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The Des Moines, Iowa, bus driver who refused to drive a bus with the above ad on it has been suspended from her job. According to a report, Angela Shiel refused to drive the bus because the ad of the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers goes against her Christian faith. The 8-year employee faces termination.
According to the report, the general manager of Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART), Brad Miller, said that "DART policy states that drivers cannot choose which buses they drive." He said, "'Drivers are not permitted to reject a working bus. It's a very fundamental policy for DART. ... It's an essential rule that we will maintain.'"
Of course, this brings up a whole new issue. Do government employees have the right to refuse to do their job if it is against their religion? Now I cannot imagine that it is written anywhere in Christian documentation that "thou shalt not steer a bus bearing ads of the fool who hath said in his heart or out-loud or in print that there is no God." So, it is difficult to see how this would be against her religion. It may sting her religious "sensibilities" a tad, but how can doing her job, in this instance, be against her religion?
According to the report, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Ben Stone, said, "'As a government agency operating a public forum, DART and all of its employees, including its drivers, are required to follow the First Amendment. Since DART managers cannot claim a religious reason to censor bus ads, neither can drivers.'" He went on to say, "'When you work for the government, part of your job is to respect the rights of your fellow citizens, and you cannot use your religious beliefs to evade that responsibility.'"
Shiel's husband reportedly said that his wife should have the right to refuse to drive a bus with the atheist ad on the side. He said that making her drive one of those buses is like telling her to be "'two-faced for the fact that she wants an income.'"
A Des Moines civil rights lawyer, Roxanne Conlin, has gotten in on the controversy saying that Shiel has the right to refuse to drive the bus and that making her drive it may violate her rights. She said that DART should accommodate Shiel in respect of her religious beliefs if they can reasonably do so. "For example", the report said, "DART might have been able to transfer her to a different bus or let her do desk work."
It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. It seems, though, no matter what, when it comes to running these ads, DART is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't... at least for now.
Comments
Religious beleiefs like any other beliefs are privately held. What would happen to a driver who refuses to drive a bus filled with African Americans or Jews or Hindus or anybody that the driver has a privately held belief that states that nobody other than christian white people should ride the bus?
Religious beleiefs like any other beliefs are privately held. What would happen to a driver who refuses to drive a bus filled with African Americans or Jews or Hindus or anybody that the driver has a privately held belief that states that nobody other than christian white people should ride the bus?
I'm not at all surprised by the outcome. It was my first reaction to reading about the drivers decision to refuse doing his job - insubordination is still a valid reason for getting canned by ones employer and its a reason that ought to remain.
I take my hat off to the driver for standing up for his personal principles. Had he been asked to commit a crime, murder or rape, he would have gotten my full respect for saying "Hell no" yet... perhaps he ought to think twice about what principles he's actually standing for before choosing to again do something so foolish in the future.
Religiously motivated hatred has its price and the lions, those of us who have stood by silently for far to long, are feeling hungry.
By extension, a bus driver could refuse a route that dropped off near a planned parenthood office, or abortion clinic, or synagogue, etc...
Obviously, if she is not doing her job, she needs to find another job.
I'm glad they took her refusal seriously. Trina, you are so right - driving said bus doesn't "go against" her religion. You'd think if her beliefs were strong, this innocent ad wouldn't threaten those beliefs. Oh, and Conlin's argument that she should be accommodated is weak at best.
Thanks again, Trina, for the update.
Randall "Doc" Fleck says:"Had he been asked to commit a crime, murder or rape"
Did you just try to parallel Atheism to those crimes you listed? Yes, yes you did- but you left yourself enough wiggle room that you can state otherwise…. Bet we all know you meant it.
Maybe this bus driver can get another job as a professional groveler.
I fail to fully understand how the Ad offends her religious beliefs. It's not asking people to not believe, it is only calling out to those that already don't. Would an ad on the bus asking all believers in Thor join us at the community center be considered as offensive?
This woman isn't taking a stance for her religion shes taking a stance against the rights of those she doesn't agree with to freely express themselves. There is nothing honorable in what shes doing and the bus company is well within its rights to throw the book at her.
If an atheist refused to drive a bus with christian messages on it he/she would deserve to be suspended too. Do your job and respect the opinions of others... No matter how stupid we think they are.
If a strict vegetarian refuses to drive a bus that has a "Got milk?" ad or "The Other White Meat!" ad, isn't that the same thing?
You bet it is! Do your job - and if your job is to drive the bus, then drive the bus.
