CBS Chicago reports that a trade newspaper for the local taxi industry is
threatening to out five "closeted homosexual" Chicago city aldermen over their support for ride-sharing services like Uber. But this is probably all a prank.
In an editorial in The Chicago Dispatcher, publisher George Lutfallah said the trade publication “has learned that five of the city’s 50 aldermen are closeted homosexuals. In the next issue of this newspaper, set to be published early next month, we will disclose their names unless our demands are met.” Among a list of 10 demands, Lutfallah said he wants the city to ban ride-sharing services, and to “actively enforce” the current regulations for taxis. “The city is moving forward and will steamroll our industry if we don’t act in earnest. They did it to my grandfather more than a hundred years ago when they destroyed his horse-drawn-carriage business by allowing horseless machines to carry people around the city,” he wrote.
If you read the
full editorial, you'll see that Lutfallah also claims that these allegedly gay aldermen watch
Duck Dynasty and eat at Chick-Fil-A. He also demands that the city "change the name back to Sears Tower" and says that women should not be allowed to drive. Joke or not, Equality Illinois wants an apology.
"This is an outrageous attempt to blackmail the city of Chicago and scornfully humiliate members of the Chicago City Council. However this article was intended, it is no joking matter. We call on the publication to immediately retract its extremely offensive article and apologize to the city’s LGBT community, women drivers and customers, the City Council and the public at large. Such comments strike at the core of communities that are still fighting for full recognition and equality."
Labels: Chicago, Illinois, taxi life, WTF
