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| Witchvox Chapter: Wren's Nest News | Chapter Page Views: 56,555,277 |
 Cabby Won’t Remove Jewish Objects From Taxi Author: David Lazarus Source: Canadian Jewish News Title: CABBY WON’T REMOVE JEWISH OBJECTS FROM TAXI A Cote St. Luc cab driver vows he will launch an immediate appeal if a municipal court orders him to pay $1,400 in tickets for having Jewish religious artifacts and personal items in his taxi. “Within 24 hours, I will do it,” Arieh Perecowicz promised in a phone interview with The CJN. The 65-year-old native Israeli, who’s been driving a cab mostly in Montreal’s west end for 43 years, was referring to his scheduled date in municipal court this week and his almost three-year battle to keep photos of his family, small Israeli and Canadian flags, and a Remembrance Day poppy affixed neatly to the dashboard of his Veterans taxi. Most significantly, the alleged offences also apply to several Jewish religious items he also carries in his cab: a photo of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson, and two mezuzot, which are attached between the front and back seats. That makes no difference to Perecowicz, who believes that regulation Number 98 of the Bureau’s bylaws, which prohibits a taxi from carrying “objects or inscriptions” not required for the taxi to “be in service,” is far too vague. Additional Article Link: [Click HERE] | |
| Community Thoughts: There are 11 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| As Long As The Same Held True For... | Oct 4th. at 7:18:54 pm EDT |
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Corax (Glendale, Arizona) - Email Me a Pagan displaying pentagrams, images of the Gods, Sigils of Baphomet, etc., etc., etc., without any of these icons being in the back seat, i.e., in close physical proximity to the passenger so as to make him/her feel that he/she were being proseltyzed or otherwise religiously influenced, I see no real problem with it. Needless to say, I have absolutely no use for any form of monotheistic religious iconography or belief, yet I recognize the right of the (misguided) adherents of such to display their icons, AS LONG AS THEY RECOGNIZE THEIR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY to allow a Pagan to freely display HIS UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES! |
| Three Felonies A Day | Oct 4th. at 4:18:45 pm EDT |
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Terry (Irvington, Virginia) - Email Me Three Felonies a Day is one of the more credible estimates of what could be prosecuted against the average American, if full and complete enforcement of often contradictory and unConstitutional, as well as valid but rarely or selectively used, laws were acted on as written. This is Canada, with similar but different standards of Due Process, Equal Protections, and speech and religious issues. In general, selective prosecution is illegal, while potential missiles in a common carrier commercial vehicle (which appears to be similar in Canada as most US cities) , or religious or political speech in that class of quasi-government though privately operated franchise transport, may be legitimately a legal violation. Selective prosecution isn't legal though, and this situation as reported appears to have all the red flags as being on both sides of those fences at once, without being clearly and entirely on either side. If the speech neutrality laws being enforced are held valid, beyond the safety issues of loose metal picture frames and obstructed dash instruments, a lot of cabbies are going to need to be held to the same law most usually are not. |
| I Believe ... | Oct 4th. at 12:09:01 pm EDT |
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me that company policy should dictate-to a certain extent- what may be allowable at a desk or behind the wheel. I would not deny someone to wear a pentacle or cross or whatever, even though some are ostentatious enough to be ridiculous (and some are) or to have them on display -if they do not pose a hazard to someone, or to the person who owns them in some cases. In any case one should always allow discretion to be one's guide in some occupations and in general public. If a cabbie cannot display his individual items, even though his company allows it, then in the near future, it may turn out to be against the law for anyone to display anything in their own vehicles-or in their own homes or on their own person- lest someone may be offended by what they see. I think some are taking sensitivity to a whole new depth at times. |
| Jewish Cabbie Has Religious Freedom Of Expression | Oct 4th. at 10:03:25 am EDT |
