Iowa atheists meet with transit authority to discuss pulled bus ads

August 7, 11:18 PMAtheism ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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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.