Posted on 10/01/2006 5:03:48 AM PDT by Pharmboy
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 30 (AP) — Hundreds of Muslim cabdrivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport may soon be required to put different colored lights atop their vehicles after refusing to take customers they know are carrying alcohol.
The proposal, which would allow airport workers to direct travelers to cabs more efficiently, needs approval from the airport’s taxicab advisory committee, and airport officials hope to have the lights ready by year’s end.
If the proposal is adopted, cabdrivers without the light who refuse a fare will be sent to the back of the line, which often means a three-hour wait.
Some said they would rather wait for another fare than carry a passenger with alcohol. “It is forbidden in Islam to carry alcohol,” said Muhamed Mursal, a cabdriver.
Pat Hogan, an airport spokesman, said a handful of drivers began refusing to carry alcohol 10 years ago. Now he estimates that three-quarters of the 900 airport cabdrivers are Somali, most of them Muslim.
Mr. Hogan said drunken passengers have not had trouble getting a cab, just the ones who mention that they are carrying a bottle. He said, “It’s slowly grown over the years to the point that it’s become a significant customer service issue for us.”
Some travelers are taken aback by the idea that they might be refused a ride.
“They’re really kind of imparting their religious views on the public,” said Katie Patterson of McKinney, Tex. “I can understand if somebody’s drunk; that’s a whole different issue. But to just bring in a closed container, maybe you should look for other work.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Gee, a lot of the Muslim delegates to the UN don't seem to have a problem being in close proximity to alcohol...
You know the answer to that.
I guess it gets back to CAIR's statement about having islam take over. They'll do it using our own laws to protect our religious freedom against us. (with the help of the ACLU no doubt)
Next up, a Jew Light.
They should also then have a special light on top that warns of "excessive odor eminating from driver"
Does the cabby ask the passenger a set of questions?
Do you have alcohol in any of your bags?
Did you pack your bags yourself?
Were your bags in your possession at all times?
And does the cabby have the right to search bags, and if so, does he choose who to search by some method of random assignment, or do some cabbies actually profile those most likely to be carrying alcohol?
Whoa. Hold up on this a moment.
Pharmacists can be fired from their jobs for upholding their religious beliefs regarding dispensing RU486 or the dayafter pills, and contraceptives.
Doctors can be fired or in some medical schools dismissed because they refuse to provide or learn about abortion technique.
There are many examples of religious views in the public sphere being overriden. If these Muslims want to enforce their religious beliefs in the public sphere, why are they being accommodated?
Why aren't their licenses pulled for discrimination while Christian believers are fired for the exact same thing?
What a great idea! It's a great way to lose business.
Because they can make us live under their laws, by force, threat of force, or so we can please the PC police.
What color lights do the "no muslims allowed" taxis have?
I'm going to borrow Mark Steyn's choice of words form this thread....
Mark Steyn: At Gitmo, detainees get La-Z-Boys, pastries
....abasement before their prejudices
Bump!
I wonder what would happen if there was a cab that only offered fares to Christians?
Need more coffee. I could have sworn that said muslim cadavers.
Must remember to carry a bottle when I want a Muslim free cab.
"Now the airports commission has a solution: color-coding the lights on the taxi roofs to indicate whether a driver will accept a booze-toting fare. The colors haven't been decided, but commission officials met Thursday with representatives of the taxi drivers and the Minnesota chapter of the Muslim American Society to continue working on the plan."
You don't have to be a pharmacist. Or a cab driver.
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