Morals, religion, and accepting certain loads

[maranatha7]

Good subject. We've been active Christians for over 30 years and retired Military. I really think that when you sign a contract as an owner/operator you should use due diligence with whom you choose.That's the crucial first step. We're not running now but in the 4 plus years we ran and over 500 loads I really can't think of any loads that were questionable except maybe 2 pallets of "Sponge Bob the Movie", LOL.
I guess we really depend on the company. I hope we are judged for our Character and if we are in error we are quick to repent.
I personally have problems with people going over the posted legal speed limit but that's another subject and they're responsible for their own conduct. Just remember someone told me once "that your guardian Angel only flies up to the legal speed limit and your on your own after that"
Big Al

 

[pjjjjj]

I think with child porn at least, it IS illegal, and illegal to have in your possession (even if it's not yours), least that's how I understand it.
As for the rest, I don't know, if you're running a business, I don't believe you can let your personal views get in the way of who you deal with, unless you're a church or something.
If all businesses let their personal views dictate who they did business with, and for what purpose, we'd have to fill out questionnaires about.. what exactly is that paper you're buying going to be used for, and that ink.. and what will the person you're selling to be using it for? Where would it end? Where would it begin?
It really IS a good question tho, to get you thinking, because same for selling nuclear arms to unsavory nations, or guns to lunatics, someone, somewhere along the line, you would hope has the morals to give up the potential cash for themselves and just say no.

 

[layoutshooter]

We have not knowningly carried anything illegal on our truck. We have not knowningly carried anything that we are opposed to morally. If we ever found out that a load was illegal or something we were morally opposed to we would call the police in the first case and refuse the load in the second. Just as we will stop paying taxes if we are forced to pay for abortions or stem cell reseach that involvles killing an embreo. The halmark of a moral person is one that is willing to take hard or un-popular stands based on thier own private moral principles. I have little respect for a person that would do something or carry freight that they are morally opposed too. You are your morals and your morals are you. No one will change my core beliefs. No one has that right. If you feel the need to ridicule my stand, so be it. Layoutshooter

 

[pelicn]

This thread has been niggling on my mind since I made my response. Shooter, you bring up a point. We've not encountered a load that we would consider "morally" wrong. That isn't to say that we've not hauled something that someone else considers wrong. Example, we've hauled alcohol in all forms. I can't see anything illegal being hauled by our carrier, so that isn't a decision that I would expect to have to make.
We are business people, and we make business decisions every day. Would I take money over beliefs, I would have to say no. Would I judge another for a different decision, probably not.

 

[layoutshooter]

I think I would question the charactor of someone who would place profit ahead of thier core beliefs, morals, what ever you wish to call it. I need a buck as much as the next guy but not at the expense of my core beliefs. The meaning of "core beliefs" is just that. Your beliefs are more important than anything else. That is how I feel. No one else has too. Layoutshooter

 

[aristotle]

Moral vs. immoral? I fear the amoral.

 

[theoldprof]

I should have posted "if the driver didn't know what was in the skids, or couldn't see what was in the skids due to the stuff being wrapped."
'

Cherri, when I crossed the border and Officer Friendly asked me what I had, I would read from my paper work something like "two skids of 34567-8876 left hand widgets going to Chrysler".

 

[termite289]

wait a second, kity porn is iligal, all the way around. it is illigal to produce, ship, posses. let me clarify my statement. providing a service to an industry that i disagree with morally is not the same thing as participating in it. they are going to pay for the service. if i wouldnt haul freight for anyone i disagreed with, i couldn't haul military loads, or any other government freight.

 

[P51bombay]

wait a second, kity porn is iligal, all the way around. it is illigal to produce, ship, posses. let me clarify my statement. providing a service to an industry that i disagree with morally is not the same thing as participating in it. they are going to pay for the service. if i wouldnt haul freight for anyone i disagreed with, i couldn't haul military loads, or any other government freight.

