Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising OK with Anti-Atheist Bigotry
The original billboard was paid for by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and stated simply "Imagine No Religion." After it was moved, Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising replaced it with one of their own stating "In God We Trust" and "The previous sign posted at this location does not reflect the values or morals of our company. Thank you." Apparently, Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising assumes that their readers are all so dumb as to think that the billboard owners necessarily agree with every advertising message they place there.
Dusky A. Chilcote, senior account executive for Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising, Chambersburg, said the sign was posted Monday as the older sign, with the words, "Imagine No Religion," was being removed. "We received only a couple of negative calls about the (first sign)," Chilcote said on Monday. "We were concerned about the impact of how people see our company."
Chilcote, a Christian, said she was personally hurt by the deception of the sponsor, who allegedly led her to believe the sign was presented by a local church. She said in December that the sponsor of the billboard had contacted her and said "their desire was that people would have the freedom to walk into any church they choose."
Source: Chambersburg Public Opinion
Hemant Mehta published a response from Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the FFRF, which points out a serious problem with Dusky Chilcote's excuses here:
I have no idea how or why she could make an assumption that our group was a church! How could we, with our name? I have to assume she is either making things up because she felt she had to cover herself from criticism, or she was so religious she couldn’t believe a group like ours existed. One can only speculate.
Less than a week after putting up their own billboard, replacing the one which they felt didn't reflect their values, Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising installed a new billboard attacking atheists personally. It apparently doesn't reflect the values of Kegerreis to suggest imagining the absence of religion, but it must reflect their values to say that atheists hate America:
The new billboard, posted on Thursday, is sponsored by "In God We Trust," a national advocacy group based in Arlington, Va. It poses the question: "Why Do Atheists Hate America?" The sign depicts a child saluting the U.S. flag and includes the Web site: www.InGodWeTrustUSA.org. ...
Bishop Council Nedd, chairman of IGWT's board of directors, said in a press statement that FFRF has "embarked on a national campaign to denigrate religion and convince Americans that their country's religious heritage is somehow wrong." Nedd said that FFRF's "offensive billboards insult the millions and millions of Americans of varying faiths who believe that religion has been, and still is, a force for good."
Source: Chambersburg Public Opinion (via Friendly Atheist)
Yes, I'm sure that millions of Americans are offended at the suggestion that it's possible to imagine the absence of religion. Whites were offended at being asked to imagine blacks fully integrated into society, enjoying equal rights and privileges alongside whites. Christians were offended at being asked to imagine Jews fully integrated into society, enjoying equal rights and privileges alongside Christians. People who enjoy unjust privileges always get offended and huffy whenever they are asked to imagine that the ideological basis for their privileges could be undermined. I believe that their feelings of offense are genuine; I also believe that those feelings merely reinforce that there is something wrong with them.
I'm pretty sure that if the sign read "Why Do Jews Hate America" Or "Why Do Latinos Hate America," then Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising wouldn't have put it up or would quickly bow to pressure to take it down. Even if it read "Why Do Gays Hate America" or "Why Do Muslims Hate America," the same would happen despite how unpopular those groups are. Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising apparently had no qualms about doing this to atheists, though, which just goes to show how acceptable they think anti-atheist bigotry is. It cannot be emphasized enough, though, that their approval or tolerance of this sign is every bit as immoral, hateful, and bigoted as approval or tolerance of any of the other hypothetical signs I just mentioned.
We can also add a couple of other observations. First, the sign reinforces the myth popular with Christian Nationalists that religion — and preferably their religion — is necessary for patriotism. That's obviously a lie, but it's a lie which Christian Nationalists repeat over and over. They need people to believe this in order to justify their attempts to blend their religion with American nationalism. They themselves sincerely believe that America's rights, liberties, and government owe their existence to the Christian god and not "We the People," so disbelief in their god means disbelief in what makes America unique — which, to them, means hating America. Anything can be made to look sensible when you start from false or ridiculous premises.
Second, it's a loaded question, basically the same as asking "have you stopped beating your wife yet?" Council Nedd tries to claim in the newspaper report that he and his group aren't saying that atheists are anti-American, but that's false — the question necessarily implies that atheists hate America and merely wonders why. If he genuinely didn't know if atheists were anti-American, he'd ask that. I don't know if Nedd's denials mean that he doesn't understand English or does but hopes that people who see the sign don't, but I don't see any other explanation.
Frankly, I'm inclined to think that maybe Council Nedd just doesn't understand English because he seems to sincerely believe that the phrase "Imagine No Religion" expresses a wish to eliminate all religious believers — like maybe the FFRF wants to ship them overseas or something. Nedd doesn't recognize a difference between imagining the disappearance of a particular belief or idea and the elimination of the people who hold that belief or idea. Perhaps the problem is more intellectual than grammatical, though, and Nedd just can't conceive of the possibility of people abandoning religion? Either way, I think we're witnessing some egregious failures to think coherently here and in cases like this trying to reason with such a person would be an exercise in futility.
