Posted on 09/19/2006 5:09:42 PM PDT by Pikamax
Isn't the difference that it is illegal to refuse a fare? I thought that if a cabbie was available then it could not refuse the fare, in order to prevent racial discrimination and such. This is blantant religious discrimination. At this point and time, it is illegal. If the cabbies have a problem with it, then they should change the law.
No Alcohol
I understand that most of the taxi-drivers in Minneapolis are Somali Muslims.
Makes getting anywhere from the airport a tad difficult.
If anyone doen't think this is simply a power play, raise your hand.
Why is this ANY different than the pharmacist who refuses to give the customer the morning after pill...or even the pill????? Can't wait to hear this one.
"I understand that most of the taxi-drivers in Minneapolis are Somali Muslims."
"Khat
For centuries, khat, (pronounced COT), scientifically known as Catha Edulis, is known by over 40 different street names including, kat, qat, chat, gat, tohai, tschat, and mirraa. Khat is a 6-12-foot flowering evergreen shrub or small tree native to East Africa and Southern Arabia. The fresh young leaves of the Catha Edulis shrub, has been consumed where the plant is cultivated, primarily in East Africa and the Arabian peninsula. There, chewing khat predates the use of coffee and is used in a similar social context.
Chewed in moderation, khat alleviates fatigue and reduces appetite. Compulsive use may result in manic behavior with grandiose delusions or in a paranoid type of illness, sometimes accompanied by hallucinations.
Khat has been brought into the U.S. and other countries for use by emigrants from the source countries. It contains a number of chemicals among which are two controlled substances, cathinone (Schedule I) and cathine (Schedule IV). As the leaves mature or dry, cathinone is converted to cathine which significantly reduces its stimulatory properties. Cathinone is approximately 10 more times more potent than cathine and is only present in fresh leaves.
Cathine, the secondary active ingredient in Khat, does not lose much of its potency with age as with cathinone. Leaves less than 48 hours old are preferred to ensure a maximum potency of cathinone. However, Khat can be preserved by freezing, the same way that vegetables and meats are kept fresh in the United States."
Aint diversity grand?
http://www.somalifamily.org/links.htm#khat
Khat/Qat
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/concern/khat.html#i
This website created for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) consists of basic information about Khat.
History of Khat at USDEA
This drug intelligence brief by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) (see preceding site) contains information regarding the history of Khat, its international trafficking, cultivation and more.
University of Pennsylvania
This site, created for the University of Pennsylvania, includes information regarding the trafficking of Khat, dependency, treatment, and more.
Khat Control at USDEA
This Drug Enforcement Agency Diversion control program page provides information about the control status of Khat.
UN Office on Drugs and Crimes
The UN Office on Drugs and Crimes is a good place to start to find information relating to attempts by international organizations to confront the traffic of Khat.
But alcohol is BAD.
When we were first married we lived in an apartment catty-cornered from a gay "couple". They were mean as snakes, especially when drunk (which was often), and violent. The police were called out to break up their very physical quarrels, which often spilled out onto the lawn and the parking lot. Eventually the landlord evicted them, and they trashed the place as a parting gift.
Just LOVEly neighbors . . .
I finally found it:
What are some consequences of Khat use? v
Common side effects include anorexia, tahycardia, hypertension, insomnia, and gastric disorders.
Chronic Khat abuse can result in symptoms such as physical exhaustion, violence, and suicidal depression.
Widespread frequent use of Khat impacts productivity because it tends to reduce worker motivation.
Khat can induce manic behaviors, hyperactivity, and hallucinations.vi
There are reports of Khat-induced psychosis.vii
This may explain the violent and suicidal tendencies. Or not.
(PC: Politically correctness is just great! doncha think?)
Khat users. Just who I want driving my cab.
But you bring up an interesting point. This is apparently a substance which acts like the stimulant drugs which are illegal here. It could go far to explain the irrational behavior we see and they, apparently, don't recognize in themselves.
Please do not misunderstand. I do not seek to minimize or trivialize the pain, suffering, and tragedy that alcohol use (and abuse) causes. This subject being discussed would have a different ring if Southern Baptists, Jehovas Witnesses, or Mormons were involved. All of which shun the use or abuse of alcohol. And none of which advocate the use of illicit compounds. Yet most people recognize that medicinal compounds, including alcohol (think NYQUIL) serve a remedial purpose upon occaison.
Queer winos discussing interior decorating; gone bad. Who could imagine such a thing?
The people who should have the shit beat out of them are the appeasing airport management swine. If we told Muslim drivers "you take everyone or you lose your license" they would just deal with it. But Muslims are LAUGHING at you and your country, that we are so WEAK as to bend over for every one of their absurd demands.
No, worse yet would be to force them to take a beer bond and then stuff some ham in their mouths afterwards for good measure. Muslims must be humiliated. The only language they understand is that of subjugation or submission.
No, worse yet would be to force them to take a beer bong and then stuff some ham in their mouths afterwards for good measure. Muslims must be humiliated. The only language they understand is that of subjugation or submission.
Yep, I am fine with marking them all with a Crescent, then we can easily avoid them like the plague. I have no interest in giving a single penny of mine to a Muslim. I don't want to hear Bush's stupid platitudes about "Islam is Peace". Islam is evil, and I want no part of it in business.
No kidding. This idea that all homosexuals are mincing little effeminates could not be further from the truth.
How about muscle bound spike embedded beasts with shaved heads wearing Nazi regalia?
How is it that the Somalis murdered 19 of our brave soldiers, and we rewarded them by permitted so many of those vermin not only into America, but Middle American states like Minnesota. Muslims in Minnesota? We have all gone mad.
And our Great Leader Bush just agreed to bring in an ADDITIONAL 75,000 Saudi students on Visas. 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi and Bush wants 75 THOUSAND MORE SAUDIS brought into the United States. Does that represent your interests?
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