A BoL isn't going to specify there is KP in the shipment but lets say for a minute you discover it is. Seems like the thing to do is complete the run, collect the money and tip off the cops before making delivery so they can collect up the shipper and consignee for an all expenses paid trip to the Graybar Hotel

 

[DougTravels]

wait a second, kity porn is iligal, all the way around. it is illigal to produce, ship, posses. let me clarify my statement. providing a service to an industry that i disagree with morally is not the same thing as participating in it. they are going to pay for the service. if i wouldnt haul freight for anyone i disagreed with, i couldn't haul military loads, or any other government freight.

Kity porn?

 

[Turtle]

Exactly. You guys are just killin' me with this kitty porn stuff. I'm dyin' here.

But, to get back on topic, the big question still remains...
Can the Amish owner/operator morally reconcile buggy expedite of auto freight?
​

 

[termite289]

lol thats not quite what i meant, but funny none the less.
would i drive hookers to and from the convention in a limo, no. would i haul convention freight, racks, carpet, tables and chairs, yea. i don't go to new Orleans during martigras, just cause. and i don't go to bars while i'm on the road. and when i'm home its 8 hours from the bottle to the throttle, regardless of which throttle it is. i suppose the way i see it, if panther is willing to put their name on it, ill pull it.

 

[P51bombay]

"Did someone say kitty porn?

 

[morningstar55ny]

what goes in the box, stays in the box, till it delivers. i have never gotten cooties from freight in a trailer, 15 feet behind my seat. i have hauled beer, and drugs. and considered on occasion, making an illegal drug run in my personal car, but i doubt ill ever actually do it.
i don't grab hookers and body slam them in the parking lot, i just say no thank you.
our job is moving freight. not digging around in it. but if you dont want to haul gay porn mags, then don't haul them. much like the taxi drivers in st. paul will leave you standing in the cold if you happen to have a bottle of wine from the duty free shop.

....... raising hand ..... umm i have a ?.............

how did they know it was gay porn??? and what if it was just......... ahh hetro porn?? would it make a difference???
and as for me............
as long as its all legal ............ i will haul it ...... its my job.

 

[inkasnana]

as long as its all legal ............ i will haul it ...... its my job.

My sentiments exactly, and I certainly wouldn't hold it against anyone who would refuse to haul what ever "it" may be if hauling it meant going against their own morals, beliefs, ect. Each person has to make their own decision about such things and not be influenced by the opinions of others.

 

[Streakn1]

In the original post that started this thread I stated that as an example while leased to FECC we were dispatched to pick up a load of printed material. Upon arriving at the shipper we learned that it was the annual gay magazine for the Houston,TX area gay community. It was being delivered there for an annual convention that community holds each year. The covers of these magazines were clearly visible, since they were shrink (clear) wrapped to the pallets.

Although I'm a live and let live type of person when it comes to legal lifestyles,etc, not all people would be as excepting to that commodity and what it represents. Especially people who's religion teaches that the gay lifestyle, porn, and alcohol is a sin. Thus was my reason for throwing out the question regarding any freight that is in conflict with their religious or spiritual beliefs and how they handle it. Guess I should have left my post up.

 

[Moot]

I'm a capitalist and find it morally offensive to haul cheap freight.

 

[gotta go]

Kitty porn? Does that mean getting nekkid?

 

[Special K]

Here's a thought that doesn't relate exactly to the thread, but a first cousin. As we all know, 9/11 has caused a huge increase in security measures in all kinds of areas. It used to be that we would take a customer's word for whatever the freight was, "9 boxes of widgets" or "2 drums of molasses"-whatever, and write that in the description space of the BOL. But if you can't see the actual freight, it could be risky to sign a BOL saying it's a particular thing. Maybe a "bad" customer wants to put contraband, say a wrapped package of illegal drugs, in one of those boxes of widgets. Now we get to a scale house, or even the border, and they happen to bring a drug dog out, and said dog goes berserk around your truck. The authorities investigate, and find the contraband. You protest that you had no idea it was in there, BUT...you signed the BOL stating it was widgets! This is, admittedly, a slim chance. But I have, for the last couple of years, put in the description space "9 boxes, said to contain widgets". Because if I can't see inside the boxes, I don't really have any idea what is in them. It is unfortunate that the prevalence of mischief in our society has caused a need for it, but it seems like a practical bit of insurance. I'd be interested to know others' opinion about this. (By the way, no customer has ever taken offense at that wording.)