More on the Minneapolis Taxi Drivers

The Airport Commission voted unanimously that taxi drivers in the Minneapolis airport cannot refuse fares based on whether the potential fare is carrying alcohol. "We are sending a message that if you want to drive a taxi at our airport you can't refuse our customers," Steve Wareham, operations manager of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The lawyer representing the cabbies, Jeff Hassan, has claimed that this could wind up in the Supreme Court. Well, Jeff, bring it on. Hassan claimed that a 1990 ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court provides a precedent. That decision allowed the Amish to not use bright orange triangles on their buggies. The Amish, as a matter of principle, eschew things which bring attention to them. Hassan is blowing smoke. No one would claim that the Amish are a "public accommodation" but the cabbies are. They are providing a public service and thus fall under the standard that they have to serve all comers except those who fall under reasonable rules (for example a large family or a potential passenger with excessive luggage). But here the passengers are exercising their rights by carrying a legal product. If the cabbies don't want to have the fares from the airport, they can choose not to serve the airport.

This kind of attempt to impose religious principles on society has two elements. First, it is unlikely that a Christian group of cabbies would be given similar coverage to the coverage that this story has received. Second, there is a broader principle here. Americans should be respectful but not subserviant to religious rules. Hassan and his "clients" are asking the Minneapolis customers to be the latter. Not unsurprisingly, Mr. Hassan advertises on the web. Could he be called a cab chaser?