Respecting the establishment of religion

Remember this?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, orprohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or ofthe press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition theGovernment for a redress[*1] of grievances.

Now, think about this[*2] :

MINNEAPOLIS – CabdriverMuhamed Mursal doesn’t wear his Muslim beliefs on his sleeve, but hemay soon broadcast them from a light on top of his cab.

Mursaland hundreds of other Muslim cabdrivers at Minneapolis-St. PaulInternational Airport refuse to take fares they know are carryingalcohol. No one is searching bags, but a Napa Valley wine box or asee-through bag from the duty-free store can be enough to leave a farewaiting for the next cab. Airport officials estimate that happens atleast three times a day.

Now, the airport and cab drivers haveworked out a proposal that calls for cabdrivers who won’t carry alcoholto have a cab light that’s a different color. That way, the airportworkers who hook up travelers with taxis can steer alcohol-carryingfares to cabs that will take them. Airport officials hope to have thenew lights ready by the end of the year.

Wouldn’t putting special Muslim-lights on taxi cabs be kinda the definition of “respecting the establishment of a religion?”  Remember please that the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport is a government agency.

I have no problem with Muslim taxi drivers refusing fares because the fare is carrying alcohol.  I’d also have no problem with the cab company firing the driver’s sorry asses for refusing to do their job.  Everybody wins–the cab drivers stay true to their beliefs, cab companies get more reliable drivers, and Martha Minnesotan back from her wine weekend in Napa Valley gets home OK.