Mean streets for cabbies

Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., should probably start arranging for one of his aides to pick him up at the Washington, D.C., airport, rather than trying to get a cab into town. After hearing his widely publicized comments — that the U.S. is up against faceless enemies who "drive taxicabs in the day and kill at night" — Washington cab drivers may just pass him up as they drive by.

Far from faceless, the 125,000 Americans who drive cabs have one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. A taxi driver's risk of dying on the job is six times greater than the average U.S. worker. In fact, it's even higher than that of police officers or security guards.

Research shows that Seattle taxi drivers routinely experience threats from their customers. Those workers who are foreign-born or speak with an accent reported especially high levels of insults and/or racial slurs from customers. That intimidation comes in many forms, from innuendo (e.g., "Do you love America?") to overt intimidation (e.g., refusing to pay the fare).

Ironically, customers who tell a taxi driver to "go back home" often are off base completely: Immigrant drivers in Seattle have, on average, lived in the U.S. for more than 12 years, with many becoming U.S. citizens during that time.

Workers also reported that the level of threats, hostility and physical violence they encountered on the job — including being robbed or attacked — increased after Sept. 11, 2001, more evidence that their minority status put them at an increased risk for work-site violence.

As we have just passed the five-year anniversary of 9/11, it's distressing to see that this risk hasn't lessened.

People who harbor racist and xenophobic ideas often look to the outside world for signs that legitimize their distorted beliefs. When they see and hear those in power speaking irresponsibly, they become more confident about acting in an ignorant or dangerous manner.

Rather than increase our security, Sen. Burns' comments have given extremists everywhere another false reason to believe that their destructive actions are justified.

At best, the senator has demonstrated a profound lack of knowledge about the U.S. work force and insensitivity to the challenges working people face.

At worst, he's become yet another example of a politician taking the political low road by stereotyping minority workers rather than engaging citizens in a constructive, reality-based discussion about solving our nation's problems.

Elizabeth Gilbert is an assistant professor at Seattle University whose doctoral research on Seattle taxicab drivers is cited in this column. Patricia Butterfield is a professor and chair of the Department of Psychosocial and Community Nursing at the University of Washington.