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-- If you drink, some cabbies won't drive

If you drink, some cabbies won't drive

I thought this was settled? There is a video as well at the source.

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If you drink, some cabbies won't drive By Keith Oppenheim CNN MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (CNN) -- It's always interesting to me, that in my own country, I often get assignments where I walk into a room, and everyone looks and sounds different from me. Different language. Different culture. And sometimes, different beliefs. On this story, I crossed such a threshold. I stepped into the taxi depot that serves the Minneapolis - St. Paul International Airport, where drivers sit and wait for their next fare. In this crowded, noisy room, most of the cabbies are Muslims originally from Somalia. "We're doing a story about the conflict between the cabbies and the airport. The Muslim drivers have been refusing to take passengers carrying alcohol, such as wine or liquor purchased at a duty free shop," I explained. A group of men gathered around us. "This is America, we have freedom of religion," says one cabbie. We could see their feelings are intense -- that the issue seems to cut to the core of their identity. "The Metropolitan Airport Commission is discriminating against us Muslim drivers," says Abdulkaddir Adan, a Somalian-American who's been driving a cab in the Twin Cities for two years. We asked Adan if he'd give us a ride, and let us interview him while he was driving. He agreed. CNN Photojournalist Derek Davis set up a "lipstick" cam, a small camera, positioned on the dashboard. From the back seat, I asked why Adan would object if I were carrying alcohol. "The one who drinks, the one who transports, and the one who makes a business of it, they have the same category," he said. "So, by my transporting my alcohol in your cab, you are sinning?" I asked. "Sinning to God, yes," he replied. Adan is not alone. About three quarters of the 900 cabbies serving the airport are Muslim, and many have been regularly refusing passengers carrying beer, wine or liquor. In the past five years, 5,400 would-be taxi passengers at the airport were refused service for this very reason, said the Metropolitan Airport Commission, or MAC. Last May, passenger Bob Dildine says he waited for 20 minutes, and five cab drivers would not give him and his daughter a ride. He was carrying wine he bought on vacation. "They're here to provide service to people," said Dildine. "We were a lawful customer, and we were denied service. That's not our way of doing things." MAC officials said they don't know of any airport other than the Twin Cities where this has become an issue. MAC officials explain that the area has a growing population of immigrant Somalians, many who've sought jobs as taxi drivers. Last year, MAC consulted local Muslim leaders, who issued a fatwa, or religious opinion. "It is expressly stated," said Kahlid Elmasry of the Muslim American Society. "Transportation of alcohol for Muslims is against the Islamic faith, and therefore forbidden." Last September, airport officials sought a compromise, and suggested that distinctive lights could be put on the roofs of cabs operated by drivers who will not transport alcohol. That way, taxi starters -- airport staff who direct people into cabs -- could send passengers with alcohol to those drivers who have no objection. "But the feedback we got, not only locally but really from around the country and around the world, was almost entirely negative," said airport spokesman Pat Hogan. "People saw that as condoning discrimination against people who had alcohol." Right now, MAC says any cabbie who refuses a passenger carrying alcohol must go to the back of the line. No small thing, given cabbies often have to wait at the depot up to three hours for the next fare. But because MAC officials have received thousands of complaints, they're considering stiffer penalties: a 30-day suspension for a first refusal, a two-year suspension for a second. "We're now at a point where the drivers may have to make a choice," said Hogan. For Adan, the choice is clear. "I would leave my job, instead of doing something that's not allowed in my religion," he said. The interview with Adan took a long time. Our fare came to $150, a very good day for him. Normally, he makes about $100 a day, so it became more clear to us that refusing a fare is a big loss. But Adan said he won't accept the idea that in America a cab driver should allow something his religion forbids. Find this article at: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/25/op...es/index.html

Great Read, Adan seems to be a good man.

If they want to lose out on the money it is their choice.

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Originally posted by Zild If they want to lose out on the money it is their choice.

Actually I admire thier conviction, The guy did say he would quit rather than have to go agaist his beliefs.... admirable to say the least...

Personally I would take the money, but yeah more power to them for standing up for something that isn't green.

This is similar to the airline refusing service to the guy with the offensive shirt. It's a private company, and they have a right to refuse service if they wish. No objections here really. (although I'd be pissed if I couldnt get a cab :P )

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Originally posted by Sunsnail This is similar to the airline refusing service to the guy with the offensive shirt. It's a private company, and they have a right to refuse service if they wish. No objections here really. (although I'd be pissed if I couldnt get a cab :P )

Yeah, but even the cops will specifically tell you to take a cab if you're too drunk at the end of the evening.

