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The Iowa Atheist and Freethinkers (IAF) group met today with the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) to discuss the above ad that was pulled from Des Moines buses just days after they went up. DART pulled the ads, supposedly, because they were never approved in the first place. However, the ads somehow were produced and placed on buses - even without approval.
The pulling of the ads has raised suspicion that the real reason they were pulled was because the transit authority received complaints about them. This, of course, caught the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Today DART representatives met with representatives of IAF to discuss where to go from here. DART proposed that IAF alter their ad to be better suited for... (I am not quite sure what they want them better suited for) - Christian public consumption maybe? Who knows.
Although IAF appreciated that DART offered them a formal apology, the ACLU feels that IAF should not have to change its ad. Ben Stone of the ACLU said, according to one report, "'There doesn't need to be a different message. They have the right to express their original message and there's no reason they shouldn't be able to.'" Further, IAF wants to retain the original integrity of their ad and doesn't want to change it.
The meeting today ended without a resolution. DART reps said they would get back with IAF on Monday.
Comments
The ads need to be re-worded. It's so offensive to Christians to even acknowledge that people who don't believe in their idea of God exist in this country.
Think of the children!
Im really curious, what does DART propose as an alternate message?
It's simple. Christians don't want anyone to have an ad like that other than themselves. I personally wouldn't WANT to see an add promoting islam, scientology or christianity, but i've seen some of them. It would be wrong enough for a christian to say it's ok to have a christian message and not another religion's message but this isn't even about religion. Non-belief is a non-religion. This means the atheist ad is NON-religious, just like any other non-religous ad--such as advertising a household product or any other website.
I'm tired of believers wanting special treatment. This IS a free country, more than it is a 'christian' country, by any means.
Every time Christians complain and get bus ads removed, they demonstrate their fear and hypocrisy. A few simple words get them quaking. The jig is up for their monopoly on people's minds and they know it.
What was the DART-suggested "alternative" ad? Inquiring minds want to know.
I think this is the first atheist bus ad that was pulled. An atheist billboard even survived in Alabama. I have to visit Iowa. They approved gay marriage, voted for Obama in the Iowa caucus and then they pulled an atheist bus ad. I can't figure the place out.
TodayInReligionDotCom
It would seem DART is going to restore the ads. They will be reprinted as DART's expense. Somebody ate crow.
www.kcci.com/news/20327547/detail.html
I want to know how it's the Governor's business to state that a mere assertion of the existence of more than one atheist is offensive. If atheists wanted to offend Christians they could point out that a religion based around vicarious atonement through human sacrifice is disgusting and primitive.
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