Taxi light will mean 'no alcohol'- Islam forbids carrying liquor, cabdrivers say

Pioneer Press ^ | 10-2-06 | JOSHUA FREED

[Rakkasan1]

Cabdriver Muhamed Mursal doesn't wear his Muslim beliefs on his sleeve, but he soon may broadcast them via a light on top of his cab.

Mursal and hundreds of other Muslim cabdrivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport refuse to take travelers they know are carrying alcohol. No one is searching bags, but a Napa Valley wine box or a see-through bag from the duty-free store can be enough to leave a fare waiting for the next cab. Airport officials estimate that happens at least three times a day.

Now, the airport and cab drivers have worked out a proposal that calls for cabdrivers who won't carry alcohol to have a cab light that's a different color. That way, the airport workers who hook up travelers with taxis can steer alcohol-carrying fares to cabs that will take them. Airport officials hope to have the lights ready by the end of the year.

[Rakkasan1]

alcohol is fine ,but only when used as an accelerant.

[Dog Gone]

What if you're carrying bacon?

[Cyber Liberty]

Of course, this will do no good if you don't tell passengers what the colors mean.

[lesser_satan]

What if I drink the alcohol first and piss on the floor of his cab?

MN ping, Steve.

[LongElegantLegs]

And if people start taking the normal taxis just on principle, we'll never hear an end to cries of discrimination.

[xone]

Good way to avoid the 'intolerant' cab drivers from TROP.

[JRios1968]

What if I drink the alcohol first and piss on the floor of his cab?

It might actually improve the smell inside the muzzie's cab.

[snarks_when_bored]

"No alcohol! No alcohol! ... AK47? Hokay. Grenades? Hokay. Suicide bomb belt? Hokay. Alcohol? Not hokay!"

[Gay State Conservative]

Getting into their cab wearing a suicide belt is OK,no doubt.

[kinoxi]

I hope they move to someplace more accomodating of their belief system like Sudan or Somalia. The destruction that islam has wrought is proof enough for any honest human being of any faith to want it very far away...

[techcor]

And when the cabdrivers start going broke they'll complain about the "intolerant" infidels.

[nickcarraway]

Is this in New York?

[lormand]

Hey, this can cut both ways. I PREFER not to have an Islamic cab driver, so if I am ever in that area, I will make it a point to show that I am carrying alcohol

[lesser_satan]

Ninety percent of those here in Minneapolis came from Somalia in the first place. (Not that I'd mind them going back)

[Joe Boucher]

Then don't drive cabs there mooselimb.

[kingu]

This means that cabs can now leave people at the airport because they look gay, right?

Come on, can't have it both ways.. Either someone can have religious beliefs and act upon them, or they can't. You don't believe in booze, tough luck, you drive a cab.

[Uncledave]

I don't care about this if they own their own cab and there's no restriction about this on their taxi medallion.

Want less business because I'm bringing a bottle of wine to a dinner party? Fine, I'll catch the next cab.

[clintonh8r]

What if I have a cartoon of Mohammed in my pocket?

[MRInsider]

The question that must be asked is this ...


How is this any different than pharmacists refusing to carry the morning after pill, but are forced to do so against their own personal or religious convictions? Customers can go to a different pharmacist.

[Dinah Lord]

Sharia coming to your neighborhood soon...

[CinnamonBear]

How about if, instead of different colored lights, the taxis
have little bombs that depict the image of Mohammed and sparkle - or a larger version of the Mohammed Bobblehead doll?

[stm]

You can't vomit on their floor either.

[zendari]

Bingo. The people who spout stuff about "licenses" and "no right to refuse service" just want to establish a government state to order people what to do.

This is freedom.

[LukeL]

But I am colorblind, this is discriminating against me.

[kinoxi]

ouch

[freeangel]

Sorry about that. The muzzies have taken it upon themselves to discriminate against me.--it CAN work both ways.

[TexasRepublic]

This is just one step on the road of incrementalism. It is a small step from this point to next refuse service to suspected Christians or Jews.

[HEY4QDEMS]

boozers and moozers just don't mix

[Rakkasan1]

I never vacation without my Bigass Ham.

[kinoxi]

What if I have a cartoon of Mohammed in my pocket?

It is far more offensive than an actual bomb on your head.

[lesser_satan]

No, Minneapolis. The vast majority of cabbies here are muzzies of Somali origin.

[hardworking]

Now let me see if I get this straight. The job description is to drive people from point A to point B. An employee refuses to do the job. This employee is still employed because.......?

[clintonh8r]

Just wondering...is there some sort of muzzie cabbie religious prohibition on deodorent?

[Maceman]

I wouldn't ride in one of those cabs even if I didn't have alcohol.

That is, unless I was eating a blt.

[REPANDPROUDOFIT]

if I am ever in that area, I will make it a point to show that I am carrying alcohol

Or, just wear a light on your head - no Muslim cabbies!

[trumandogz]

While I do not think these Muslim Cabbies have adopted a sound business practice I do support the Cabbies right to refuse any customer they wish.

The cab is their property and they have a full right to control what occurs in their cab.

[proudofthesouth]

What do they do? Search you and your luggage before they accept you as a fare?

[lesser_satan]

No doubt about that!

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Claim outrage, offense. Hang them. Burn their taxis.

[1rudeboy]

Bingo. I'm not from Minneapolis, but I would refuse to take one of these cabs as a matter of principle. They don't want my business? Then they won't have it.

[lormand]

"Or, just wear a light on your head - no Muslim cabbies!"

Don't they arrest people for not being PC in liberal fascist strongholds like Minneapolis?

[protest1]

What a great idea, now people can tell who the muslim cab drivers are and avoid them!

[COUNTrecount]

What if you're carrying bacon?

What if your bacon is carrying wine?

[mewzilla]

Isn't the RNC's convention being held right next door? What are the delegates gonna do if they have booze on their breath?

[lesser_satan]

NO FARE FOR YOU!!!

[ndt]

The airport should pull their permits to operate (assuming they can do that) if they are not willing to service the clients. It is a lucrative position to operate out of an airport, if they don't want it I'm sure someone else will.

[Beckwith]

Sharia -- coming to your neighborhood soon!

[JRios1968]

From now on, I will make sure I have a bag of pork rinds in my hands whenever I go to take a cab. I don't mind waiting for a non-mooselimb cab.

[El Gato]

What if you're carrying bacon?

Or a small pig for that matter. Some Scandinavian-American hog farmer should try to do that, and then sue if he's not allowed to do so. I'll bet that taxis carry pets all the time. A pig on a leash, ala Arnold Ziffle, would be an interesting test.

[BenLurkin]

Seems to me that they need to find another line of work.