It's for the safety of everyone...

Hmm, the article only talks about carrying alcohol, not being intoxicated. I'm pretty sure that they'd have problems with that too though. Many people don't come from an airport drunk either.

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Originally posted by Sunsnail Hmm, the article only talks about carrying alcohol, not being intoxicated. I'm pretty sure that they'd have problems with that too though. Many people don't come from an airport drunk either.

True!

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Originally posted by shaolin_Z "If you drink, some cabbies won't drive" Someone should tell the cabbies that you really don't plan on being the one doing the driving .

lol!

shaolin_Z maybe you can clear this up; I thought it was the THEM (the cabbies) that couldn't touch alcohol?
What difference is it to them if someone else had been drinking or, as the last time, carrying the alcohol as long as they don't come in contact with it?

It seems like another ploy with the same answer (which makes me wonder why they're continuing on with this).

Bit of a hard one this.

Companies arent a democracy, so it's a fair enough call for a company to refuse service for whatever reason they see fit and reasonable like exposing an employee to violence, fare evasion and robbery from some nasty drunk, or simply put up with the dirty mongrel vomiting all over it. Plenty of sympathy for cab drivers, its a pretty awful job with some long hours.

Religious grounds, well thats more of an issue with the employees to take up with the company itself and as any kind of person working in a service industry, you've got to put up with a bit of crap from people you find repulsive or don't agree with.
I think as long as they go about it the right way and not just from the religious angle, I think they'd have a fairly decent reason to excuse them from supplying service for a lot of reasons in regards to inebriated passengers.

quote:

Many people don't come from an airport drunk either.

I've been known too
Cheap flight, long hours, nothing else to do, duty free in the carry on... course youre probably not going to get away with that these days very often because they'll think its an 'incendry device' or something.

Think it's safe to say most taxi drivers in the UK are asian (so half are probably Muslim) and they'd be screwed if they didn't allow people from England to take alcohol on board!!

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Originally posted by shaolin_Z That's true. I'm guessing some cabbies probably had some pretty bad experiences with some drunk people (like racism or something ) combined with a general feeling of being targets of prejudice after 9-11 (which can understandably also not be pleasant), so they probably decided they don't need to put up with drunk passangers more likely to be asses or tolerate alcohol being around or something anymore . I don't know, that's just a guess on my part since this obviously is only an issue after 9-11. It's probably something along those lines, I don't see why they'd do it otherwise . I'm pretty sure passangers with alcohol don't insist on drivers drinking with them . Plus, some more conservative Muslims just seem to be fairly uncomfortable around any type of drug, including alcohol. Could be a combination of factors, but I really don't understand it myself eigther.

I would say they have to the right to refuse, but they certainly are going about it strangely...

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Originally posted by Fir3start3r I would say they have to the right to refuse, but they certainly are going about it strangely...

Or perhaps they just don't want drunken yobs vomitting over their means of income?

They should just take the next container to somalia and fuck off

You do have to comend them for sticking to their beliefs, but part of the reason why people come here is to find a better way of life. Where anywhere in this so strict they're willing to lose business are they creating for themselves a better way of life? Seems to me more like they're trying to have their cake and eat it too by living in a country like ours yet trying to make it like home. The whole faith despite the consequences attitude is refreshing, but at the same time you have to wonder about their reason for being here and what they tell themselves considering they probably take issue with many parts of our society if they're unwilling to transport someone with alcohol.

Man, I need fly to minneapolis so that I can buy alcohol, sneak it into a muslim cabbie's car, and then after he drops me off bust it out and yell, "haha sucker, you just transported alcohol so now you're totally going to hell!"

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Originally posted by Arbiter Man, I need fly to minneapolis so that I can buy alcohol, sneak it into a muslim cabbie's car, and then after he drops me off bust it out and yell, "haha sucker, you just transported alcohol so now you're totally going to hell!"

Cabbie: Jokes on you sucker! I'm a Sikh!

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Originally posted by WM2 You do have to comend them for sticking to their beliefs, but part of the reason why people come here is to find a better way of life. Where anywhere in this so strict they're willing to lose business are they creating for themselves a better way of life? Seems to me more like they're trying to have their cake and eat it too by living in a country like ours yet trying to make it like home. The whole faith despite the consequences attitude is refreshing, but at the same time you have to wonder about their reason for being here and what they tell themselves considering they probably take issue with many parts of our society if they're unwilling to transport someone with alcohol.

