An advertisement I submitted promoting the NEPA Freethought Society — a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania-based community group of which I am the co-organizer and spokesperson — and containing the word “Atheists” has been rejected by the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS).
In early 2012, I submitted an advertisement proposal — similar to that which I recently submitted in August of 2013 pictured above — to COLTS soon after seeing “God Bless America” messages scrolling alongside route information on both the sides and fronts of county buses.
My 2012 request was denied because, according to COLTS, the advertisement was in violation of COLTS’ advertisement policy; COLTS deemed the advertisement controversial and said that the ad would spark public debate. COLTS also claimed the advertisement was “attacking religion.”
In September of 2013, COLTS denied my resubmitted “Atheists.” advertisement proposal stating the “advertising space on COLTS’ property is a nonpublic forum,” COLTS does not accept advertisements promoting the belief that there is or is not a god, and that COLTS does not “allow its property to become a public forum for the dissemination, debate, or discussion of public issues.”
COLTS — in its refusal letter — also stated that the “Atheists.” advertisement “may offend or alienate a segment of its ridership and thus negatively affect [COLTS’] revenue” in addition to noting that “the acceptance of ads that promote debate over public issues such as […] the existence of God in a confined space like the inside of a bus detracts” from “COLTS’ goal to provide a safe and welcoming environment on its buses for the public at large.”
Read the full text of COLTS’ refusal letter here.
Following COLTS’ refusal of my proposed advertisement, COLTS, according to reporter David Singleton of The Times-Tribune, “adopted a new advertising policy” “approved without discussion by a 4-0 vote” at its September 17, 2013 board meeting. COLTS’ solicitor, Timothy Hinton, commenting on the advertising policy change, said, ” We want to have a welcoming environment for our ridership, and we don’t think acceptance of those ads to create a public debate on a confined bus is in our best interests.”
COLTS’ new advertising policy notes ads “that promote the existence or non-existence of a supreme deity, deities, being or beings; that address, promote, criticize or attack a religion or religions, religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; that directly quote or cite scriptures, religious text or texts involving religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs; or otherwise religious in nature” will not be accepted.
The new policy also reads, “It is COLTS’ declared intent to maintain its advertising space on its property as a nonpublic forum and not to allow its transit vehicles or property to become a public forum for the dissemination, debate, or discussion of public issues or issues that are political or religious in nature.”
See COLTS’ old advertising policy dated June 2011 — in place when I submitted by August 2013 proposal — here.
See COLTS new advertising policy dated September 2013 — instituted following my August 2013 proposal — here.
Stay tuned to justinvacula.com for more updates on this matter. I intend to further pursue this issue.
Consider also reading Friendly Atheist Hemant Mehta’s reaction to The Times-Tribune article here.