Halifax Atheist Bus Campaign's Ad Denial - CTV News

http://atheistbus.ca
http://atheistbus.ca/donate
http://atheistbus.ca/forum
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=47935419737

The Halifax advertising authority has declared atheism ads in poor taste, or possibly merely objectionable to certain moral standards. In so doing they have joined the Vatican as the only two organizations in the western world still in the dark ages when it comes to allowing non-believers the right to free speech in public spaces. Thats quite an accomplishment!

Heres the full official response we received from the General Manager of Pattison Maritimes, the company that produces and sells transit advertising in Halifax).

"Thank you for your inquiry.

We are aware of your message due to the existing media coverage you are experiencing. We are not able to accept your message as it currently reads.

If you would like to submit an alternative message, we will submit that for approval.

If any potential ad message is deemed to be possibly controversial, we must advise the transit system.

They rarely refuse creative content, however have advised us that in this particular case, your message has already stirred up enough media exposure across the country to be deemed controversial.

All advertisements must meet acceptable community standards of good taste, quality and appearance . Furthermore, the ads will not be considered discriminatory, or objectionable to any race creed or moral standard.

In unofficial correspondence they have stated that this policy would apply to any groups with an advertisement referring to god or religion, although the reference to the possibility of our ads infringing on moral standards is curious.

That phrase does not appear as stated anywhere in their policy document found here: http://www.adstandards.com/en/Standards/canCodeOfAdStandards.asp.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Halifax
• Atheist
• Bus
• Campaign's
• Ad
• CTV
• News
• free
• speech
• equal
• rights
• religion
• god
• atheism

[raging4lcoholic]

"theres probably no god" hahahahaha oh man, thats a pretty harsh thing to say. who is that exactly supposed to make feel better?

[largestill]

@raging4lcoholic What a very myopic thing to say.

[AnarchistDictator]

1:20 Free speech? Oh please... free speech doesn't give you a right to advertise on other people's property.

[largestill]

@AnarchistDictator I does, however, give us the right to use free speech in public places.

Which in this case the bus is.

The buses are paid for and run by the city of Halifax.

It isn't a private company.

The bus is as much as our property as it is anyone else's.

[crazychessman]

"I think its morally wrong to run around telling people there's no god."

Then it's morally wrong to run around telling people that there is a God, too, correct? Or are religious people automatically endowed with a greater sense of morality for having read an ancient book of myths that permits them to promulgate their beliefs in a way that should be denied to non-believers? Ridiculous...

[buddhasknowbest]

They won't run the ads because it will spark controversial debate. Or, in other words, it will make people THINK!

[patsaxon]

If you say what is not the truth, then I would be worried as in the end, you will face God on your last day on earth.

[TheJawsusNSexmanShow]

As long as there's no double standard and they don't start putting christian ads up I see no problem with this.

[SCRulerShinoda]

@fuckinrelax Actually you are quite incorrect. Atheism gets you to think critically. So stop being a smarmy asshole.

[jdemeulenaer123]

All these become so touchy that we wonder how far all this can go......

[crazychessman]

@jdemeulenaer123

No, "Islam go to Hell" would qualify as hate speech, which is both illegal and derogatory; it shouldn't be displayed in any public place and I would never support it. "There is probably no God" is merely an opinion.

My original comment was designed to highlight the inherent double standard in the bus driver's comment that promoting atheism is " wrong", whereas a pro-theism board in its place would almost never be regarded as "wrong" by anyone of any belief system.

[jdemeulenaer123]

@crazychessman Right, so, we should be able to advertize 'Islam go to Hell'..? More proper and less provocative..? Don't we have enough of it...? This in the name of free speech...?

[jdemeulenaer123]

@AnarchistDictator Why not..? YOu could probably "Islam go to Hell !" no..? More proper..? Don't we have enough of it..?

[vladster7272]

So if I get "god bless us" as an ad thats fine, but if i put "there is no god" oh then there is hell, fucking hypocrite bullshit.