Booze and Islamic Cab Drivers

Since I haven't had much time to write, I'll let you chew on this story. In which, we see there is a religious conflict brewing in Minneapolis. It seems many of the Muslim cabbies believe their religious prescription against alcohol extends to not transporting it in their cabs--such as, airport customers who have partaken of duty-free goods. The airport, of course, doesn't want a large fraction of its taxi fleet refusing to serve a sizable fraction of its customers.

So the question is, upon whom will the hammer fall? Those trying to stay true to their faith, or those legally purchasing an entertaining chemical? The general principle of allowing free practice of religion in this country (as long as it does no harm to the unconsenting) butts heads with the notion that all people should get equal service (if they are not being belligerent or threatening.) I guess the question is if "waiting for the appropriate cab" is sufficient harm ask people to decide between their faith and their meager livelihood.

The thing that gets me, that the story doesn't answer, is what these cabbies do in regards to one of their other societal roles--getting drunk people home from bars safely. Do they refuse service to the intoxicated? If so, is that person more likely to get in their car? Or even to have driven it in the first place, instead of taking a cab? To me, it would seem that taking someone to a bar is just as much "making money off of alcohol" as is transporting someone with a bottle of wine. I'm curious about this angle, and how it affects public safety, but apparently the reporter is not.

Given that, and the fact that as word gets out, people will just stuff their duty-free booze in a bag and not say anything about it (making the cabbies transport it anyway), I want to say I'd side with the airport commission here, but it's not as if most cabbies could easily slip into another line of work. For many it's the best living they'll be able to make, and it seems harsh to tell them to take it or leave it. And it's not like taxicabs are some inalienable human right. So I don't know. Thoughts?