Muslim Cabdrivers in Minneapolis & Melbourne Refuse to Carry Alcohol-Toting Fares

Several Muslim taxi drivers in both Minneapolis and Melbourne Australia have started to refuse to carry passengers who have sealed liquor in bags saying it is their right to refuse those individuals because it violates their religion. In the Twin cities, this has sparked a big debate, yet in Melbourne, it appears to go even farther. In Australia, they are also refusing to carry handicapped passengers, who have guide dogs with them. Some Passengers in Melbourne have filed discrimination lawsuits because of their actions,



I first read about this early this morning and more or less passed it off, well that was until I took my dog in to get her groomed. It was then that I learned via talk radio this apparently is getting way out of hand. One caller stated one cab driver refused to carry her because she was a woman. Huh??? Did you read that right you sure did Muslim men consider the female gender as subservient to men.

Now as if that was not bad enough, then you have Muslims refusing to carry passengers that have sealed booze on them while others are refusing to carrying guide dogs of handicapped individuals.

What comes next? Are they going to refuse to handle Pigskin Luggage? Will they purhaps refuse to carry intoxicated individuals?

This is getting way out of hand and needs to be stopped if they want to live in a free society they have to respect our rights to carry what we want.

Why is there a need to jam their beliefs down our throats, we do not jam ours down theirs. What I want to know is, why is so hard to leave their religion at home were it belongs?


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[edit on 10/11/2006 by shots]

They shouldn't get a taxi drivers' license then unless they agree to carry all passengers with all legal packages/goods reasonable.

I don't think this would be legal in NYC, we have tough laws and restrictions covering taxis and their drivers. If a driver refuses to pick up a fare for an illegal reason, they can be in serious trouble.

[edit on 10/11/2006 by djohnsto77]

To broaden the issue its not just about this cab nonsesne.

If everything is so offensive to Muslims then they should not entre democratic societies since they are so unholy in their eyes. For being there they have left Islam because they are not governed by it, unless their agenda is to change our ways too.

But the issue goes far beyound this, Muslim Doctors also refuse to treat people with deseases that come from sinful nature, I read this in a front page paper in the UK.

So we give Muslims all this politcal correctness and tip toeing in the West and they have the Cheek to refuse our freedoms because it effect their religion. There needs to be a stop in the Western leaders to stop pussyfooting around fairness they have become victims of having to change. So a cab driver can now change the law?

Shall we adopt Islam into now? Come on it seems like the West has been blinded and charmed by the devil there needs to be a point where we have to learn to keep our values.

Does not democracy learn from all this ?What is wrong with people. The whole idea of democracy was to seperate church from state, now it seems they are adopting Islam giving it mercy. When if you do that in their countires they would kill you.

To me it seems the democrates who are increaingly becoming Godless are being fooled by the devil relgions and they are so blind to answer on a spiritual level.

They need to wake up and smell the Holy Spirit.

[edit on 11-10-2006 by The time lord]

About a decade ago, Muslim taxi drivers in New Orleans pulled the no dog routine and militant blind people were quick to file lawsuits. I think the law comes down on the side of the handicapped and their service dogs, but I don't remember how it was resolved. When you're in the business of providing a service, "the customer is always right" is still a good rule of thumb.

Originally posted by shots
Why is there a need to jam their beliefs down our throats, we do not jam ours down theirs.

But, you are sittting there typing that these Muslims shouldn't have the freedom to do what they want with their taxis and should do what you want them to do.

The issue is more along the lines of what Grady was saying. They aren't going to make a very good business if they turn down people for these different reasons. If there is a problem, such as with handicapped people, then the law will handle it.

By the way, where's the outrage when cab drivers refuse to pick up people in poor or, dare I say, black neighborhoods?

Originally posted by djohnsto77
They shouldn't get a taxi drivers' license then unless they agree to carry all passengers with all legal packages/goods reasonable.

I don't think this would be legal in NYC, we have tough laws and restrictions covering taxis and their drivers. If a driver refuses to pick up a fare for an illegal reason, they can be in serious trouble.

[edit on 10/11/2006 by djohnsto77]

There are terms & conditions of employment and these people are well outside the scope of their employment, they will more than likely be sacked. Any vicarious litigation will rely on the business permitting this behavior. I am quite sure, the employer would not endorse such carp. If a Taxi is privately owned then the person who owns the taxi would be sued directly and probably ousted from sub contracting work. Good, get them off the road.

Funny, though, we might just end up with another Taxi co..just for Muslims. What a load of carp. My Sister is blind and if I saw someone do that to her, grrrr!

We have had quite a few sexual assaults in Adelaide fromTaxis drivers..seems certain Muslim individuals hate western women so much they feel they have to rape them. Just after one incident, my daughter was walking towards a taxi rank with 2 of her friends to catch a taxi and she said they were 'ethic' so not sure of racial typology, but they were whistling and calling out sexist remarks. My daughter and her friends were frightened and just said, there was no way they would get into a taxi with any of them. Needless to say, I went and picked them up.

Appalling..

My goddess, if it is'nt one thing with Muslims it's another.

I say we just fire anyone, regardless of religion, who won't pick a
paying fare up, unless there is a real viable threat to the physicla
well being and/or life of the driver.

You know as much as I like the ability to believe how I like, I think
that part of the ammendment needs some tweaking, to something
like "You can ebleive how you want, but you can't refuse service
based on your beliefs" and other stuff like that.

