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| Airport taxi flap about alcohol has deeper significance |
| 2006-10-27 |
| Remember this story from a few weeks back? Very interesting... The airport taxi controversy may go deeper than the quandary over whether to accommodate Somali Muslim cabdrivers who refuse to carry passengers carrying alcohol. Behind the scenes, a struggle for power and religious authority is apparently playing out. The taxi controversy at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has caught the nation's attention. But the dispute may go deeper than the quandary over whether to accommodate Somali Muslim cabdrivers who refuse to carry passengers carrying alcohol. Behind the scenes, a struggle for power and religious authority is apparently playing out. 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. An animated circle of Somalis gathered when the question of the airport controversy was raised. "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." But many Somali drivers at the airport are refusing to carry passengers with alcohol. When I asked Patrick Hogan, Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesman, for his explanation, he forwarded a fatwa, or religious edict, that the MAC had received. The fatwa proclaims that "Islamic jurisprudence" prohibits taxi drivers from carrying passengers with alcohol, "because it involves cooperating in sin according to the Islam." The fatwa, dated June 6, 2006, was issued by the "fatwa department" of the Muslim American Society, Minnesota chapter, and signed by society officials. The society is mediating the conflict between the cab drivers and the MAC. That seems odd, since the society itself clearly has a stake in the controversy's outcome. How did the MAC connect with the society? "The Minnesota Department of Human Rights recommended them to us to help us figure out how to handle this problem," Hogan said. Omar Jamal, director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, thinks he knows why the society is promoting a "no-alcohol-carry" agenda with no basis in Somali culture. "MAS is an Arab group; we Somalis are African, not Arabs," he said. "MAS wants to polarize the world, create two camps. I think they are trying to hijack the Somali community for their Middle East agenda. They look for issues they can capitalize on, like religion, to rally the community around. The majority of Somalis oppose this, but they are vulnerable because of their social and economic situation." The society What is the Muslim American Society? In September 2004 the Chicago Tribune published an investigative article. The society was incorporated in 1993, the paper reported, and is the name under which the U.S. branch of the Muslim Brotherhood operates. The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna. The Tribune described the Brotherhood as "the world's most influential Islamic fundamentalist group."Because of its hard-line beliefs, the U.S. Brotherhood has been an increasingly divisive force within Islam in America, fueling the often bitter struggle between moderate and conservative Muslims," the paper reported. 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. How are society members to respond when questioned about a Muslim Brotherhood connection? The Tribune cites an undated internal memo: "If asked, 'Are you the Muslim Brothers?' leaders should respond that they are an independent group called the Muslim American Society." The April 2001 issue of the society's magazine, the American Muslim, lists "essential books" for understanding Islam. They include works by Hassan al-Banna, the Brotherhood's founder, and Sayyid Qutb, one of its most violent theoreticians. Here's the flavor of these authors' writings: "Always cherish the intention of jihad and the desire for martyrdom in the Way of Allah, and actually prepare yourself for that," wrote Al-Banna. Osama bin Laden relied heavily on Qutb in formulating his world view, according to the 9/11 Commission. Qutb had "an enormous loathing of Western society and history," states the commission's report. He taught that "no middle ground exists" in the "struggle between God and Satan." All Muslims must therefore take up arms in this fight, he said. Hassan Mohamud is vice president of the society's Minnesota chapter. The society is independent and has no connection with the Muslim Brotherhood, he said. The Minnesota chapter's website, however, states that the organization's roots lie in the Islamic revival movement that "brought the call of Islam to Muslim masses ... to reestablish Islam as a total way of life." Mohamud says the society has three goals: to present the "real image" of Islam in American society, to preserve the identity of Muslims here and to "make that identity fit without having clashes between cultures and laws." He emphasizes, however, that Muslims must follow shari'a, or Islamic