Muslim taxi drivers refuse to transport travellers carrying booze

[Goofball]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18141546/

Come on guys, get with the program. And if you don't like it: tough crap. Move back to Saudi Arabia.

[KukriKhan]

I think those particular cabbies are Somali. But still...

Some christians (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-08-druggists-pill_x.htm) have also refused to perform their job functions for personal religious reasons. Not sure where they should "move back to".

Both wrong, I think; can't perform some aspect of the job? Get another job.

[Crazed Rabbit]

I'm glad they're increasing penalties on the cabbies who wont give rides to people.

CR

[Blodrast]

Ok, I'm a bit baffled here, can someone please explain to me in what way someone else carrying alcohol interferes with the cabbie's religion ? Is there anything specific/explicit in the Koran or some other holy book that forbids a Muslim to touch/help/talk to/whatever a person that is carrying alcohol, or what ?

[KukriKhan]

And, Is there anything specific/explicit in the Bible or some other holy book that forbids a Christian to touch/help/talk to/whatever a person that is filling a valid prescription, or what ?

[Blodrast]

And, Is there anything specific/explicit in the Bible or some other holy book that forbids a Christian to touch/help/talk to/whatever a person that is filling a valid prescription, or what ?

You lost me, Kukri, what are you alluding to ? Birth control pills ? Honestly, you lost me.
Btw, mine was a serious question, no sarcasm. I know Islam forbids consumption of alcohol, but this isn't the case here, so what gives ?

[KukriKhan]

Yessir, BC pills. Sorry for the confusion. There are other stories (coincidentally (I think) also from Minnesota) about Muslim supermarket checkout clerks, asking customers or other employees to "swipe" bacon past their barcode readers, to prevent touching pork products.

I'm taking the position that, if you hold a religious belief that impairs your ability to fully perform your job, you should seek other employment.

I don't like porn. I'm a postman. Should I refuse to deliver Penthouse magazines?

[Blodrast]

Oookay... so, you're referring to some cases in which crazy Christian fundies refused to serve birth control pills to customers, or am I misunderstanding you ?
(I guess that would be the analogous situation to this one).
I'm still a bit confused, honestly.
If that's what you're referring to, no, afaik there is nothing in the bible which would prevent you from doing that. It's the customer's choice to use them, and it's not your job to forbid him to use them - that's his choice, and he'll have to account for it. None of your business.
That's my view - does that kinda answer your question ?

As for the Penthouse thingie, well, you're pushing me towards answers that you'd have to censor as a mod, so I'll just spare you the trouble and pass on that one. :laugh4:

[rory_20_uk]

Taxi drivers get paid for what they do. If they don't take passengers, they get no money. So if they choose to work less, so be it.

Doctors refuse to give pills that will cause abortions. That would be a parallel, as the doctor is not affected either way.

This is news??? :rolleyes:

~:smoking:

[Blodrast]

Taxi drivers get paid for what they do. If they don't take passengers, they get no money. So if they choose to work less, so be it.

Doctors refuse to give pills that will cause abortions. That would be a parallel, as the doctor is not affected either way.

This is news??? :rolleyes:

~:smoking:

*shrugs* I didn't know what Kukri was referring to... is that what it was, Kukri ?
Sure, I think that as long as they make it clear before they take on a passenger, they can do whatever they want - and support the consequences when people don't take ride with them.

This cabbie thing is news to me anyway.

[Leet Eriksson]

Ok, I'm a bit baffled here, can someone please explain to me in what way someone else carrying alcohol interferes with the cabbie's religion ? Is there anything specific/explicit in the Koran or some other holy book that forbids a Muslim to touch/help/talk to/whatever a person that is carrying alcohol, or what ?

Not that i know of, this is rediculous and its screaming I WANT ATTENTION. Unless hes doesn't want to take drunk drivers on board, it may be understandable, i haven't read the article yet however.

And to the pork issue you can touch it but not eat it as far as i'm concerned, so really i'd have punched that clerk if i were buying pork, its rediculous and most of all its sloppy.

[KukriKhan]

Yeah. I was trying to draw a parallel, and avoid an Islam-bash, by pointing out similar cases.

I surely don't advocate governmental interference here. And I certainly wouldn't argue with an employer taking action to provide the full services he's in business for. But that's where the gov't gets involved - through the courts, for "unlawful termination".

In these cabbies' cases, there's talk of pulling their hack licenses.

[Martok]

Well as a resident Minnesotan, I have to say that I'm pleased with the commision's decision (to impose stiffer penalties on the cab drivers). I'm baffled that people in the service industry feel they should have the right to refuse to do something because of religious reasons.

For all the rights guaranteed in our vaunted First Amendment, I do believe that religious freedom can be -- and this case, has been -- taken to unreasonable lengths. This situation with the cab drivers is simply one example. That pharmicist in Arizona who refused to dispense birth control pills is another. The supermarket checkout clerks refusing to service customers purchasing pork products is yet another (and yes Kukri, that story is from the Twin Cities as well). By the logic all these people are using, then Christians who are employed at bookstores can refuse to sell books about Islam and Judaism, because those books are proselytizing a faith different from their own.

It's very simple: If you refuse to perform any duty that's part of your job description, then you shouldn't be working that job. These stories are all cases of the tail wagging the dog. ~:rolleyes:

[Blodrast]

Not that i know of, this is rediculous and its screaming I WANT ATTENTION. Unless hes doesn't want to take drunk drivers on board, it may be understandable, i haven't read the article yet however.

