Atheist ads like this have drawn criticism and even a ban in Des Moines.
Everyone loves free speech when it agrees with their own viewpoints. The real commitment to free speech is tested when one is confronted with speech which is truly repulsive to them. In this case such a test is taking place in Des Moines, Iowa as the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers organizations tries to run advertisements on buses. Needless to say the ads have brought complaints to the transit agency who at one point stripped the ads from their buses.
The first amendment debate has become relevant again as health care opponents have been very big advocates of free speech rights in response to criticism from the left. I question if many of those same reform opponents would now stand up for the rights of this atheist group to run ads on metro buses? Many liberals did reveal some hypocrisy in defending the unruly behavior of Code Pink during the Bush years then condemning the uncivil behavior of conservatives at town hall. Now will conservatives show the same hypocrisy in standing up for free speech only when it is their speech?
In reality, all uncivil speech should be condemned whether it comes from liberals or conservatives. In this case, however, the ads are not uncivil or disruptive, they simply offend some people and go against the beliefs of the majority in the community. Should we really not allow speech if it offends some people? I can assure you many people are offended by signs portraying Obama as Hitler and pro-life signs calling doctors murderers. If we really are in favor of allowing everyones' voice to be heard should not the voices of these atheists be heard as well?
Shutting down the bus ads is not the way to promote free speech. I am not an atheist but I do not for one second think we can keep people from hearing the atheist viewpoint by shutting down their ads. In fact, by attempting to censor the atheist belief we may make their views more popular. After all, a sure way to draw attention to something is to tell people they can not look at it. Let the atheists run their ads as long as the churches, synagogues, and mosques are allowed to run their own ads. Let the free market of ideas decide what ideas thrive and which fall to the fringe. Restriction of anyone's civil and peaceful speech does nothing to advance our interests as a society.
Comments
Why should advertising non-belief be offensive? As long as the ads aren't dehumanizing Christians by claiming they are evil, immoral or fools, etc, where's the problem?
These atheist ads are far more pleasant than some of the Christian ads I've seen - that, with little to no protest, do dehumanize others.
Nice article!
All I can say is Amen...lol. I think that a person that is secure in their beliefs does not have to censor another person's speech. I'm not an atheist, as a matter of fact I point out to many of them that their anti religious feelings are no less annoying to most people as any fundamentalist evangelical. Let them run ads, you can always take out counter ads promoting a religious beliefs if they upset you so much.
I have a faith in God and believe that one of the most cherished things God gave us was free choice to make our own decisions on our faith.
Robert Moon is spamming The Activity Pit again: twi.cc/lAlq
Skeptici says:
Why should advertising non-belief be offensive? As long as the ads aren't dehumanizing Christians by claiming they are evil, immoral or fools, etc, where's the problem?
As a Christian I'm not offended. However, the bus ad seems to be purposely disrespectful by its implications.
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