Originally posted by Jamuhn

But, you are sittting there typing that these Muslims shouldn't have the freedom to do what they want with their taxis and should do what you want them to do.

No that is not what I was saying and here they are not their taxis as you put it they are owned by companies who hire drivers to transport passengers, nor was I telling them what they should or should not do If they pulled either stunt here based only on religion they would be fired for not doing their job.

By the way, where's the outrage when cab drivers refuse to pick up people in poor or, dare I say, black neighborhoods?

What are you talking about? we read about those cases in the papers and in most cases the drivers are fired if they are found to be in violation of company rules and or federal/city ordinances.





[edit on 10/12/2006 by shots]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
I think the law comes down on the side of the handicapped and their service dogs, but I don't remember how it was resolved.

Grady I do think that the Federal Handicap laws when applied to public and private trasportation when it pertains to conveying passengers clearly states they can not refuse service to the handicap, nor can they prohibit service dogs from entering a cap, bus or resturant for that matter.

In Australia there is a list of Rights and Responsibilites on the glove box of the cab.

The things on it say reasons you can get kicked out of the cab and things the driver can and cannot do.

NOWHERE does it say that they can refuse to pick you up because you aren't muslim or because you are a woman. You can't consume alcohol but you can carry it. You also get to choose the radio station.

If the cab driver refuses to give you a lift other than reasons such as drug posession, violence or the fact you are already drunk - they should lose their job.

Muslims have a right to equal treatment. NOT greater. That's what really gets to me. A muslim woman kicked up a big stink because she couldn't have her license photo taken with her full face veil taken. I mean far out... what gives her the right to have a photo taken with a fask mask on that is supposed to identify you.

Equal Rights. Not Greater. Remember that.

[edit on 12/10/2006 by doctorfungi]

I don't get it. I do know a few Muslims on our street who own either cats or dogs. I have seen Muslim people downtown walking around with dogs on leashes. Thus, I don't understand where these cab drivers get off claiming that taking guide dogs in their cabs is against their religon. We had the same problem over here in London with cab drivers refusing blind people with dogs because they claimed it was against their religon because dogs are supposedly unclean animals.

We have one of three possible answers.

1. The Muslims I know with dogs and cats are in grave violation of their religon.
2. These Muslim cab drivers belong to some extremely strict sect of Islam.
3. These cab drivers are a small group of buttwipes who are simply doing this to stir up controversy or create a stink because they are provacateurs.

Anyone of the above could be right.

We often hear about how we should be sensitive to other peoples cultures and faiths. I agree.............to a point.

However, its a two way street. They need to start showing sensitivity towards us, and they need to start understanding that:

1. In western cultures, dogs are companion animals, pets, and workers, and thus, an important part of our lives.
2. In our society, we revere the idea of giving the handicapped as much independance and self reliance as possible, thus, they have rights and protections regarding those things, guide dogs included, that will help a handicapped person live as independantly as possible.

Muslims have a right to their beliefs. However, they have no right to deny services when they are in the position to give services, on the basis of religon.

If there is going to be a conflict here, then perhaps they should consider other livelyhoods where they wont have the dilema of faith vs duty. There are plenty of jobs they can have that wont require them to deal with a diverse public or engage in things that might violate their religous beliefs.

However, taxi driving is a type of public service, and in our society, the public includes people who buy alcohol (perfectly legal), women, blind people with guide animals, and other such things.

An Orthodox Jewish person would not work in a pork sausage factory or a tattoo parlor. A devout Hindu would not work in a place that serves beef. A Christian person would not very likely work in a strip joint or a gay bath house. Why? because the above jobs would involve activities that would come in conflict with their religous beliefs. Yet all of the above people manage to find work in many different areas and live successfully.

Thus, Muslims who have a problem with dogs and alcohol in western societies where drinking and friendship with canines is a social norm should not work in jobs where they will be required to serve the diverse public in many capacities.

Originally posted by shots
No that is not what I was saying and here they are not their taxis as you put it they are owned by companies who hire drivers to transport passengers, nor was I telling them what they should or should not do If they pulled either stunt here based only on religion they would be fired for not doing their job.

Agreed.
The laws against discrimination should apply to everyone. This reminds me of when a Westfield security officer refused to allow two brothers to take wheelchairs to their cars. They had to crawl across the carpark to their car as their sister was unable to carry them. There are many people in society who still do not get basic human rights.

Originally posted by Jamuhn
But, you are sittting there typing that these Muslims shouldn't have the freedom to do what they want with their taxis and should do what you want them to do.

Alot of Melbourne taxi drivers a Muslim. Are you suggesting that they all should be allowed to refuse blind people lifts home late at night? What about people with those heavy, hard to handle and fold wheelchairs? What were you saying about freedom again? Hey.. maybe they shouldn't be allowed on public transport either.. wouldn't want to offend the bus driver. :shk: People don't choose to be handicapped but they can certainly choose to be religious. If driving certain people conflicts with someone's beliefs they should choose another line of work.

where's the outrage when cab drivers refuse to pick up people in poor or, dare I say, black neighborhoods?

Yes.. People are only outraged because they were blind and not black. Please.. racism gets plenty of attention and there are already several threads on racial discrimination. Perhaps you should chime into one of those instead of derailing this one just to push your own cause. The way you speak it's as though you have a real problem with the handicapped having rights.