The vote is in - Atheist ads will be allowed on Ottawa buses!

March 11, 7:33 PMAtheism ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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Today Councilors voted 13 - 7 to overturn the ruling that disallowed atheist ads on Ottawa buses. According to a report on the Ottawa Citizen Web site, "Bay Councillor Alex Cullen, chairman of council’s transit committee, said the right to express opinions is fundamental to a free society and a precious part of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms."

Reportedly Cullen went on to say that just because an opinion makes people uncomfortable doesn't mean that it is okay to stop that opinion from being he(a)rd. He also mentioned the power of transit buses in terms of being effective tools for movements. He said "that city buses are not a trivial matter, since it was on buses that American black people gained civil rights in the 1960s."

According to the report, another Council member, Somerset's Diane Holmes, said that "it’s a good thing to have an open discourse about religion with diverse views, as long as those views do not express hatred."

The only person to openly express dissent was "Orléans Councillor Bob Monette, who said that council should show respect for the church and should never condone the placement of offensive ads on public property." Thank goodness not all people are as narrow-minded as Monette seems to be.

It was reported that a crowd of people wearing t-shirts with the atheist message, "There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life," on them sat quiet through the deliberations. They were pleased by the outcome, not surprisingly. One of those onlookers, Paul Bendus, said "Do we have the right to be non-religious? Council has voted that yes, we do."

Not all people see this as just a "godless" victory, they see it as a victory for religious people as well. "David Burton, director of the Humanist Association of Ottawa, said that the council decision isn’t just about the ads. He said the decision was a victory for people with all kinds of religious beliefs and faiths."

Cheers to the Ottawa citizens who support freedom of speech and to the Councilors who voted to allow the ads!