it comes in pints?

In a related note, if you are a fundie Christian and have a problem with pharmacologic birth control or the morning after pill, don't become a pharmacist. You are not a doctor and have no prescribing (or witholding) rights.

Indeed.

In my more pessimistic moods, I wonder if this kind of thing is the narrow end of a wedge...that, 20 years from now, we won't even be able to BUY bacon because some are "offended" by it.

I could see some kind of activist-but-not-necessarily-militant group planting members in stores around the country, and then having them set up a stink about selling things they don't like, so that the stores eventually give in to their pressure.

I'm personally offended by slut-wear for young girls but if I were looking for a job in retail, I'd either choose to work in a store that didn't sell it (the preferable option), or I'd bite my tongue when some parent came in to buy their six year old a pair sweatpants with "Juicy" written on the butt. I might THINK "what a bad parent," but I'd sure not say it. Or refuse to ring up the prostitot clothing.

"Prostitot!" I love it (and fully intend to plagiarize it)!

Well, here in Washington we ran into an issue with Catholics refusing to sell abortifacient pills, and I supported them, because the Catholic pharmacists were there before the pills. It amounted to an ex-post-facto ban on Catholics (and some fundies) in the profession.

But in the case of the grocery clerks, the bacon was there before she was, and I don't see why it should be the one to go. I'd say the same if it was my religion involved.

In the interest of fairness, Joel, "prostitot" was originated (I think) by Joanne Jacobs. I just stole it.

good word, though.

I wonder sometimes about that wedge aspect also, ricki. Are some Muslims trying to create the precedence for special status/rights? Is this one of the wedges? Just look what's happened in some parts of Europe.

Oh, and I meant to add thanks for the link, Ken.

I found this part of the original article fascinating:
"Last year, Somali cabdrivers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport attracted national attention when some refused to carry passengers toting alcohol."

They don't have to *touch* the alcohol, so what's the prob?
Next thing you know, the cabbies will be grilling you before you get in the cab: "Have you eaten any pork or did you drink any alcohol? How long ago? If it hasn't DIGESTED, I can't take you in my cab!"

Your right to your religion stops at the edge of your anatomy, buddy. Don't inflict it on me.

Well, I don't know much about cabbies (you could count the number of times I've used one on the fingers of one thumb), but I had the impresssion they were more in a private-contractor situation than regular employees. So if a cabbie wants to forego my money because I have a bottle of bourbon in my suitcase (and believe me, if I'm headed to the airport, I'd better), then he's welcome to pass it up and I'll pay it to somebody else, with no grudge against his company.

But I do agree with the "wedge" theory, To enter another culture and attempt to change customs that have been in place all along is not something that immigrants do. Invaders do that.

Not only that, Julie, but some have tried to deny rides to passengers with seeing eye dogs.

This may be only my perception, but it seems like this kind of stuff has only started happening in the last few years. As Dave said, it's like they're trying to get belligerent. Maybe it's that this particular subset has become emboldened by having so many people fall all over themselves to be oh-so-tolerant of any kind of non-WASP or non-Christian.

I blame CAIR (and that's only half joking). "Orchestration" is too strong a word, but this is exactly the kind of crap that CAIR pushes.

And Joel, I have to disagree on that point. The pharmacy owner, assuming a non-corporate pharmacy not covered by standard antidiscrimination laws, may perhaps set such policies (tough call), but employees have little recourse even if policies change. And even for the owners, I don't see it being drastically different from the cab/market issues; it's a legal pharmaceutical prescribed by a physician, especially if the customer's choices are circumscribed by, say, insurance coverage.

For an employee, the situation you describe is not, in my mind, qualitatively different from a vegetable stand that changes ownership and becomes a pork deli. People need to learn to compromise, not to demand that others bow to their preferences. If they feel they can't compromise their principles, they should move on to a more hospitable place.

Major oops. Crossed up on the comments, Joel!

Your cab example is not quite right. First, there are laws governing public transporters (transportaters?) that required them to not discriminate like that - Dave J has mentioned this in a previous thread about the issue but I don't recall the details.

Second, even if there weren't such anti-discrimination laws, they are not private contractors in the sense you describe. The lawyers may correct this if it's not quite accurate, but every major urban center I know of has a limited number of licenses (medallions? Is that what they call them?) for cabs. Not to say that is the way it should be done, but since it is the case there is a limited number of legals cabs, not a free market, so such a license may come with certain restrictions.

Ken is right on the cab issue. They are regulated, and more importantly, limited in the number of licenses issued, by the local governments. At MSP the problem has arisen because nearly 75% of those limited licenses are now held by Somalis. A significant number of those Somalis have chosen to refuse any fare that they know is carrying alcohol. And that is starting to have a significant impact on service to all passengers at MSP.

And another point to emphasize that you mentioned, Ken: It is a subset of Muslims in Minnesota, not all Muslims or Somalis. The rest of us are being provoked and we need to be firm, but smart, in how we react.

I really hate to sound jingoistic, but piss on multiculti bullshit. Assimilate or go home.

And yes, it is a small subset. But what I'm still trying to figure out from the linked story is the part about a Muslim woman working in a store. My impression has been that Muslims of that type of fundie mentality tend to frown on things like that.

One other small observation I just thought of: I'm reminded of that Scandinavian gov't official a while back that blamed rapes by Muslim in his country on the victims - they should be more culturally sensitive and not dress so provocatively. Putz.