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We are in need of more postings. Please watch the news, pick up a newspaper or magazine, and share with your classmates stories that you think are IMPORTANT and have CURRENT RELEVANCE. Not every story on the local news is worth our time. But we don't have to focus just on the big, global stuff either. I want to see more action on this blog! We're all in this together, and it's a true team effort.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Taxi Drivers Racially Profiling Passengers?

I heard about this in my Holocaust class, but this is something that is currently going on and we should be aware of it. Basically, after a taxi driver was shot by a Hispanic male on December 3, the president of the NY State Federation of Taxi Drivers informed Taxi drivers in the state to start profiling the people that they serviced. The president, Fernando Mateo, wants to keep the drivers safe by having them assume whether someone is dangerous based on what they are wearing (pants below their waist or covered faces) and most importantly if they are Black or Hispanic. He wants to "weed them out."
Frankly, I don't know how to feel about this. I'm not sure if it's really racial profiling since the drivers are Blacks and Hispanics as well, but it is profiling nonetheless. What do you guys think? Here's a link if you want a more in-depth explanation:


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3 comments:

  1. Jonatan CeballosDecember 10, 2010 at 12:16 AM

    I really disagree with what this guy wants to do. And like you mentioned earlier Sam, even though the drivers are Black and Hispanic it still is racial profiling and it would be illegal to not provide service for someone because of their race.

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  2. Ms. FrenchDecember 15, 2010 at 11:22 AM

    An ethical issue, for sure. Taxi drivers have the highest victim of homocide rate of any profession. They already do this, I mean pass by people just based on whether they think the customer won't pay. Why does it offend us so much more because someone states it officially? Are we offended that a driver puts his own safety first? Or are we offended that someone is admitting it? Or are we offended that it's a sweeping policy? Just the thoughts rolling around in my brain....

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  3. Jonatan CeballosDecember 15, 2010 at 2:04 PM

    Actually I never thought of it that way. I always believed that if they just passed by people it was because they already had a place to go to. I guess the reason why it's more offensive now that they state it is the fact that now everyone is aware of it.
    I also believe that we are offended because they think of their safety first for the fact that everyone cares about themselves first than about others. So we think more about how we are being treated and affected rather than how the other person is affected.

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