Behind the News: Ottawa City Council allows atheist bus ads

Despite some opposition, the City Council of Ottawa, Canada, voted on March 10, 2009 to allow a controversial atheist bus ad to appear on the sides of local city buses. Behind the News takes a look at the issue and provides the background to the decision. A Pebblecraft Production.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Ottawa
• atheist
• bus
• ads
• advertisements
• advertizements
• there
• is
• prbobaly
• no
• God
• atheism
• Council
• OC
• Transpo

[Pebblecraft]

Although I follow the 'culture wars' quite closely in the US, I had always felt that Canadians were generally more tolerant. I have a lot to learn.

[absoprob]

Bob Monette could just as easily be one of the Muslim country representatives that are pushing to make compulsory the UN's prohibition of anything derogatory being said about religion. There is nothing sacrosanct about religion. It is a belief and anything that 'protects' its adherents in this manner is without exception an infringement on freedom of speech, and therefore of liberty.

[rg0057]

Actually, as an atheist, I just need to say that I'm not tolerant of the vice of religion, any more than I tolerate any other fraud. Let's be honest.

[ProjectAwesome1]

@DeadFishFactory I have to agree with this statement fully. I have been in contact with Mr. Monette before regarding other issues, but was unaware of his ignorance concerning some of our fundamental rights. He is trying to wield a double edged sword and justify it. Someone should remind him (as Coun. Cullen has done) that you DO NOT have the right to be not offended. If that were the case, we could not do anything - for the simple fact that something WILL offend somebody somewhere.

[DeadFishFactory]

That Bob Monette knows nothing about freedom of speech.

[Scanini]

The last counciller to speak was so thick, he basically said that if you say something that offends me then you cant say it publically, then by his logic we cannot say or do anything that offends this man. The fact that saying a god exists and will burn me for not loving him i find offensive is, of course, irrelevent.

[icyangel13]

'Vice'? 'Intolerance'? You know who you would have been 500 years ago? A leader of the Spanish Inquisition. People confuse dogmatism with religion. Religion is a set of beliefs. Dogmatism is a personality type. There are dogmatic theists, just like there are dogmatic atheists.

[morganseathomson]

Bob Monette is a wiener.

[adraim69]

Because we're the only group of people who have no set of beliefs that we put of the table of rational discourse? Because we never believe something without sufficient evidence? maybe because we're more then 15% of the population, more then Jews or African Americans or Hispanics. We're a minority without proportionate representation. You ask why that's a problem, and I wonder why you even have to ask...

[iRockzz]

the atheist group doesnt really need to be made known very well...they aparently are not a "religion" so whats it matter?

[burtonxx22]

A victory for "Freedom of Speech" is a victory for all Canadian of all faiths and beliefs even for those that are against freedom of speech.

This is not a victory for Atheists,

it is a victory for all Canadians.

VIVA LA

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"The Enlightened One"