Comments
I think FFRF or other organizations should run more billboards and ramp up the warfare. Run boards asking “How many gays did believers murder today?” or “Why do Christians hate science?” Ads saying “Religion = Hate, War, Oppression” and “Just Say No To Theocracy” should run everywhere too. That last one can include the subhead “Keep laws and public policy free from mythology and superstition.” That would really get the goat of the religious authoritarian crazies. The more “in your face” progressives, atheists, and freethinkers get, the more we will turn this conflict into a serious national issue that no one can ignore.
But Christians are so persecuted already in this country, atheists shouldn’t hog the public square and screech about how they’re downtrodden just because G, O, and D are on money or in the Pledge of Elegions. That’s what this country is, and they should expect that Christians be allowed to have something like a billboard for themselves. If the billboard company doesn’t want to put up a billboard for atheists, they can’t be forced to.
**yes, this is sarcastic. Does it look real?
Excellent job! Very realistic indeed.
I would love to see some atheist centered billboards in Kansas to counter all the Christian ones. The ones out side of adult stores that say stuff like “Porn destroys families, Jesus saves.” make me laugh but the pro-life ones make me sick. Everytime I see a billboard saying “Smile- your mom chose life.” I want to put up a billboard behind it with a picture like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/cynici/1513696758/
Do they ever describe how porn destroys families? The religious are obsessed with sex and sexuality. Imagine what the money they spend on those billboards could have done to help the needy.
RE: Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising OK with Anti-Atheist Bigotry
GUNPOWDER THEISM
This kind of thing, to me, always reeks of how fine-haired the religious trigger in America is. A single billboard goes up with a perfectly reasonable, unforceful, philosophical question, and the trigger goes off: Kegerreis Outdoor Advertising posts a spiteful “Why Do Atheists Hate America?” sign. It’s almost like people with religious tendancies harbor some kind of spring-loaded hatred against atheists and atheism, and it sits inside them coiled up, ready to burst out upon the slightest excuse.
I wonder if there is something to the theory that Christians (and other religious folks) are just looking for excuses to spew their hatred of atheism and agnosticism? Have you seen the Dane Cook standup routine where he portrays atheists as universally asinine, and the audience goes crazy? The spring-loaded trigger against atheism just needs a little push and BOOM it ignites. All they need is a little excuse… a little reason… a little imaginary rationality to set off their inner prejudices. In this case, Kegerreis took the opportunity to bash atheists under the guise of responding to a previous sign and to protect their company’s identity. Almost any story in the media involving atheism has a similar flavor: religious zealots taking the words and actions of atheists and using them to rationalize their gunpowder approach to social bigotry.
The scary part: How can we measure the limits of this dynamite? As atheism, freethinking, and secular humanity become more popular in America (it seems inevitable), will the firepower of religious reaction gear up with each social advance made? How far will theists go to show us their rights are being trampled, despite obvious evidence to the contrary? What will happen when Christians become the minority in American, and must no longer look for the occasional excuse to hate atheists, but can simply refer to statisticts to rationalize a continuous napalm of hatred? How loud the explosion? How large the mushroom cloud?
How long before American theists literally become bombs for their beliefs?
How is ‘Imagine no religion’ any different than ‘Imagine no Judaism’ or anything similar to that.
What logic makes one okay and the other not?
One is singling out a particular group — and a historically oppressed group at that — for special treatment. It’s like the difference between “imagine no political ideologies” and “imagine no conservatism”: one asks us to contemplate the disappearance of an entire class of thinking while the other asks us contemplate the elimination of one grouping while leaving the others as if they were superior and not deserving of elimination.
Another terrific essay by Cline.
I submit Dusky A. Chilcote is lying about the FFRF,Inc. claiming to be a church. One, FFRF signed a contract with Kegerreis as I understand, so Chilcote knew the sponsoring party was not a church. Secondly, why would a church sponsor a “Imagine no religion” sign? Dishonesty, deception and lying are inherent attributes of Christianity.
Chilcote, a female, a Christian, is obviously just another female in desperate need for a crutch and that crutch is Christianity notwithstanding that her holy book trashes females from Genesis thru Revelations.
I am sure Darwin Finch’s questions reflect the concerns of many atheists. I am not concerned day to day about Islamic extremists. Christian extremists I am. I have experienced their venomous attitude toward atheists.
I and we cannot retreat but common sense says look over your shoulder. Right here in freedom-loving, love-thy-neighbor America.
This article is insane. Am I to understand that all the billboards I see each day telling me to believe in god, try this church, etc., are viscious personal attacks on me?
