NY Union Boss Welcomes Racial Profiling
By Wyatt Earp | December 8, 2010
The head of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers is asking his members to racially profile passengers for their own safety. This comes after a fellow driver was shot multiple times by an Hispanic gun-toting thug.
Naturally, the liberals are throwing out the usual accusations of racism.
Fernando Mateo, president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, is telling cab drivers that for their own protection they should profile potential passengers who are black and Latino.
Mateo, who identifies himself as both black and Hispanic, made his comments this week after a livery cab driver was shot several times by a man police describe as Hispanic. The suspect was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, which Mateo has said is a red flag. The private cab driver was fighting for his life after being shot at least four times by a robber who ended up getting less than $100.
I am all for this. First of all, the Plexiglas inside most cabs isn’t bulletproof, so the drivers have no protection from the city’s thuggery. Secondly, let’s be honest about who is committing most of the inner-city crime in America. It’s not the elderly couple from Iowa that want to see the Empire State Building. It’s young punks; mostly minorities. Call me a racist if you want, but the stats are the stats.
My only beef with Mr. Mateo’s request is that it doesn’t go far enough. The cabbies should profile everyone; not just blacks and Hispanics. If a driver sees some young white toad decked out in his thug life best, he probably shouldn’t stop, either. The exit question I give to cab drivers is this: Would you rather be fighting a charge of racism, or fighting for your life in an emergency room?
Topics: The Job | 7 Comments »
December 8th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Well this guy had no protection from thuggery anyway. If I’m understanding this correctly, the cabbie was a livery cabbie, meaning he was in one of those horse drawn carriage type things….no plexiglas window on those.
December 8th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Aaaand he opens his mouth again without knowing what he’s talking about. I just looked up “livery” and found out it means a “vehicle for hire” and refers to almost every taxi cab. oops.
…slinks away in shame.
December 8th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Hey Picky — You tried.
Wyatt’s advice to cab drivers reminds me of my support for our 2d Amendment: “I’d rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6″.
December 8th, 2010 at 1:50 pm
Aren’t there some places where you can get fired for not picking up a fare when you’re available?
As for racial profiling, people profile on a daily basis, they just refuse to admit it. Sometimes it’s by race, sometimes it’s by dress, and sometimes it’s by gut with no discernable reason that can be verbalized.
I’d pick up a black guy dressed decently, but I wouldn’t pick up a black guy dressed in gang colors/clothing.
I have not picked up hitchikers that “looked decent enough” because of some feeling, but have picked up hitchikers that looked like they’ve been rode hard and put away wet and were nice enough people. (In one case, truck broke down and when he went to saddle up, the horse threw him hard. He looked like he–.)
Once people realize/admit that they are prejudice (the original meaning of the word – pre judge – judging based on feelings either good or bad before knowing the person/situation) then this bull hockey of “racial profiling is evil” will go away.
December 8th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
In other news, I was reading about the recent choking murder in your city, and the previous choking sexual assaults. Sounds like the guy escalated his behavior, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the computer for peeping tom or other fetish crimes. Sounds like a family basement dweller to me.
December 8th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Prejudice is almost always a bad idea (because you are probably wrong about whatever you were pre-judging based on appearance), but discrimination isn’t always bad. Let me explain. When hiring a school bus driver, you want to discriminate against people with poor driving records, people who smoke pot, etc.
Another word for “discriminate” is “discern.” Maybe that would be a better word given the negative aspects of “discrimination.”
December 8th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Picky – But he had a video camera? Oh, saw your follow-up. I wasn’t sure, either, if it makes you feel better.
Watuschskie – Self-preservation is more important than political-correctness to me.
Kim – Of course a lot of people do it, but no one admits to doing it. That makes them feel better about themselves. If I were a cabbie, I’d do the same thing.
DL474 – Yeah, he’s working my old district. Well get him – hopefully sooner rather than later.
Picky – But then people like Al Sharpton won’t have as much ammo for their baiting.