The Minneapolis Star Tribune has an interesting story about their Somali Muslim community’s thoughts on the airport taxi issue. For the past five years (interestingly, only since September 11th), Somali Muslim drivers have flatly refused to take passengers with alcohol, or blind passengers with dogs, citing both violate Islamic religious law. Apparently, that’s not entirely true.
Airport taxi flap about alcohol has deeper significance
At the Starbucks coffee shop in Minneapolis’ Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, a favorite Somali gathering spot, holidaymakers celebrating Eid, the end of Ramadan, filled the tables on Monday. Several taxis were parked outside…
“I was surprised and shocked when I heard it was an issue at the airport,” said Faysal Omar. “Back in Somalia, there was never any problem with taking alcohol in a taxi.”
Jama Dirie said, “If a driver doesn’t pick up everyone, he should get his license canceled and get kicked out of the airport.”
Two of the Somalis present defended the idea that Islam prohibits cabdrivers from transporting passengers with alcohol. An argument erupted. The consensus seemed to be that only a small number of Somalis object to transporting alcohol. It’s a matter of personal opinion, not Islamic law, several men said…
Ahmed Samatar, a nationally recognized expert on Somali society at Macalester College, confirmed that view. “There is a general Islamic prohibition against drinking,” he said, “but carrying alcohol for people in commercial enterprise has never been forbidden. There is no basis in Somali cultural practice or legal tradition for that.
“This is one of those new concoctions.“It is being foisted on the Somali community by an inside or outside group,” he added. “I do not know who.”
Is it possible some inside/outside group, like the Muslim Brotherhood, through their proxy the MAS, are making things up to gain power and condition Americans to accept Muslim “religious” law no matter how ridiculous? The article goes into detail about the MAS connection to the airport taxi issue. They also nicely point out the connection between the MAS and the Brotherhood. Make no mistake, an issue like this is part of the culture war, as Islamists seek to transform the United States into a Muslim nation. As the paper notes:
The international Muslim Brotherhood “preaches that religion and politics cannot be separated and that governments eventually should be Islamic,” according to the Tribune. U.S. members emphasize that they follow American laws, but want people here to convert to Islam so that one day a majority will support a society governed by Islamic law.”
The airport commission in Minneapolis is doing its best to stand its ground on this issue. While many may miss the importance of an issue like this in the larger scheme, it’s imperative Minneapolis stand by its principles of fairness and equity. And that means if yout religion demands that you discriminate, fine, do so, but not at the expense of the public.
Speaking of Islamic law, I came across this article that shows yet another disgusting example of how Arab Muslim cultures treat women. As an exercise physiologist who works in cardiac rehab (often helping people combat obesity and diabetes), I was all the more enraged by this.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12857161/wid/11915773
Regardless of Islamic law, if a cab drivers values in any arena prohibit him from taking passengers who are not in violation of the law as to what you may and may not carrie on a cab, that driver should lose their job.
This is simply a case of a foreign culture seeing how far they can use our own laws to push us around. The answer should be about 1/2 a millimeter.
Hey Minneapolis/St. Paul– Vote to require cab companies to post “No Alcohol on Board” signs promemently on the Somali/Muslim driven cabs, in two or three places on the taxi’s body.
Air travelers should be allowed to have the informed choice of whom they ride with.
How can CAIR object to this innocent requirement?
Sorry, but I forgot to add earlier that those “No Alcohol Permitted” signs on the Minneapolis/St. Paul cabs need to also have signs with words to the effect, “Also, dogs NOT allowed”.
Each slogan could easily fit inside the Crescent Moon-on-green-background mandated signs, don’t you think?
Aren’t these drivers free to pursue other careers?
There are jobs i’ve avoided because they conflict with my personal values.