CAIRie Nations of Minnesota
I didn't pay much attention to the Twin Cities Moslem taxi deal until this morning, when I read Daniel Pipes' article. Pipes is worried about the precedent of setting up what amounts to a dual transport system. I'm more concerned about cost-free discrimination. Of course, the cabbies always could discriminate, and did. (Anyone can. There is no way to force an individual to not discriminate; you can just make him jump through hoops to do so.) But the MAC has basically said that discrimination on the basis of religious practices is OK. Well, I'm waiting for the Christian Identity cabbie to hang a "No coloreds" sign in his window; after all, that's his religion. Somehow I doubt that will be given the same respect. But giving a green light (perhaps literally!) to discrimination can cut both ways, as those with booze (or even those who think a cabbie should shut up and drive instead of imposing his religion on others) can simply quit patronizing Muslim cabs. Apparently the deal is already dead in the water, as cab companies are afraid of losing business in a consumer boycott. But if their employees are already turning down fares, why are they still employees? If I refused to do my job, I wouldn't have it. Even if they're leasing their cabs, why isn't there a clause in the lease? After all, turning down fares reflects badly on Yellow Cab or whoever the driver is driving for.
It seems that a great deal of the problem could be dealt with by the duty-free stores, who are sending out their booze in transparent plastic bags, making it obvious which fares are carrying. They should switch to tasteful paper handle-bags, maybe solid royal blue with "Allah akbar" in gold Arabic script along the top. "I just bought some copies of the Koran," the fares could say. Alas, the cabbies would buy that for about 5 minutes. Better they should just get with the program and realize that in America, Allah has bigger problems to worry about than whether your customers break the minutiae of Islamic law.
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