Our city government...

[fajrdrako]

Since we have buses again, I thought I'd stop griping about the Mayor and his council. But there's a lovely new controversy - they accepted bus ads for religious groups and refused ads for atheists.

iclysdale has some interesting comments, too. Personally I find the 'lock up your daughters' ads somewhat more baffling than offensive, but... I really don't understand what city councillors are thinking. Or, rather, I'm afraid of what they might be thinking. With some exceptions (like Alex Cullen) they seem to a bunch of... I'm not even sure I can come up with a suitable word. Lackwits.

As statements of atheism go, "there's probably no god" seems pretty mild to me.

I think Mississauga has the right idea: no religious advertising at all. And since I'd never even heard of the Freethought Association of Canada, I looked them up. Interesting. They don't mention Humanist Canada, which I was familiar with, and which seems to have similar aims.

Comments

[dewline.livejournal.com]

For myself, those 106.9 FM ads now making the rounds? Well, I wish that in the interests of equality of opportunity for tastelessness, there'd been a set of posters with a "Lock Up Your Sons!" theme. I'll leave the conditions of the "sons" depicted in such ads as an exercise for those interested in such things in the art of satire and parody.

As for the religion/atheism thing? It's time for equal time for what Woody Allen called "the loyal opposition". Organized religion should not be the only side with access to this. I don't agree with the atheists about a number of things, but balance demands this ban be ended.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I wish that in the interests of equality of opportunity for tastelessness, there'd been a set of posters with a "Lock Up Your Sons!" theme.

Well, yes! It'd be just as nonsensical and it would at least be gender-equal.

Advertising for some reason* is usually not remarkable for its good taste.

*note pointed irony here

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

What would you do it I told you I believe in God and know he's helped me, more than once?

but I agree, it should be one rule for all and not a pick and choose

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly! It would be equally unfair if they said Catholics could advertise their religion and Protestants couldn't, or vice versa.

Not that I approve of advertising in the first place - !

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

True, advertising can be the pits...

but if you believe in someone strongly enough, you want to share that too

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes. But I have my doubts about anything imparted by advertising; real conviction doesn't need commercialism.

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

True, but real conviction also wants to pass that one, and you use the means available - in this case advertising

I'd bitch more about advertising but as both Paul Kasey and Tom Price are in ads on our telly (btw I'd not buy either product - well Tom's if necessary as he sells toiletpaper but not keen on going to the Bingo) - it's one way to earn money

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Advertising is good work for actors, yes, there's that for it.

For models, too. And, no doubt, directors, photographers, and so on.

I think there must be better ways to run a world, though.

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

yeah, possibly, but I think at the end of the day people want to sell their wares and they can only do that if they tell others about them - hence advertising.

man, I sound way too grown up for my liking here *g*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Advertising is the way of the world. I don't need to like it, or approve!

[walkingowl.livejournal.com]

"Lock up your daughter." Feh. Well, um, is this not a pretty wonderful thing if one is looking ahead to the next mayoral election and hoping that Alex Munter is by then going to look pretty darned good to just about everyone in the city...?