Finally, Atheists’ slogans are on the buses!

[Lee]

Finally, Atheists’ slogans are on the buses!

4 March 09

The Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc is very happy to announce there will be a public viewing of its slogan in the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras parade on Saturday 7 March.

One of the entrants, the Sydney Queer Atheists have agreed to run the AFA slogan on their “buses” proudly sponsored by the Atheist Foundation.

President of the AFA, David Nicholls said. “We are delighted to support the Mardi Gras. The parade is equally pleased in promoting freedom of expression, which we have been denied by overly staid bus advertising companies. Planet-wide attention will focus on the bus slogans in a fun-filled atmosphere.

“Bus advertising companies might reconsider their hardline stance on seeing that the world didn’t stop because of a few innocent but important words placed in the public arena. Australia stands almost alone in rejection of these messages.”

Happy Mardi Gras!

[GenericBox]

Can we get lots of pretty pictures up and around when the time comes? Would like to see that.

[Lee]

I hope you fixed the typo in the second last paragraph before sending it out...

All the other words are in the correct order...:rolleyes:

[SchizoDeluxe]

That sounds great but I can't help but feel that the bus companies and those who opposed the public atheist bus ads have relegated these atheist ads to a parade in the hopes that it will appease atheists push to have them on public buses. Hopefully a lot of people will actually notice them but in a parade such as the mardi gras, most of the attention will undoubtedly be focused on the main paraders. But take what you can get I suppose, still great to see it out there and let's hope the bus companies change their mind. No doubt though, atheists and gay people parading down the streets of Perth is probably going to be a nightmare for the christian conservatives lol

[Hell Girl]

I hope there will be a few Westboro Baptist send-up floats at the Mardis Gras. A troupe of Shirley Phelps-Ropers would be hilarious.

[GenericBox]

We should make our own float for the parade Next Year.

Picture 2 Adams, and 2 Eve's, with Adam and Adam holding hands and Eve and Eve holding hands, or something similiar. :D

[David Nicholls]

SchizoDeluxe,

The AFA considered your point of choosing a non-APN Outdoor venue. One of the groups in The Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, the Sydney Queer Atheists, without our instigation, decided to run bus advertisements as their theme.

The international and local media show reasonable interest in this event. For a small fee, we were offered exclusive rights in using the AFA name and slogan, so we decided to run with it.

The Atheist Foundation works on the principle that ubiquity is the key to building an interest in Atheism and this is a small part of that intent in action.

Gaining media attention for Atheism is a continual struggle and we are loath to pass up any opportunity where that might happen.

David

[SchizoDeluxe]

Good to know, thanks for the info. Still bugs me what happened though.

[David Nicholls]

Have any good photos of the buses from Saturday night been posted? The AFA expects some photos in the next couple of days. A selection will be in the next The Australian Atheist magazine. (Published this week) Videos and photos are filtering their way onto the web at increasing rates. We have just heard that the Sydney Queer Atheists had a small mention in the SMH.

David

[boxsey]

woot! what fun. they look great!

[loubert]

Bloody terrific! love it:D

[Lee]

And a couple more in THE AUSTRALIAN ATHEIST magazine.

Coming to your home this week! :)