Daisy said:
Found it
Apparently, there was an episode on Friday, Jan 5 2007. The synopsis reads: So the issue seems to be about alcohol, not dogs.
LE's article mentions dogs in the title & first paragraph but does not elaborate. Are dogs honestly the issue? If so, please cite some evidence.
It's about both.
I watched about 5 minutes of it that night. I couldn't stomach any more of O'Reilley or Vickers either one.
You can find a story backing up the "Factor" program here:
http://www.drudge.com/news/88938/got-booze-dogs-no-cab-ride-you
and related topic here:
http://www.nfbae.ca/publications/cbm_old/cbm_08.txt
Taxi Driver Pleads Guilty
by Sandi Dewdney
>From the Editor: The last issue of the Canadian Blind Monitor
carried an article concerning the discrimination against Sandi Dewdney,
treasurer of the Vancouver Island Chapter, when she was attempting
to take a taxi in New Orleans. She was dragged from the cab by a driver
who did not want to transport her guide dog. The driver dragged her
by a hand which had been broken in a swimming accident earlier that
week. His actions caused further physical damage. It will be a year
or longer before Sandi will know whether she will regain full use
of her hand. Under the circumstances, the penalty received is mild
indeed. However, Sandi took full advantage of the opportunity to raise
public awareness about blind people working with guide dogs. In the
Federation we find ways to make positive things happen even under
negative circumstances. Here is the news about the outcome of Sandi's
case.
A cab driver, Mahmoud Awad, age 53, was sentenced
to 120 days of community service at the Lighthouse for the Blind after
he pled guilty to battery in a Louisiana court on Wednesday, October
3, 1997. Mr. Awad was charged with battery after he forcibly pulled
me from his cab because he did not want to transport my guide dog.
Mr. Awad, in his defence, stated that he would have transported me
if he had known I was blind. He further stated that he did not see
my dog and did not know it was a guide dog.
Judge Bruce McConduit call Awad's behavior a total disgrace
which he said resulted in embarrassment, not only to Ms. Dewdney,
but also to the City of New Orleans and its residents. He stated
that he had researched the Muslim faith when he was appointed to hear
this case and, although studying the religion and religious texts
extensively, he could find nothing to support Mr. Awad's contention
that his faith forbid contact with dogs. Mr. Awad did not appear to
notice the contradictions in his own statements. Furthermore, Judge
McConduit stated that my rights superseded Mr. Awad's religious rights.
Even if there had been any grounds in his religion, his first duty
as a public service provider was to provide the service he was licensed
to provide, regardless of any reservations on his part. The judge
warned that if Mr. Awad did not do the community service he would
spend 120 days in jail instead. Mr. Awad also lost his license to
drive following an administrative hearing on the incident before the
New Orleans Taxicab Bureau.
