Religious Freedom Protected…For Muslims

It’s been a sad year for religious freedom in America, but at least we’re ending 2015 on a high note. A federal jury has awarded $240,000 to two truckers who say their religious beliefs were infringed upon by Star Transport Inc. But before you get the idea that America is once again a safe place for Christians, it should be noted that the “victims” in this case are Mahad Abass Mohamed and Abdikarim Hassan Bulshale. One guess as to which religion they practice.

According to the lawsuit, brought on behalf of the two men by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, the Muslims were fired after refusing to transport alcohol for the company.

“This is an awesome outcome. Star Transport failed to provide any discrimination training to its human resources personnel, which led to catastrophic results for these employees,” said EEOC attorney June Calhoun. “They suffered real injustice that needed to be addressed. By this verdict, the jury remedied the injustice by sending clear messages to Star Transport and other employers that they will be held accountable for their unlawful employment practices.

Real injustice? They refused to do their jobs and they were subsequently fired. That almost sounds like the definition of justice. Did anyone on the jury ever work for a trucking company? Was it explained to them that truck drivers do not generally get to pick and choose the contents of their trailers? Companies would go out of business instantly if they had to negotiate daily to see which drivers would take which load. This isn’t about equality, it’s about special privileges.

According to Islam, there are a great many things forbidden. Drinking alcohol, eating pork, drawing the Prophet, music with instruments, toys that resemble living beings, gambling, monetary interest, tattoos, and perfume to name but a few. By the time you get done with this list, it greatly restricts your ability to perform as a trucker, no? Do trucking companies have to come up with special Islamic-approved shipments for their Muslim employees?

No, because though drinking alcohol is forbidden, transporting alcohol is not. So even if Star Transport chose to make accommodations, there’s really no reason they would make this one.

But in today’s world, the “victim” gets to cry discrimination regardless of intent. All that matters is how they feel about it. Well, that, and the fact that they’re Muslim. Maybe the jury was too busy wondering what might happen if they didn’t award the money to concentrate on the facts.

Anyway, if you’re keeping score, it goes like this. If you refuse to do a task because it violates your Christian beliefs, you will be subject to termination, fines, and possibly even jail time. If you refuse the task as a Muslim, you can expect a handsome payoff.