Head of Taxi Organization Singles Out Blacks and Hispanics; Bed-Stuy Community Responds

Fernando Mateo, the president of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, came under fire on Wednesday when he made controversial remarks encouraging taxi drivers to avoid picking up black and Hispanic passengers that look suspicious — what many consider is racial profiling.

The statement followed an incident last week in which a taxi driver, Trevor Bell, was shot and wounded by a hooded passenger, who is Hispanic. Police are still seeking the passenger as a suspect, and the driver is in critical condition at New York Hospital.

New York City and its outer boroughs have had a long-standing problem with the regular assault and murder of its taxi drivers by passengers attempting to rob them.

According to Mateo, New York City has some 130,000 yellow taxi cab drivers and another 40,000 livery cab drivers. Roughly 300 cab drivers are assaulted or killed each month, he said, a total of 36,000 a year— more than one in six.

Mateo—who is of black and Hispanic origin-- maintains that he is not racially profiling, but instead, advising Hispanic and black drivers to watch out for suspicious-looking Hispanics and blacks that represent a criminal element of their community.

But others say, Mateo's statement openly reinforces negative stereotypes and makes worse a problem for innocent blacks and Hispanics who for decades have reported difficulty catching a cab from the street, for what they assert is, based purely on their ethnicity.

We asked a few of our Bed-Stuy residents and pedestirans how they feel:

Do you think that Fernando Mateo's statement is an attempt to addresses a reality, as it concerns taxi cab drivers being an ongoing target for crime, or do you feel that his statement reinforces stereotypes while encouraging racial profiling of innocent blacks and Hispanics?

It's just a stereotype, a thing to get publicity. How can you judge a person on their color? It's stupid. It's going to bring more tension between blacks and whites. I am white. I opened a business in a black neighborhood. I never have any problem with anybody. --Sebastion Maziele, 35, owner of La Table Exquise

I think it's a little bit of both. He's speaking to a reality, but he's not being politically correct. You're a product of your environment. A lot of time, the people in the situation are brought up to be this way. If no one tries to change or gives someone a chance to change, the people you're trying to prevent from doing something, will keep doing it. --DJeison Canuto, 23

I mean, he's just saying how it is. Nine times out of ten, if you pull over somebody, black or white, with a suit and tie, they're not going to rob you or cause your harm. Usually it's the young kids with the sweater hoods. I think he's speaking to reality. --Abe Bradley, 45

The fact is, stereotyping is going to be here forever. If you want to stay back in the days in that frame of mind and stay ignorant, you can. It's no sense in it. C'mon, black, white, yellow, green, c'mon, if it were somebody else, would the situation be different? --Keiana Forest, 18

I have been held up. I think the reality is he is speaking from a place of what he actually sees. I think on the flip side that it is unfortunate for our people, because not everyone is like that. So it's a really tough thing. Would I have done it in the media? Absolutely not. I would have called everyone together and said, this is what is happening, and this is how you should handle it. But I would not have stated what he stated to the media. --Lisa Renad, 45, healthcare manager

I believe his statements do reinforce stereotypes and makes it worse for blacks and Hispanics. Because there are a lot times that I'm bypassed, and I really think it is because I am black. There have been many times where I approach the cab, I'm with my children, and they keep going. I think it's reinforcing stereotypes, and it's enough. I have money in my pocket, and that's all that should matter. --Feona Huff, 36, founder of Solo Mommy Magazine

I think it is a combination of both. I would have not gone to the media. I would have memo'd it, "Be cautious, if you feel a way about a person, just keep driving." I would never have gone on the news and media to say that. I think that was… a little racial. --Tisha Glover, 36, store manager

The cab driver has no power to do anything. The cab driver has no protection. Nothing. The cab driver helps the community. But the cab driver has nothing. Even if you have an accident, you are not covered, but the customer is covered. It's not fair when you carry the customer in the back, because the cab driver carries, maybe, $50. The cab driver not rich. So why you got to kill somebody for $10, $20? It's not fair. The city has to do something about that. --Roldophe Elian, 49, a cab driver for more than 20 years

I think it's a double-edged sword. It's reinforcing stereotypes. However, at the same time, nobody wants to be in a situation where they are constantly getting attacked, and putting themselves in the same position to be victims. It's unfortunate that we have people in society that don't value life. I think if more safety measures were taken for taxi drivers, they would feel better about working. There needs to be an enforcement that protects them. --Rodney Menelas, 31

How do you feel about the statement? Leave your comments below.