"...in case of an attack on the buses by Angry Christians..." Atheists sue (page 2)

Rabbit

New Chapter,

I think they may slowly start to allow the churches money to come back, but hopefully, the other groups will be there demanding equality.

Rabbit

Those gosh-darn atheists are at it again:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/05/atheists-planning-rapture-party-may-21st/37890/

satinka

Here is the article, copied and pasted

satinka

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110610/od_nm/us_atheist_ads

Athiests Sue over bus ads on God-free lifestyle

LITTLE ROCK, Ark (Reuters) – A coalition of atheists is accusing Little Rock's city bus line of violating their rights to free speech in a fight to place ads on public buses praising a God-free lifestyle.

The Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason alleged in a lawsuit that the Central Arkansas Transit Authority and its advertising agency are discriminating against the group because they're being required to pay tens of thousands of dollars to put $5,000 worth of ads on 18 buses.

The ads would read: "Are you good without God? Millions are."

Other groups, including churches, have not been required to pay the fee, which amounts to $36,000 in insurance in case of an attack on the buses by angry Christians, according to the lawsuit.

The insurance was requested by the transit agency's advertising firm, On The Move Advertising, officials said.

Because a handful of similar ads had been vandalized in other states, the ad agency required the payment for insurance reasons, said Jess Sweere, an attorney representing the transit authority.

"To my knowledge, OTMA has not requested this in the past because no other advertiser told them their ads were vandalized in other markets," Sweere told Reuters.

Sweere said the transit authority was all set to accept the ads, but that the advertising firm raised the concerns that lead to the insurance requirement. Negotiations were still going on when the lawsuit was filed last week against the transit agency and the ad firm.

"We were planning to run the ads as soon as the contract was worked out," Sweere told Reuters.

An attorney for the ad agency did not return calls seeking comment.

LeeWood Thomas, a spokesman for the atheist group, quoted an email from the advertising agency obtained by the coalition that read: "Arkansas is the buckle of the Bible Belt and I can easily envision zealots or upstanding citizens with a strong faith acting out."

Thomas said it's clear his group is being punished for the actions of others.

"The insurance money needed from us basically says CATA and On The Move trust the atheists in this community more so than the religious, otherwise the churches that advertise would have that extra insurance premium added to their total cost," Thomas said.

The coalition is asking a judge to issue a preliminary injunction forcing the bus company to accept the ads while the suit moves forward.

The transit authority and its advertising agency were served with the lawsuit on Monday. They have 21 days to respond.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Arkansas group by UnitedCoR, a Washington-based national organization that focuses on organizing local atheist and agnostic groups into coalitions and funding their bus and billboard ad campaigns.

UnitedCoR has placed such ads throughout the United States since 2008.

Out of 36 markets where ad campaigns have run, four have been vandalized, including bus ads in Detroit last year, according to UnitedCoR's website.

Last year, UnitedCoR placed ads on outdoor billboards and buses in Fayetteville, Arkansas, without incident.

In 2009, the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, a group of atheists who are also involved in the bus ad campaign, successfully sued the state of Arkansas to erect a 'Winter Solstice' display on the grounds of the Arkansas State Capitol near a nativity scene.

(Editing by Karen Brooks and Jerry Norton)

satinka

LOL!!! It seems athiests know about peace... and Christians don't!

satinka

dgp

Thanks for the post, Rabbit!

Rabbit

dgp, it is odd...isn't it ? Belief in someone called "God of Love" and "Prince of Peace" have caused so much war, heartbreak & grief.

Atheists and agnostics...? meh...?

satinka, thanks for pasting that...I don't know what I was doing wrong.

AGuest

The bus authority shouldn't allow ads touting either: belief or disbelief (may you all have peace!). The buses are run by the Transit Authority which is usually a soverign "municipality" all it's own. Even if not, it's sanctioned by the state and local government and almost assuredly receives SOME kind of federal funding. Which would make ads from either a potential violation of the U.S. Constitution's Establishment Clause (state entanglement). Even more, if the believers ARE allowed ads, then the non-believers should be allowed ads... and at the same cost. Otherwise, it's potentially an Equal Protection issue, another Constitutional violation.

If they are concerned about vandalism, then they should tell their believer clients that THEIR costs must ALSO be raised to offset damage done by THEIR constituents. So that, both camps pay: atheists for ads they KNOW will inflame, and believers for their lack of control and intolerance for others' [lack of] beliefs such they cause property damage.

Best course: no ads from either camps so that no constitutional violations... or bus vandalism... takes place. Private ads only... and you pay whatever the billboard company charges, including for risks your ads might raise.

Again, peace to you all!

SA, on her own...

dgp

Rabbit: I agree. I can but remember Arnaut Amaury, when asked how he would tell who were Albigenses and who were Catholics: "Kill them all. The Lord will know who are his".

Rabbit

dgp

"...in case of an attack on the buses by Angry Christians..." Atheists sue

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