Saturday, March 26, 2011

Montreal orders cab inspectors to stop fining drivers over religious items

This is definitely one order I can stand behind. I can't believe Montreal cab inspectors have been singling out cabbies who have religious objects on their dashboards for fines. This smells of discrimination and possibly racism.

I mean how many of us have pictures of our kids, husband and/or wive, pets, diploma's, plants and possibly artwork at our desks? Some may even have religious artifacts like a cross.  Personally other then pictures of my kids and husband I happen to have a large garden gnome on my shelf. I also have an inflatable Linux penguin, and there is an award our company won from ETS for being in their circle of top employers of interns hanging near my desk. I also have 3 plants, a few stress balls, and multiple pairs of shoes. I mean each person personalizes his work area. 

So in my mind so long as the safety of passengers isn't at risk and the items being displayed are not highly inappropriate, like porn for instance, I don't see why it should matter to anyone what a cabbie has in his cab which is his work environment.  I mean there is no rules that prevent motorists from hanging tacky fuzzy dice on their rear view mirror  or equipping it with lights that are reminiscent of a 70s disco, so why should cabbies not be allowed the same rights? 

Those who argue about the religious symbols - in my mind it makes total sense to have religious symbols in a vehicle where you spend most of your day in.  Many Christians will hang a rosary on their rear view mirror or a bumper sticker that lets the world know they are Christians. Many religious people feel safer in their car being protected by something that they relate to God. 

I'm not particularly religious but I have a native piece of artwork  and some sweetgrass hanging from my rear view mirror, which I believes protects me from harm while I drive.  I would have no issue with a cabbie who was carrying prayer beads or other symbols of his faith if it makes him more comfortable to drive. 


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