Amish bus driver rule en · PROPN
Etymology
Coined by American television host Rachel Maddow prior to 2009, evoking the common knowledge that Amish communities often prohibit motor vehicles and thus a member of such would be disallowed from driving a bus.
Meanings
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(idiomatic, neologism) The notion that one who refuses to perform a job's duties cannot demand employment in that job.
In other words, Bush broke what I have always called the “Amish bus driver” rule. If your religion requires you not to drive, cool beans, free country — but then you can‘t get hired to be a bus driver if your religion won't let you drive the bus.
2009 February 27, The Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel Maddow (actor), via MSNBC:Rachel Maddow calls it the Amish Bus Driver Rule. If your beliefs dictate that you cannot do the job you’re being paid to do, then you have no right being in that job.
2009 April 26, Karla, “Pharmacists sue for right to deny medication [comment]”, in The Good Atheist, archived from the original on 04 Mar 2016:Amish Bus Driver rule. (If you refuse to do some job, you can’t demand to be hired for it.)
2011 June 28, Vystrix Nexoth, “New York Town Clerk: If Gays Can Marry, I Can’t Do My Job [comment]”, in Friendly Atheist, retrieved 17 Mar 2014:finally - it's the same as the amish bus driver rule.
2009 April 1, Xelene_Hecate, “Dunkin' Donuts Pulls Franchise From Muslim Who Refuses To Sell Pork [comment]”, in The Huffington Post, retrieved 17 Mar 2014:The Amish Bus Driver Rule goes like this: If you’re Amish, and therefore have religious convictions against internal combustion engines, then you have disqualified yourself for employment as a bus driver.
2010 October 12, DrRich, “Medical Ethics and the Amish Bus Driver Rule”, in The Covert Rationing Blog, retrieved 17 Mar 2014:Of course he should be able to stick to his beliefs. He just can’t be an actor if his faith won’t allow him to act. Amish bus driver rule in action.
2011 August 1, deconstructingglee, “The Glee Project: Sexuality (aka Christians are ruining my Glee) [comment]”, in Deconstructing Glee, retrieved 17 Mar 2014:MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow has something she calls the Amish bus driver rule: If you’re Amish, and don’t believe in modern technology, you have no business applying for a job as bus driver.
2014 February 24, Coyote, “Matters of Conscience”, in Wryly Coyote, retrieved 17 Mar 2014: