Games are now appearing — are reportedly sold by the airport.
Though it’s unclear whether the homophobic drivers will be replaced permanently, TPD claims another company has been brought in to staff the 75-cab fleet that was left unmanned. “It is expected to take about two to three weeks to repopulate the fleet,” the paper reports.
By Matthew Tharrett
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This post originally appeared at Queerty. Reprinted with permission.
Photo: AP
Interesting no one mentioned they were Muslim.
CW, I’m hearing crickets ……..
Curious. They’re not quiting their jobs in protest, and they’re not going on strike until the games are over, they’re just refusing to drive those particular cabs. So, it’s okay to work for a company that makes money off of advertising for the games, but it’s not okay to drive a cab with the actual advertisement on it. It’s okay to profit from supporting the gay games in some ways but not others. They’re totally cool with earning money from transporting people to the games, just not having the signs on their cabs. Do I have that right? Principles are… Read more »
Curious, how would you feel if a cab driver refused to drive with signage that supported the “pro-Life” view?
Just because someone doesn’t agree with the “games” why are you calling them homophobic? They’re not denying anyone a ride because of their sexuality, they aren’t restricting anyone from anything.
Honest answer: I’d follow a double standard. My protest would be justified, theirs is not. That’s my totally biased view.
I would probably do what those protesting cabbies ought to consider: the sign is on the cab when I leave the garage, and it’s back on when I return it. In the meantime, well, stuff happens….
Wellokaythen, I appreciate and respect your honesty. Thank you.
Wait, are we talking about some sort of pro-life parallel? I’d totally pay good money to see the Pro-Life Games….
Tom, why are you saying “games”? It implies that you think that all these gay people are just going to have wild kinky gay sex and call it “games”. Do you disagree with synchronized swimming? Do you disagree with basketball? Do you disagree with 5K runs? Do you disagree with the Olympics? Do you disagree with the Special Olympics? What about the Paralympics? If so, that makes you an ableist. America has no room for hatred and intolerance. We also have no room for ignorance, heteroelitism, and homophobia. We have, however, room for people of all faiths, creeds, colors, genders,… Read more »
@ Nancy Loftin Gore – Games, as in “….. displaying ads for the 2014 Gay Games” which is in the first paragraph of the article. So perhaps you need to ask the question to the author of the article? No flaming here. And I should add that I agree that America has to room for hate and intolerance, unless of course it’s against people like these cabbies? As you say we have “room for people of all faiths …” Unless it’s that faith that these cabbies practice? Do you have an issue with Muslims? As I said before, these cabbies… Read more »