I have NO problem with Mrs. Shiel expressing her opinion about the atheist ads. That is her right. I AM surprised that, considering all the publicity these ads have received over the last several weeks, no bus driver, not even Mrs. Shiel, have previously expressed any misgivings over them. If Mrs. Shiel had expressed her concerns over driving buses with these ads on them to her supervisor, maybe some kind of accomodation could have been made. However, she waited until she was supposed to take over driving a bus with the ad before she made a stink about it. I commend DART for getting a replacement driver in 5 minutes. In any other city it might have taken MUCH longer.
Excellent point Tilley!
Thanks Roger. I just found this whole incident stunning, I mean the atheist group did nothing wrong. The advert wasn't offensive to Christians it had nothing to do with them it was directed at fellow non-believers. This womans actions demonstrate quite clearly the she believes freedom of speech should extend only to her and her fellow religious believers.
"When you work for the government, part of your job is to respect the rights of your fellow citizens, and you cannot use your religious beliefs to evade that responsibility." -amen to that. It's not like the bus was a direct projection of her own beliefs. Makes me wonder if anyone who needs to ride the bus has changed their mind and didn't go to work 'cause they didn't want to get on the bus to hell. I'd love to get that call from an employee.
So, if a Christian message on a bus offends the driver, can he refuse to drive it? If it offends me as a passenger, can I ask for a bus without a Christian message?
All hell rejoices when one believer gets kicked to the curb for what SHE believes in, albiet it amounts to insubordination she has the guts to stand up for her beliefs. You call it want you want. I applaude her. I'd like to see some of your reactions when you are faced with a similar set of circumstances. Probably roll over and play dead.
Hey Gman, have you read the comment that violated her beliefs?
Don't believe in god? (a question) You're not alone. (a fact)
What belief is that a voilation of? I don't understand. Are people really this stupid?
Hi Trinia,
This stuff is ridiculous...it's just a group of folks reaching out for like minded folks...it's not like there are any inverted crosses on the ad.
btw, I am the new Atlanta Atheism Examiner..I'd love to do an exchange in the sidebar with you, you link me and I'll link you back
Thanks,
Matt Oxley
Spare us the standing up for her beliefs nonsense Gman this is nothing of the sort and you know it. She is not being prevented from attending her church, praying or anything else to do with her religion. She is angry because another group who she doesn't like is being given the same rights as her group, its not brave, its not impressive its just childish.
Are you kidding me, she should be fired. All the ad says is "Don't believe in god? You're not alone.", a very simple fact. Taking offense to such a statement shows complete lack of tolerance to other peoples beliefs. The worst part is this advertisement isn't even targeted toward her, or any religious believers for that fact.
Unlike most religious ads which are usually a direct attack to peoples belief and try to persuade people via fear.
There's three ways to view this, "Don't believe in god?" you answer either "yes I do", "no I don't" or "maybe". Regardless the next sentence applies to you "you're not alone". Seems like a very simple fact to me. If you're finding facts offensive to your beliefs, you have bigger issues than a bus advert.
There's three ways to view this, "Don't believe in god?" you answer either "yes I do", "no I don't" or "maybe". Regardless the next sentence applies to you "you're not alone". Seems like a very simple fact to me. If you're finding facts offensive to your beliefs, you have bigger issues than a bus advert.
If a Christian were to drive a bus that acknowledges that atheists exist, she would end up burning in Hell for all eternity. God would torture her mercilessly for that.
Whenever possible, true Christians should try to lose their jobs in this world to see if that will help save their souls in the (theoretical) next world.
Wait god will send you to hell for all eternity if you acknowledge atheists exist... what crazy rules, it's insulting to logic. How can one believe in a God that posses such few Godlike features. I have an infinite more respect for a parent who demonstrates unconditional love to their children, rather than a creator who threatens eternal damnation for disobedience.
This woman obviously feels that the only way her religious philosophies can remain the best is if they are the only team playing in the stadium. Simply pathetic.
I wonder if an ad said "Jesus Saves" and the bus driver who refused to drive was a Muslim man, if these Christian numbskulls would react in support of his right not to drive that bus.
Its my suspicion that if you accommodate this driver, pretty soon other nutjob christian drivers are going to get similar ideas and make similar requests. Pretty soon, drivers will object to driving buses with McDonald's ads because the unhealthy food offends their life philosophies (like a vegan or a healthnut). Your opening a large flood gate when you bend over for this lunatic.
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