In a development reported with a front-page jumbo headline in the New York Post, as well as a more subdued NY Times accounting, the US takes one further step -- albeit a tiny one -- toward Islamicization of America.
New York City's metered Yellow Cabs are the only ones licensed to pick up street hails and are strictly regulated in every respect by the Taxi & Limousine Commission: from the vehicle's, mechanical specifications to the equipment it must have -- even to the color and design of its exterior. Only a taxi with a license "medallion" may qualify, and such medallions are strictly limited in number, which is why the price they bring is upwards of $700,000. each.
Some drivers work with so-called "fleet cabs," which they rent by the day; others own their own cab and medallion (often under a mortgage); and still others own the cab but lease the medallion from its owner.
It's this last category that is affected by the new ruling. It seems that the medallion owner, not the vehicle owner, rents out roof-top advertising for additional revenue; and these ads cover a full range of legal products and services -- including the so-called "gentlemen's clubs." Turns out that Muslim cabbies are offended by such ads on the cars, much as the Minneapolis Muslims cabbies had a hard time with airport passengers carrying alcohol or accompanied by seeing eye dogs.
In the Minneapolis situation, such drivers were told by the authorities that they were performing a public service and had to accept alcohol and dog-carrying passengers or face a stiff penalty. Not so with the Big Apple's city fathers. The ruling reported today allows any cabbie whose medallion is leased to refuse any roof-top advertising that doesn't square with his religious beliefs.
Strangely, the particular ads involved, for two midtown strip-clubs, are not the remotest bit phonographic or obscene. They state only the name of the establishment and its address and/or phone number. The only illustration is a partial picture of a woman's face (unveiled, of course).
According to the Post article:
The great religious war, waged on top of yellow cabs, has ended.
Devout Muslim hacks -- who were crouched behind their steering wheels in shame while driving with ads for strip clubs atop their taxis -- won a major victory yesterday in their war on roof smut.
The city's Taxi & Limousine Commission agreed to give cabbies who own their vehicles absolute veto power on the content of ads on their cars -- delighting scores of modest hacks of various faiths who had fought hard for the rule overhaul.
"We are Muslims, and we do not like the ads!" crowed cabby Mohamed Tahir, 66, whose cab is topped with an image of a sexy brunette from Flashdancers Gentlemen's Club.
As a New Yorker, I see cabs with such ads every day; but, I must ask, where does this stop? Just this morning, looking out the breakfast window, I noted a taxi whose ad panel bore a pitch the the "Charley's Angels" TV show featuring not one, but three winsome lasses in sexy low-cut attire -- far less modest that the dance club's graphics. And, then there was one cab advertising a brand of liquor, another Muslim taboo. Will the dance club ruling be followed by objections to public advertising of any non-burqua- wearing female, all alcoholic beverages? Will New York's T&LC cave again when it happens?
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