I agree that the cabbies should be commended for sticking to their beliefs despite the economic consequences but I have trouble with the "why are they here if they don't want to be just like us" attitude I hear all the time. First I'd like to remind you that the U.S.A. once had prohibition of alcohol itself (remember that?) and there are still a few counties that are dry if I'm not mistaken so you can't say that opposition to alcohol is an un-American ideal. And try and have a little empathy for these people. Suppose one day some horrible calamity happened in America and you had to flee the country and run up to Canada for your lives. Would you appreciate someone telling you you couldn't play baseball or eat hot dogs or do whatever it is that makes an American American, even though you weren't hurting anyone and you were making a contribution to your new country? I don't think so! The cabbies aren't telling anyone they can't drink or have a mickey of JD sticking out of their pocket at all times, they just don't want it around them. So more power to 'em!

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Originally posted by Spliffire I agree that the cabbies should be commended for sticking to their beliefs despite the economic consequences but I have trouble with the "why are they here if they don't want to be just like us" attitude I hear all the time.

I never said they had to be exactly like us. It just makes me curious when I hear about stuff like this. The first thing that comes to mind is what else they take issue with in our society. It's not a judging mindset. I'm just a curious guy. I like to pick peoples brains and figure them out.

quote:

First I'd like to remind you that the U.S.A. once had prohibition of alcohol itself (remember that?) and there are still a few counties that are dry if I'm not mistaken so you can't say that opposition to alcohol is an un-American ideal.

Yeah. A really dumb idea promoted by a conservative agenda in response to the "sin" of the kids in the early 20th century. The best part about you mentioning that is the Church rationalized prohibition with scripture which strikes a really odd parallel with the cabbies. Hell, the KKK even promoted it. Finally, the government realized how much money they were spending on trying to crack down on something they couldn't stop with no tax money to do it and passed the 21st amendment. It's even been commonly noted that drinking rates actually went up during prohibition.

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And try and have a little empathy for these people. Suppose one day some horrible calamity happened in America and you had to flee the country and run up to Canada for your lives. Would you appreciate someone telling you you couldn't play baseball or eat hot dogs or do whatever it is that makes an American American, even though you weren't hurting anyone and you were making a contribution to your new country? I don't think so! The cabbies aren't telling anyone they can't drink or have a mickey of JD sticking out of their pocket at all times, they just don't want it around them. So more power to 'em!

There is no need for empathy. They aren't suffering. They're just being difficult and loseing out on income.

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Originally posted by WM2 There is no need for empathy. They aren't suffering. They're just being difficult and loseing out on income.

Really there is no need to feel sorry for them, this is thier choice, they choose not to drive certain people. Its like a someone that keeps picking at a scab, you choose to pick so you will suffer the pain of an infection. Should I feel sorry for them???

Nope, not one bit..... but I do admire thier stand in thier beliefs. but that is all,

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Originally posted by WM2 There is no need for empathy. They aren't suffering. They're just being difficult and loseing out on income.

Fair enough, and of course you don't have to feel for anyone you don't want to. Beyond this specific situation though, I still feel empathy for most immigrants, especially non white immigrants, in the U.S. (and up here as well) considering the high levels of racism and xenophobia currently on the loose. But like I said, you don't have to give a shit if you don't want to.

Re: Prohibition

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Yeah. A really dumb idea promoted by a conservative agenda in response to the "sin" of the kids in the early 20th century. The best part about you mentioning that is the Church rationalized prohibition with scripture which strikes a really odd parallel with the cabbies. Hell, the KKK even promoted it. Finally, the government realized how much money they were spending on trying to crack down on something they couldn't stop with no tax money to do it and passed the 21st amendment. It's even been commonly noted that drinking rates actually went up during prohibition.

I wonder how long it'll take the government to realize the current prohibition of drugs is as much or even more of a failure than alcohol prohibition? You'd figure they would have learned the lesson the first time around. Does the KKK support the War on Drugs?

They know the war on drugs is totally lost but they won't let it go because it brings in funding and lets them fill prisons with brown people.

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Originally posted by Spliffire Re: Prohibition I wonder how long it'll take the government to realize the current prohibition of drugs is as much or even more of a failure than alcohol prohibition? You'd figure they would have learned the lesson the first time around. Does the KKK support the War on Drugs?

It's funny you mention that because many groups use it as an example as to why the war on drugs is a complete failure. The Feds do make tons of money off of it though, so they keep up the guise that they're really just trying to protect us.

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