Here’s what I mean: “Imagine no religion” is simply the message, “give life a try without religion.” The opposite of this is posted all over the place–at least where I live. I see billboards daily telling me to come to X church or trust god, give belief in god a chance.
Mainly I just look at those as billboards expressing someone’s belief. I don’t agree with it, but I’m not threatened by it. I don’t perceive the (for the most part) Xians who put up the add to be hostile to me, unpatriotic, hateful, threatening, etc. They just believe in god, and they’re just inviting me to do the same. I’m not going to take them up on it–but no harm, no foul.
But “imagine no religion” deserves to be met with “You hate America!”???
How does that equate? How is inviting someone to imagine not being religious any different than inviting someone to become religious? Is asking me to become religious really a personal attack on me–and I’ve just been too naive to see it all these years? I don’t think so.
Once again, Xians exhibit the Pot/Kettle mode of thinking. If you ask me to adopt your religious view–you’re hateful and threatening. But if I ask you to adopt my religious view, I’m just being kind and concerned about your well being.
No, sorry. If you are going to repeatedly post billboards inviting me to adopt your view, and that’s just sharing the good–then please extend me the same courtesy. When I post a billboard inviting you to adopt my view, please stop pretending it’s OK when you do it, but wrong for everyone else. Good for the goose…ring a bell?
Xian hypocrisy knows no bounds.
And I exempt any/all Xians who don’t share the views of those expressed by the morons addressed in this article. I understand it’s just some. Too bad it’s the ‘vocal’ some, though.
I’d like to know more about “why atheists hate America”. What does one have to do with the other?
Religion is a commodity for sale like any other.
I fear the greater import of this hair trigger response to what is just a request for people to think, to “imagine” something different. There aren’t a lot of Christians asking for the “heads” of atheists but there are some. I fear it is the top of the iceberg, ie. the 10% of vocalists found in all movements, but given sufficient provocation like a deep economic depression and/or political crisis and a charismatic leader the smoldering fuse could ignite the powder keg (sorry about mixing metaphors). Religion obviously
provides a fertile land to make those sorts of people.
DaveTheWave is absolutely right! I say it’s high time we Atheists grew a set of balls and started fighting back. I admire the courage of gays and women who fought for their rights under tremendous adversity. It’s too bad we can’t say the same for most Atheists. It pisses me off when I read an article like the one by Sam Harris, of all people, telling us Atheists should stay under the radar and not openly identify as Atheists. What a moronic statement to make from a man of such intelligence! It’s time to rise up, brothers and sisters, and fight for what’s right.
Atheists are now vicitms? Oh my God! (Woops, sorry, didn’t me to offend by mentioning God.) That’s pretty funny. Never heard anyone persecute an Atheist in the USA. You know who else hates America? Muslim fanatics! Yes, it seems the religious right and the secular left both hate America with equal venom. I’d say that means the US is doing something right if it can piss off both moronic groups! BTW, the way you talk about atheism, you’ve turned it into just another religion. Are you a communist, too??
Then perhaps you haven’t been paying attention.
Oh, I wouldn’t be so hard on anti-atheist bigots. They don’t hate America.
Where did you get that impression?
It’s right to make people hate?
Would you care to support that assertion?
No. Trying to smear atheists with the “communist” label went out of fashion back in the 1980s. Didn’t you get the memo?
Atheists are now vicitms?
Yeah … it happens.
http://www.parallelpac.org/murder.htm
“Shelton … just shot “the devil himself” with a revolver and a shotgun because “he (Hooper) didn’t believe in God.” Shelton told the dispatcher he was “still armed and ready to shoot again in case he moves. I want to make sure he’s gone.” When the dispatcher asked how many times he shot the victim Shelton replied, “hopefully enough.”
This company (Kegerreis outdoor) is running a legitimate American company within reasonable expectations. One customer wants to pay for a pro-atheist advertisement and another wants to pay for a pro-religion advertisement. Isn’t this topic sort of making a mountain out of a molehill?
Anti-atheist bigotry is not reasonable.
Uh, that second “customer” was themselves. They weren’t taking money to erect a pro-religion advertisement, they were personally making an anti-atheist statement. Big difference.
Anti-atheist bigotry and hate isn’t a molehill any more than racism or anti-Semitism are molehills. I notice that you don’t directly address this portion of the article:
Why not?
to CrypticLife: It was almost realistic, however, not enough words were misspelled.
Kudos, though for “eligions”, a masterpiece.
So many great comments I could not possibly expand on this except to say DaveTheWave, you are going in my hero book!
I may have to steal some of what you said for use somewhere.
Austin, this is out of subject but have you ever asked a theist for and got a real reply to the question…”What IS creationism teaching exactly?” please let me know if you did a piece on this by email.
thanks