Things are not always so black and white as the media or rather the headlines would have us believe. Reading this story the first time, I was quite angered by the fact that a cab driver and his father refused to service a blind man and his dog at Bradley International Airport, in Windsor Locks, Conn. After being told by the airport manager to leave the front of the taxi line, they refused and then called 911 to defend their spot in line.
I was then pleased to learn that they were arrested for refusing access to public transportation, interfering with a police officer and the father was also charged for misuse of the 911 system.
As I read an update to this story, I then was left feeling bad for the cab drivers. It turns out that one of the men had an intense fear of dogs, which came from a childhood bite he endured. The blind man didn't want to get anyone in trouble so he didn't push it and he also didn't want the man to be in his cab in fear.
I know that some may say the guy should get over it, but I don't think so. If you have a fear of something (dogs, spiders, bugs, etc.) those are real. Just because we love, own or care for our dogs doesn't mean that everyone is going to. Just as we ask people to respect our dogs, we need to respect people that have no interest in our dogs for one reason or the other.
Do I think the cabbies were right in their actions? No. But not for refusing the passenger. I think it is wrong to stay at the front of the line and make the scene they did. They had a passenger, they did not want him and his dog, they should've moved to the end of the line. That is the consequence for their choice.
What do you think?