law, in every aspect of their lives. "There are two conflicting systems here -- two ways of life -- that want to live in the same place and respect each other," he says. The society aims to facilitate conciliation between the two. Mohamud adds that Americans need to learn about Islamic law because the Muslim population here is growing. That's why the proposed two-tier system for airport cabdrivers is important, he says. It could become a national model for accommodating Islam in areas ranging from housing to contractual arrangements to the workplace. MAC officials will hold another meeting today about the airport controversy, and Mohamud says he will try to revive the two-tiered pilot project for taxis. Whatever the meeting's outcome, we now have reason to believe that the issue is only a prologue to a larger drama playing out in Minnesota and the United States. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #15 *giggle* |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-10-27 22:31 |
| #14 Sheesh, the way this somos drive, ya gotta take a few nips I fail to see how sharing the cab with a couple of Japanese tourists is of help. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-27 18:29 |
| #13 there's a reason they were referred to as "skinnies" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-10-27 17:46 |
| #12 well as i see it, it is the same as me being a chef and having to feed vegtablarians, at a steak house. If I dont i would be fired. so this alledged american feels his religious law comes before company policy? Funny thing is these duche-bags dont realize they are supportin Zionism by meeting at Starbucks, 4 cups buys the IDF a couple of cartridges perhaps. One can only dream |
| Posted by: SCpatriot 2006-10-27 17:14 |
| #11 Sheesh, the way this somos drive, ya gotta take a few nips |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-10-27 17:13 |
| #10 Have these guys bulked-up living in the US? I've never met or even seen a Somali I couldn't snap in half without breaking a sweat. Just askin'... |
| Posted by: .com 2006-10-27 16:51 |
| #9 Here's another opinion. Where is Homeland Security/ICE ? Does anyone seriously believe Somalians are lawfully in residence in Minneapolis ? They go to Canada and come right through. Get someone there to carefully check their credentials. Deport them immediately. If they don't want to carry passengers, kick them off airport property. If this ever happened to me(it wouldn't be for booze) but some other affliction, I would tell the asshole to get out of the way and get in the next cab. If there were any further altercation, I probably would have to seriously assault someone. |
| Posted by: SpecOp35 2006-10-27 16:44 |
| #8 DoDo: As an alternative you could actively seek out the hypocrite muzzie cabbies. Verify they're a true muzzie cabbie that won't carry someone w/ alcohol. Take your ride. When you arrive at your destination, pay your fare and demand your change. Then explain you never tip because it's against your religion. Don't forget to smile. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-10-27 16:43 |
| #7 What is the Muslim American Society? In September 2004 the Chicago Tribune published an investigative article. The society was incorporated in 1993, the paper reported, and is the name under which the U.S. branch of the Muslim Brotherhood operates. Why is this terrorist front still operating on American soil? Shitcan these maggots, STAT! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-27 15:40 |
| #6 What a bunch of hypocrites ( like that's big news here) While in the ME, during Ramadmadingdong, we US servicemen (pre-gurls-on-boatz) were willingly served alcohol by muzzies, for a price of course and in separate areas so we weren't seen by the faithful. |
| Posted by: USN, ret. 2006-10-27 14:58 |
| #5 Personally, I fully intend to visibly carry alcohol whenever I hail a taxi. I neither want to put myself in the hands of an islamic zealot, nor do I want to give them any of my hard earned cash. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2006-10-27 14:33 |
| #4 Sounds like anyone who wishes to get a cab ride in Minneapolis need only to carry alchol with them to make sure they are not being driven around by a nutjob.... Let the free market take care of this "fatwa of doom". |
| Posted by: TomAnon 2006-10-27 14:19 |
| #3 Was he carrying alcohol?? |
| Posted by: ARMYGUY 2006-10-27 12:57 |
| #2 Funny...The terrorist suspect arressted a while back in the T-Cities was a Somali Muslim cabdriver. Go figure. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2006-10-27 12:41 |
| #1 Push back Minnesota. Don't accomodate these muzzies. Or if you feel you absolutely must accomodate them, then give them precisely the same accomodation "people of the book" receive in Iran KSA, Sudan, or any other muslim majority country. |
| Posted by: Mark Z 2006-10-27 12:38 |