I’m “in” DC, and very interested in the development of the DC Metro bus ad campaign (reminiscent of the London bus “no god” ad slogans in October) by the American Humanist Association, which, according to the Association’s press release, “will raise public awareness of humanism as well as controversy over humanist ideas.”
“Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.”
In order to help readers keep tabs on this historic event, State of Protest will be monitoring the news and the blogosphere for related articles. Keep an eye out here for interesting developments.
I’m also going to try to get some pics and video of the actual buses, as well as some on-the-street interviews with observers.
American Humanist press release: Humanists Launch Godless Holiday Campaign
News
MyFox DC: “Why Believe in a god” Ads on Metro Draw Scorn
(Apparently the local Fox station in DC likes to delete all of its old or controversial web articles, so I apologize for this link no longer working. I haven’t been able to find the full article anywhere else thus far.)
CNN: Group’s New Christmas Message: Be good, not godly(this URL has been removed from CNN. It referred to the AH press release)
ABC: God Humbug: Humanist Holiday Ads Say Just Be Good
Nov 12 – FoxNews: “Why Believe in a God?” Ad Campaign Launches on D.C. Buses
More Fox News (again, deleted by MyFoxDC, the DC Fox News station), plus silly comments like “Lots of people are going to have a funny look on their faces, when they find out that God is real. Especially when they are falling into the fires of Hell.”
Blogs
(Related): Joystiq.com: Fallout 3 ads criticized by Washington D.C. metro rider
American Atheists: It Begins: Godless Ads
(if you get a 403 error, just click through — trying to get in touch with the owner to fix this [if you're out there, contact me!])
Rant & Reason: Blog of the Humanist Magazine
If you have others to suggest, please link them in the comments. Thanks!
UPDATES:
12-01 – On the metro train this morning, I saw one of the campaign posters in a corner of the train. By the time I saw, it, it was my stop, so I wasn’t able to take a photo of it, but I did notice that absolutely no one was looking at it, gawking, or whatever. I think people generally ignore ads in the metro, but I would have liked to have been able to interview someone about it. Now that I know the posters are in the trains as well as on the buses, I’ll be more on the lookout. More soon! And happy Thanksgiving!
12-02 – According to the DC Examiner (the free DC local newspaper that endorsed John McCain), there have been 251 complaints so far about the metro ads, and only one compliment. 1
Although the ACLU stated that it would defend the First Amendment right of the American Humanist Association to post ads, even if others find them offensive (because no one has the right not to be offended), complainants have still contended that the ads are offensive, because they question the existence of God — “That ad is obscene to me!? I wouldn’t want my children reading that,” wrote one.
If you’d like to compliment or complain about Metro, click HERE. (they call compliments “commendations”). Other contact info for Metro can be found HERE.
Here’s my commendation:
Please accept my thanks for granting equal opportunity to both the religious and non-religious advertisers. I ride the metro daily, and it’s nice to see that Metro hasn’t stifled the speech of any side, and has played fair, despite controversy.
Also, if you could get the escalators working, that’d be great, too.
—
Update 12-15-2008
Read my criticism of the counter-ads.
- Thanks to pstryder for the link on Reddit’s atheism sub-Reddit. http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/120308_Metro_fields_hundreds_of_complaints_about_bus_ads.html [<]
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Can’t wait for your interviews!
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Fox news didn’t analyze this story in an in depth manner. It reminded me of high school, when the jocks and cool kids snicker at the kid who does the extra credit. It’s not hip to use your brains in journalism, either, I guess.
what does goodness sake mean
From the fox news video – 92% believe in god!?? That’s the most made-up number I’ve ever heard in my life. 16.1% of Americans describe themselves as having no religion according to a Pew survey done in early 2008.
I think the humanists could have done a better job with their statement on why they did it. Yes Fox was making fun of it but that’s expected. They could have at least made it a little harder for them.