Aerial banners reading “Atheism is Patriotic” and “Godless America” sponsored by American Atheists were supposed to fly over Pennsylvania for Independence Day, but plans fell through when pilots refused to fly these banners due to threats of job termination and violence. Some pilots thought that controversy following these aerial banners would lead to severe complications that they would not wish to face. Others simply refused to fly these banners because they would not support an atheistic message.
Justin Jaye, owner of Fly Signs Aerial Advertising, made comments specifically for this article. Jaye explained that in his 20 years of thousands and thousands of aerial banner jobs ranging from “Impeach Cheney” banners to anti Wal-Mart banners, he has never faced resistance like he faced with the atheistic banners. Jaye says that he “respects each and every pilot's decision to fly or not fly a certain message” and that he would support the flying of any message that was not defamatory or vulgar. Many pilots, he explained, share this sentiment, but many “turned around and said that they wouldn't fly atheist banners.” Jaye notes, “If a banner reading Jesus is patriotic was proposed, everyone probably would have flown it,” but this was not the case for the atheist banners.
Jaye explained that many pilots feared job termination, death, angering city officials that would lead to being fired, and general controversy that would be associated with flying atheistic banners. One pilot, Jaye noted, believed that he would go to Hell for flying a plane with an atheistic banner. Another pilot in Montana believed that people would shoot him if he were to fly an atheistic banner. Jaye notes, “If one FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] official takes offense, a pilot can lose his/her job and not be able to provide for his/her family.”
David Silverman, president of American Atheists, commented for his article. The objective of the campaign, Silverman explained, was to “get people talking on a local level about what atheism is and what it represents.” “Atheism,” Silverman explains, “has strong patriotic roots because America is a secular nation in which people are free to profess no religious belief." Atheists also largely support separation of church and state, a main cornerstone of our nation. "Atheists in America are everywhere,” Silverman explained, “but many theists often do not want us to speak or demand that we can't speak. The fact that we have a message angers many theists no matter what the message is.”
During a time when Americans are celebrating independence and basic freedoms, including freedom of speech, the resistance that atheists are facing in promoting a message in an aerial advertising campaign is quite ironic. While atheists may object to religious speech promoted or endorsed by government, they acknowledge the right of religious individuals to promote their messages in a legal manner and would not object to religious aerial campaigns. The intimidation that atheists must face in promoting a message is unacceptable and antithetical to American ideals. During the time of “God bless America” and other religious messages that are associated with the fourth of July, the message of atheists should be welcomed, even if people do not like the messages. In the land of free speech, atheists need not apply. What ever happened to "I dissapprove of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it?"
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