Nazi Cab Driver Defends Wearing Swastika Armband

newyork.cbslocal.com...

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A New York City cab driver insisted Friday that it is his right, hands down, to wear a Nazi armband – even if the Taxi and Limousine Commission says otherwise.

As CBS 2’s Lou Young reported Friday evening, Gabriel Diaz, 26, spoke outside of his family’s home in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, after he was suspended for wearing a swastika while driving the cab.

“I am. I’m a National Socialist – what you guys call a Nazi. I am. I’m a believer of it,” Diaz said.

When I read the headline I thought of a white cabbie, maybe bald headed, sporting Aryan tattoos, but boy was I surprised to see this Dominican man, Diaz, tell the NY CBS reporter that he supports National Socialism, in the form of wearing a Nazi armband.

He claims he doesn't hate anyone, so I guess he's not racist. He doesn't hate the Jews, he's only very critical of them, whatever that means. He also believes we have been lied to about Hitler, that he wasn't the bad man he's been portrayed to be. His eyes were opened thanks to independent websites, websites he won't disclose.

All in all, the man sounds a bit crazy but he does make one point most of us can stand behind, freedom of speech. What he doesn't seem to understand is that while at work his freedom of speech is limited. His employer has every right to ask him not wear a Nazi armband while driving his cabs and if he refuses to comply he can and will be suspended and or fired. On his off time, he can wear whatever he wants. For now, he says he only wears the armband in his home. He refuses to find another symbol to represent his political views. It's a shame the Nazis ruined that ancient symbol but it is what it is, tainted for now.

It also pains him to apologize.

Such an odd story.

a reply to: Swills

Not while he's on the job. There he represents the company he is working for. They won't allow him to spray paint a Nazi symbol on his hood either.

a reply to: intrptr

Exactly. And spray painting the hood would be property destruction, grounds for firing, not that he wanted to do that.

a reply to: Swills

The cab company had the right to suspend him but he is just expressing him self.
He doesn't portray his message the best, comes across as critical to gays and muslims too IMO.
The reporter bugged me tho, had to make every question link back to the holocaust which should not have been the focus of the interview.

ETA:

The course is a 30-day suspension of his hack license for “acting against the best interests of the public.”

Seems like a very catch all charge.... I am sure he could argue that many of the cab's in that company act against the best interests of the public....

Not so sure I would ride in a cab if the driver had an arm band such as this on. No reason to tempt fate with using a crazy person.

a reply to: Swills

Very odd but not unique. I have a friend who is a Muslim and he's got sort of the same belief as this guy when it comes to Hitler and the Nazis. He also thinks that we've been lied to. That Hitler wasn't this monster as he's been portrayed. He also says that he's not a hater, that he doesn't hate jews but says that he's simply highly critical of them just like this guy says. Weird.

He collects many items from German WWII, originals. I've had many arguments with him over this belief lol. Now I just let him be.

He wouldn't wear his original German helmet or medals on his job though.

While the freedom of speech is guaranteed in the USA, the reality is that when you work a job, if you sign your pay check on the back, it means that you have to agree to what that company dictates as acceptable in the way of dress.

Most companies do not allow for the changing of a uniform, unless it is approved of ahead of time. So as much as the cabbie would like to be able to show such, the reality is that the company has the right to say no, you can not, and if you violate the rules, suspend if not terminate employment.

a reply to: Swills

It pains me but I agree with his right to wear the armband. I don't know about at work, I guess if everybody follows that rule, yes. That means no Republican or democrat buttons or stickers or armbands as well.

I am from Africa where the Brits and French raped and killed our women as well as took our resources, we don't have an issue watching British shows or sports, why should this guy care what other Americans think about what some European leader did to his own country men in his country. Lots of dictators have killed their own people, but I don't see an fuss about anyone having a pic of Saddam or Quaddafi. The guy asked him questions about what Hitler would have done to his kind of people forgetting that black looking people where hang on poles in the US by regular citizens with no military order.

a reply to: Sremmos80

I agree, the reporter annoyed me as well with his predictable questions. Because this man isn't the white racist we assume he was there are so many avenues of questions one could ask but the reported just stuck to the script and got nowhere with him.

a reply to: Swills

Hmm, that video surprised me - I had written the guy off as, well, an unintelligent jerk, but, wow, he handled that interview well. And far better than the journalist.

That'll teach me not to judge too quickly!*

(aside from that, I do not support his believes)

*Hey, question from an English learner: Should that really be "that'll teach me to .. ", you know, without the "no"?

now i have the urge to wear a 101st airborne armband just to tell him "yeah we took normandy. you can quit your bullchit now"

a reply to: rockoperawriter

what does Normandy have to do with National Socialism ideals doe?

The guy's act came across as a mix of performance art and social engineering.

*shrug*

a reply to: chishuppu

in 1944 the nazis got whooped by the 101st airborne the 506th england and canada. it would be like "okay you're a national socialist, like the ones at normandy who couldn't hold the beach, the ones who couldn't hold st. comme du mont, two airborne troops at objective xyz and they kill a town full of national socialist even though they were ost batallion they still were wearing swastikas. wearing a screaming eagle around that guy would be like okay go practice falling down i'll be over there to help you out in a minute

What a silly little non issue.
Distraction, but for what I wonder???

What he doesn't seem to understand is that while at work his freedom of speech is limited. - See more at: www.abovetopsecret.com...

(ponders) So...When one is employed, the Constitution of the United States, mainly the first amendment, is suspended?

(shakes head in disbelief)

a reply to: rockoperawriter

thats understandable, but it has nothing to do with this guys. This guy is talking about the ideas of national socialism, its symbol is the swastika, the Russians where socialist as well, lots of country where socialists, should they get upset everytime they see an American flag?

I see a man who is using the symbol for what it is, the White German citizens who practiced Judaism should not tell Americans what to think about a symbol especially when the main Religious symbol is guy suffering an agonizing slow death on a mast of wood.

Freedom of speech is free, unlike the countries where the Holocaust is enforcement by law and prison time, this country has given this man a right to say what he wants about the ideologies that he wants. In reality Democracy for Muslims means death from above as well mass starvation, no electricity, no water, etc

a reply to: occrest

Yup, the first amendment just protects you from being prosecuted by the gov, not your employer.
Most of the time when you accept employment you agree to not go against the views of the employer, I know I have plenty of times

a reply to: chishuppu

i can also remind him what the score was with a screaming eagle armband