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| Taxi drivers will be suspended* for refusing passengers |
| 2007-04-17 |
| * But not by the neck. h/t: LGF Starting May 11, airport taxi drivers who refuse to transport riders carrying alcohol will be suspended for 30 days. And after a second offense, their license would be revoked for two years. The Metropolitan Airports Commission voted 11-0 Monday to approve the crackdown, which some Muslim drivers say violates their religious beliefs. Commissioners called the change reasonable, practical and important for rider safety. "We are sending a message that if you want to drive a taxi at our airport you can't refuse our customers," Steve Wareham, operations manager of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The only approved refusals would involve the driver's safety or would be prompted by riders, such as excess luggage or large families. Jeff Hassan, a lawyer representing Muslim cabbies, said the issue might wind up going to the Minnesota Supreme Court. According to MAC figures, there have been about one dozen alcohol-related refusals each month, out of roughly 60,000 monthly rides. There are currently 900 licensed cab drivers at the airport. About three-quarters are Somali, and a majority of those are Muslim. Hassan, had earlier told hearing officers about a 1990 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that allowed Amish people to forego displaying bright orange triangles on their buggies for religious reasons. Many airport taxi drivers say the proposed penalties would force them to chose between their Islamic beliefs and their jobs. So? They say their religion prohibits drinking, selling and carrying alcohol, so transporting a rider with alcohol would be a sin. Sending money to terrorist orgs is OK. |
| Posted by:Jackal |
| #10 The term "suspended" does sound promising. |
| Posted by: Judge Lynch 2007-04-17 18:57 |
| #9 Of course, no mention is ever made of how local Islamic clerics issued fatwas absolving the Somali cabbies of any wrongdoing so long as they did not imbibe the alcohol themselves. That would make the whole issue a non-issue and lob the ball back into the Somalis' court for contriving this entire dispute. Let me know when the media finally begins to identify this sort of intentionally inflated grievance ploy that Muslims are so fond of. The flying imams was another prime example of this. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-04-17 17:12 |
| #8 "Many airport taxi drivers say the proposed penalties would force them to chose between their Islamic beliefs and their jobs." Works for me. What, don't they have any faith that Allan will provide? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-04-17 15:50 |
| #7 All this drama for (roughly) .9998% of the fares? Reckon that if the MAC doesn't back down ( always a possibility) the 12 cabbies involved will find some other employment. Perhaps towel boys at the community college mussie only washroom...... |
| Posted by: USN, Ret. 2007-04-17 15:02 |
| #6 Many airport taxi drivers say the proposed penalties would force them to chose between their Islamic beliefs and their jobs. By George, I think they've got it! |
| Posted by: mojo 2007-04-17 12:32 |
| #5 Been following this story. Disturbingly I haven't seen to many mentions of the muzzies going off on seeing eye dogs. Which If I'm not mistaken is a federal law. |
| Posted by: Icerigger 2007-04-17 12:20 |
| #4 Thanks Pappy. I just blew coffee through my nose! |
| Posted by: OyVey1 2007-04-17 10:26 |
| #3 Hassan, had earlier told hearing officers about a 1990 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling that allowed Amish people to forego displaying bright orange triangles on their buggies for religious reasons. Amish aren't proving public taxi service. And Somalis can take comfort that, they too, don't have to display orange triangles on their buggies. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-04-17 10:08 |
| #2 Make it a two-for-one deal? you leave, and take a "friend" with you? (wife, whatever, and don't come back) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-04-17 06:18 |
| #1 This is discrimination! Half of all muslims will have to leave the country! Now how are we going to take care of the other half of the problem? :-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2007-04-17 01:14 |