And to the pork issue you can touch it but not eat it as far as i'm concerned, so really i'd have punched that clerk if i were buying pork, its rediculous and most of all its sloppy.

Gotcha, thank you for the explanation, Leet Eriksson.

Also, Kukri, Martok, I don't recall having heard of the pharmacist you mention, that's why I was having a hard time trying to guess what Kukri was alluding to.

[KukriKhan]

The story was in the link (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-08-druggists-pill_x.htm) provided in post #2. Apologies if it was too obscure.

[Blodrast]

The story was in the link (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-08-druggists-pill_x.htm) provided in post #2. Apologies if it was too obscure.

My bad, I'd missed that.

[Idaho]

I think it is fair enough for a cabbie to turn down a fare from someone who is drinking but not someone who has alcohol in their luggage.

[pevergreen]

I agree with Idaho. If they are drinking, the cabbie could be afraid for their safety. Its always the circumstances.

[Meneldil]

"tougher penalties" => LoL

They should be fired, or have their licence taken off, as simple as that. There's clear difference between refusing to transport someone for a security issue (ie. the guy is drunk) and for a religious reason.

Then, if it was up to me, religion would be forbidden altogether.

[Major Robert Dump]

I was with Danny Glover the other night and a cabbie wouldn't pick us up, its a crying shame

[Scurvy]

I don't see why he penalties are needed, i thought cabbies were paid by each trip they make (or perhaps mileage) --> surely they pay the penalty by not getting the money they would get from transporting drunk passengers...

:2thumbsup:

[Major Robert Dump]

I think you guys are overlookng the fact that cabbies have an on-the-job-death rate right up there with cops, underwater werlders and convenience store clerks. As far as I'm concerned, they can refuse rides to people whose shirts arent tucked in, because in the end they are essentailly independent contractors. On the flip side, you can refuse to ride in a taxi driven by a guy who is muslim. Gosh, ain't freedom grand???

[Grey_Fox]

Most hackneys/taxis won't allow you to eat food in the car over here.

Is the alcohol in the luggage or in their hand?

[Don Corleone]

I don't like porn. I'm a postman. Should I refuse to deliver Penthouse magazines?

Just forward all copies to my address and I'll see to it from there.:book:

I do applaud Kurkikhan-san for introducing frequently cited parallels, as this is a phenomenon that transcends the particular religion. Meneldil's advocation to abolish religion exempted, I pretty much have to agree with everything else in this thread. Yes, cabbies should have transport alcohol-bearing patrons, and yes, Christian pharmacists should have to distribute birth control at the counter. Your right to practice your religion ends where your religion begins limiting the rights of others to engage in legally allowed activity.

I mean, as a Catholic, do I have a right to bar entry to the local steakhouse every Friday night? Don't think so... though I may get some help from some particularly devout Hindu friends...

[macsen rufus]

Should get yerselves some Muslims in Congress, you could do with a few that won't touch pork :laugh4:

Seriously though, taxi drivers and drink have never been a good combination, though usually they wait til the drink's inside the passenger before they refuse to carry them (either that or they have a big sign saying "If you throw up, you clean up"). Generally though, taxi drivers are self-employed (at least in the UK) and if they want to turn down fares, then it's skin off their own nose. It's not like they are public employees, the licence ALLOWS them to do the job, it doesn't FORCE them to take a particular passenger. It'd be a much bigger problem if he was a bus driver...

As for the check-out guy, well I'd have thought if touching pork was a problem, then surely the thought of making a living (however small a proportion of it) from the sale of pork would have caused enough conscientious objection to not take the job in the first place. All jobs involve something someone will find objectionable, but that's usually sorted at interview stage. "These are your duties, any problems, we'll hire someone else." Even so it's possible the guy might have said at interview he wouldn't touch pork, and his employer could have said "fine, we'll write it into your contract", but I sort of doubt it....

[HoreTore]

Sensible. Very sensible. Should be adopted by every taxi-driver not too interested in scrubbing his backseat every sunday morning...

[Rodion Romanovich]

Well done by these taxi drivers. The muslim view on violence-causing drugs like alcohol is very civilized, and something western society should learn from.

[Goofball]

Sensible. Very sensible. Should be adopted by every taxi-driver not too interested in scrubbing his backseat every sunday morning...

We're not talking about them refusing to pick up drunks here. We are talking about them refusing to pick up people getting cabs from the airport who are presumably carrying their duty-free booze purchases in one of those clear plastic bags that all duty free shops seem to use.


I think those particular cabbies are Somali. But still...

Some christians (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-11-08-druggists-pill_x.htm) have also refused to perform their job functions for personal religious reasons. Not sure where they should "move back to".

No need for the Christians to move anywhere, they are already living in the correct country to practice their intolerance:

http://www.preoccupations.org/photos/uncategorized/jesusland.jpg

:laugh4:

[Martok]

We're not talking about them refusing to pick up drunks here. We are talking about them refusing to pick up people getting cabs from the airport who are presumably carrying their duty-free booze purchases in one of those clear plastic bags that all duty free shops seem to use.
Exactly. The issue here isn't that the cab drivers are refusing service to people who've been drinking -- this would be perfectly understandable. (We Minnesotans are raised to have at least *some* common sense. ~;)) The issue is that some of the airport cabbies are refusing fares to those who are simply carrying alcohol in their bags/suitcases.


No need for the Christians to move anywhere, they are already living in the correct country to practice their intolerance:

http://www.preoccupations.org/photos/uncategorized/jesusland.jpg

:laugh4:
:laugh4: