A sad day for freedom of speech

This campaign has gone well and truly global. We’ve inspired organisations around the world to launch atheist adverts on buses, including a Christmas campaign from the American Humanist Association, which you can view here – but sadly, one place you’re not going to see the ads is Australia. The Atheist Foundation of Australia have come up with the mildest slogan of all (”Atheism – Celebrate Reason”) and yet the company responsible for transport advertising has balked, ironically giving no reason whatsoever for this strange decision. Here’s the press release:

ATHEIST FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA INC

MEDIA RELEASE

BUS SLOGAN REJECTED!

‘APN Outdoor’, the company responsible for Public Metropolitan Transport Advertising, says no to atheism.

The bus slogan campaign proposed by the AFA with the thought provoking sentiment, “Atheism – Celebrate reason!” has been refused for display by ‘APN Outdoors’. Various other phrases have also been deemed unacceptable.

Following the lead of Humanists in London and Washington in the USA, with their intended bus signs, an international programme by humanists and atheists was to commence on the 20th January 2009 using buses to express the secular viewpoint.

Richard Dawkins is supporting the London bus signs, and has stated that such a campaign “will make people think”.

President of the Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc, David Nicholls said: “I am flabbergasted. This is extremely disappointing and a severe blow to freedom of expression in Australia. We are witnessing the result of seemingly paranoid executives interfering with pertinent social comment. This action has thwarted the right to state peacefully and openly a legitimate and timely message without violence.

Australia is going to look provincial and narrow in outlook to the rest of the world because of this decision. The planet is moving to a more enlightened era but apparently, public transport advertising agents in Australia have missed the bus.”

You can send the AFA a friendly email to show your support: info {at} atheistfoundation.org(.)au

I just wanted to say thank you so much for all your fantastic comments, funny slogans and photos – and of course your donations. We couldn’t have done any of this without you.

I’ve written another blog for the Guardian site where you can leave ideas for how we can best use the funds:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/23/atheist-bus-campaign-ariane-sherine

Will write again here soon.

Many thanks again!

Ariane

For further news stories

Harry’s Place
http://www.hurryupharry.org/2008/10/21/the-atheist-bus-campaign-theres-probably-no-god-now-stop-worrying-and-enjoy-your-life/
UK Blog – comment

News:Lite
http://newslite.tv/2008/10/22/atheist-buses-in-london-to-hav.html
UK Blog – comment

CR Blog
http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog/the-atheist-bus/
UK Blog – comment

Liberal Conspiracy
http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2008/10/22/the-atheist-bus-campaign-takes-off/
UK Blog – comment

De-conversion
http://de-conversion.com/2008/10/21/atheist-bus-campaign/
US (?)Blog – link

Nother to do with Arbroath
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/10/all-aboard-atheist-bus-campaign.html
UK Blog – comment

Media Watch Watch
http://www.mediawatchwatch.org.uk/2008/10/21/atheist-bus-ad-draws-xian-fire/
UK Blog – comment

Coffee Shop Philosophy
http://kstrump.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-initiative.html
US Blog – comment

Amused Cynicism
http://cabalamat.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/atheist-bus-campaign-reaches-28000/
UK(?)Blog – comment

The Secret Person
http://secretperson.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/all-aboard-the-atheist-bus/
UK (England) Blog – comment

Purplephreak
http://purplephreak.vox.com/library/post/smashing-records-on-the-atheist-bus.html?_c=feed-atom
US Blog – comment

Alejandro@Oxford
http://people.oii.ox.ac.uk/aribo/2008/10/21/the-atheist-bus-is-back-again/
UK Blog – comment

Geoff Coupe
http://gcoupe.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!6AA39937A982345B!5672.entry
UK/ NetherlandsBlog – comment

Rangelife
http://rangelife.typepad.com/rangelife/2008/10/all-aboard-the-atheist-bus.html
US Blog – comment

Friendly Atheist
http://friendlyatheist.com/5240/help-put-a-pro-atheist-message-on-british-buses/
US Blog – comment

Grooymother
http://groovymother.com/2008/week/42/#campaign-atheist-bus
US (?)Blog – comment

Eideard
http://eideard.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/climb-aboard-the-atheist-bus-campaign/
US Blog – comment

Peter Crump
http://peter-crump.livejournal.com/143886.html
UK Blog – comment

The Hip & The Square
http://hipsquare.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/join-the-atheist-bus-campaign/
UK Blog – comment

(not to be confused with) The Truth
http://stupc.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/the-atheist-bus-campaign/
UK Blog – comment

The Freethinker
http://www.freethinker.co.uk/2008/10/21/its-a-miracle-resurrected-atheist-bus-campaign-takes-off-like-a-rocket/
UK Blog – comment

The Devil’s Kitchen
http://devilskitchen.me.uk/2008/10/atheist-bus.html
UK Blog – comment

Hannibal Cash Esq
http://onefootinthegrave.tumblr.com/post/55649261/astheist-bus-campaign
US Blog

HattieHattie
http://hattiehattie.blogspot.com/2008/10/ariane-and-atheist-bus-campaign.html
UK Blog – comment

Hassers
http://hassers.blogspot.com/2008/10/support-atheistcampaignorg-atheist-bus.html
UK Blog

TJ’s Place
http://tj-place.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus.html
Blog – comment

Jamonation
http://jamonation.com/node/849
US Blog – comment

Right to Think
http://yunshui.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/all-aboard-the-atheist-bus/
Blog – comment

Greyarea
http://depesando.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-campaign.html
UK Blog – comment

This is Not the News
http://jb73.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-campaign.html
UK Blog – comment

Pink Triangle
http://ptt-blog.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-buses.html
UK Blog – comment

Six Degrees of Obfuscation
http://philwardblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-is-due.html
UK Blog – comment

Liberal Democrat Voice
http://www.libdemvoice.org/the-atheist-bus-campaign-4825.html
UK Blog – comment

Diaphanitas
http://diaphanus.livejournal.com/1281623.html
Blog – comment

Counterknowledge
http://counterknowledge.com/?p=281
UK Blog – comment

Virtual Economics
http://virtualeconomics.typepad.com/virtualeconomics/2008/10/bye-bye-imaginary-childhood-friend.html
UK Blog – comment

The Bleeding Heart Show
http://bleedingheartshow.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/atheists-on-the-bus/
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Kaya Burgess
http://kayaburgess.blogspot.com/2008/10/theres-probably-no-god.html
UK Blog – comment

Bayou Renaissance Man
http://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheism-is-bus-ting-out.html
US Blog – comment

Lemelon
http://lemelon.com/free-entertainment/2008/10/support-the-atheist-advert-campaign-on-london-buses-donate/
Blog – comment

Wouldn’t it be Scarier
http://mindrobber.blogspot.com/2008/10/agnostic-bus-campaign.html
UK Blog – comment

Surind
http://surind.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-campaign.html
Malaysia Blog – copied from Justgiving

Wongablog
http://wongablog.co.uk/2008/10/22/the-atheist-bus/
Blog – comment

Defiantly
http://definatalie.tumblr.com/post/55579616/donate-to-the-atheist-bus-campaign-and-richard
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Intelligent Giving
http://www.intelligentgiving.com/the_buzz/the_blog/how_you_re_subsidizing_the_atheist_bus_campaign
UK Blog on tax implications

The Daily Rabble
http://dailyrabble.blogspot.com/2008/10/atheist-bus-campaign.html
UK (Scotland)Blog – comment

Justgiving Blog
http://justgiving.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/atheist-bus-campaign/
UK Blog from the donation system provider

Depression Knowledge
http://depressionknowledge.porcaous.com/2008/10/depression-religion-and-the-atheist-bus/
Blog – comment

The Denver Egotist
http://thedenveregotist.com/article/2905/atheist-bus-campaign
US Blog – comment

The Grove is on Fire
http://thegroveisonfire.com/2008/10/all-aboard-the-atheist-bus-cam.php
Blog – comment

Fairsay
http://fairsay.com/blog/donating-is-a-campaigning-action
Blog – comment

Masks of Eris
http://masksoferis.wordpress.com/2008/10/21/atheist-bus/
Blog – Finland