[nfb-talk] Free Cab Rides For the Blind

[Jamie K. Forbis]

    Hey,

  Would you like to do this as a philosophical discussion at this Saturday's 
meeting?  If not this subject could you possibly pick something else. 
Please let me know.  Thanks.

Jamie K.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "RyanO" <rosentowski at neb.rr.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 1:20 PM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Free Cab Rides For the Blind


>>>Minnesota Muslims to Offer Free Cab Rides for the Blind
>>>     MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., March 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 
>>> Minnesota
>>>chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today
>>>announced that Muslim employees of the Twin Cities Airport Taxi, Viking
>>>Airport Taxi and Bloomington City Taxi will offer free cab rides to blind
>>>individuals (and their guide dogs) attending a one-day semiannual
>>>convention of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota.
>>>The convention will take place on April 21, 2007, in Minneapolis. The
>>>Muslim drivers are also willing to provide each convention member with 
>>>his
>>>or her personal driver for the day, free of charge.
>>>CAIR-MN facilitated the offer after inaccurate reports surfaced of cab
>>>drivers refusing to serve passengers with guide dogs. "As Muslims, we
>>>believe that we must do all we can to assist those who have physical
>>>challenges and special needs," said CAIR-MN Communications Director
>>>Valerie
>>>Shirley.
>>>Shirley quoted Islam's Prophet Muhammad, who said: "There are many
>>>doors to goodness. . .listening to the deaf (until you understand them),
>>>leading the blind, guiding someone to the object of his need, hurrying
>>>with
>>>the strength of one's legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and
>>>supporting the weak with the strength of one's arms -- all of these are
>>>(forms of) charity prescribed for you." (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 3:98)
>>>Muslim taxi drivers claim that they have been misunderstood and
>>>misrepresented in the media. "This has never been an issue for us," said
>>>Abdinoor Ahmed Dolal, owner of Twin Cities Airport Taxi. "Islam forbids 
>>>us
>>>to turn away a blind passenger, whether they have a guide dog or not.
>>>Their
>>>rights come first."
>>>CAIR-MN and the Muslim taxi drivers intend to extend this same offer to
>>>members attending the American Council of the Blind Convention to be held
>>>in Minneapolis in late June of this year.
>>>CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 32 offices
>>>and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the
>>>understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties,
>>>empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and
>>>mutual understanding.
>>>CONTACT: CAIR-MN Communications Director Valerie Shirley, Tel: 763-226-
>>>5866, E-Mail:
>>>valerie.shirley at gmail.com
>>>SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations
>>>www.technorati.com
>>
>
>
>
> RyanO
>
> "Share a generous slice of heaven with your friends. Save the left-over 
> hell
> for your enemies."
> Elliott Lange
>
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