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Goldie Rootwalker (Vancouver, Washington) - Email Me I think if it is part of the company's protocol to allow a cabbie to decorate his cab with personal items, like a person with a desk job or cubicle can decorate it with fake flowers pictures of the grandkids and something made of clay with bobble eyes, then he should be allowed to do so. It's a company decision. Or, if it is his cab, then it is his decision. Gracious, lets not take away everyone's right to have a personal style, and religion is a huge factor in a lot of folks' lives. I know they can't take away my pents or brooms or whatnot.... they are my religious symbols and I have a right to them as this country is based on freedoms and one freedom is religious expression! Unless he is in violation of some code, which is a code that ought to be changed if there is one, then let him have things. You cannot say they are distracting, as cabbies have all sorts of distractions and can drive against them. You can't say they are dangerous... look who 1/2 the folks cabbies pick up.... and look at 1/2 the cabbies!! :) ' ♥ Love to everyone!!! and Peace. Lots of Peace. |
| I'd Be More Concerned... | Oct 3rd. at 10:08:01 pm EDT |
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me if he decided not to answer my call or refuse to take me to my destination for some reason. That would concern me more than what he has in his cab, unless he decides to assault me in some way with them. |
| WTF? | Oct 3rd. at 8:40:20 pm EDT |
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Karl (Detroit Metro, Michigan) - Email Me - Web He has the right to believe whatever he wants to, and, as has been said, to set up his work space however he wants to, but that’s as far as it goes, IMO. The $1,400 in tickets is outrageous. However, if he starts preaching, or attempting to convert me, I would have a problem with that. Of course, if that did happen, I would be forced to invite him to go here: ( [Web LINK] ) , have a look around and then defend his position, which of course, can’t be done…… ~K |
| Here We Go Again.... | Oct 3rd. at 8:35:41 pm EDT |
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Aidan Odinson (Collingdale, Pennsylvania) - Email Me - Web A while ago, a zoning authority in the US tried to claim a Shabbas house was a "hotel" and tried to get it put out of business. A Shabbas house is not a hotel, but simply a place known to take in guests over the Jewish Sabbath, in this case to allow families to be close enough to visit family members in a particular hospital. Before that, it was a case of an Orthodox Jew who was put off of an Air Canada Jazz flight for saying the traditional prayer which is said when one is forced to break the Sabbath, as he was forced to by traveling on that day. And of course we cannot forget the state regulators who tried to claim "humanitarian reasons" for trying to prohibit the production of Kosher meat. I've seen some Muslim-driven cabs which could almost pass for mosques and Sikh-driven cabs which look like they could be temples. And then there's the occasional born-again Christian cabbie who tries to offer Salvation along with your ride. So, why is someone getting upset about a Jewish cab driver doing something which I've seen other cab drivers all over the world do. One more step in someone's attempt to force Jews underground? If it's done to anyone, it can be done to anyone else. |
| A Little Insane | Oct 3rd. at 4:55:09 pm EDT |
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Figlia della Luna (New Orleans, Louisiana) - Email Me If you ask me, as long as none of them are obscene or anything, one should treat stuff in taxis like knick-knacks in a cubicle. That's his workspace, and I've been in plenty of cabs in this city with rosaries draped over the rearview mirror, or a Quran on the dash, or various flags and such tacked there. And we have similar history of being French and Catholic here in New Orleans - but I suppose we take the true American values of freedom seriously here. We celebrate differences openly - I wouldn't be shocked to see Vodou objects in a cab either! |
| It's Quebec... | Oct 3rd. at 2:58:05 pm EDT |
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NightLad (Toronto, Ontario) - Email Me They were the last province to abolish laws (yes, actual laws) requiring all children to have at least one Catholic name; usually the middle name, but often the first. To this day you can't throw a stone without hitting a Mary or John. I think they are trying to follow in step with France and its views on public displays of faith. Remember, in Canada, Quebec is considered "a nation within Canada" -- whatever that's supposed to mean. Please don't let his reflect on the rest of Canada. I'm from Toronto and I can't tell you how many Sikh and Muslim cabbies I've ridden with that have flags and religious items on display. The more the merrier, I say. |
| Not Surprising | Oct 3rd. at 11:52:31 am EDT |
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Rowanwolf (Calgary, Alberta) - Email Me It is not surprising that this type of thing would be happening in Quebec. The Province, for whatever reasons, deserved or not, has a reputation for trying to force its residents into becoming good french speaking catholic members of society. |
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