Seattle Atheists Get Media

Seattle’s atheist bus ads will be going live beginning on Wednesday and there’s a nice little writeup about them in today’s Seattle Times:

The Seattle ads are intended to give atheists a voice, provide a way for them to connect and to put a “positive face on atheism,” [Seattle Atheists president Paul] Case said.

They will be placed on the inside of about 20 Metro buses primarily serving downtown Seattle routes. Along with the group’s name and Web address, the ads will feature quotes from luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein and Susan B. Anthony.

Those quoted aren’t necessarily atheists, but their words are included to educate people about “the rich American legacy of skepticism and critical thought,” according to Seattle Atheists.

“You see Christian messages everywhere. You see churches everywhere,” Case said. “As an atheist, it will be nice to see in a public setting a message that aligns with how I feel about the existence of God.”

Nice work, Seattle.

Atheists in Kansas, the ball is in your court.

U747

I’m surprised that the Seattle Times wasn’t more abrasive about it.
They’re supposed to be the more conservative newspaper of the two (Seattle Times and the Seattle PI).

Some of the article’s comments make up for the Times’ “shortcomings”, I guess.
GullWatcher

I’m surprised that the Seattle Times wasn’t more abrasive about it. They’re supposed to be the more conservative newspaper of the two (Seattle Times and the Seattle PI).

What two? Sadly, we are a one newspaper town now, and the poorer for it.

The article is quite a contrast to the dreadful multi-part series the Seattle Times ran a couple of years ago, about an unfortunate child dying of cancer whose parents encouraged her to believe (not hope, but truly believe), that god would cure her if she had enough faith, and took her off chemotherapy.

One surgeon, writing in his blog, said it better than I could.

The little girl died.

And the reporter turned it into a book, calling her death a miracle.
Kyle

If I knew where to start here in Kansas, I’d be up for it.

Kansas is the most bass ackwards state.
Nadine

KC Freethinkers had a billboard up in KS is October:
http://www.kcfreethinkers.org/entry.htm
http://blogs.pitch.com/plog/2008/10/dont_stand_next_to_this_billbo.php
Eliza

And, see here for Trina Hoaks’ recent (3/25/09) article about the first 2 FFRF billboards going up in Kansas (recently, Wichita; next up, Topeka).

For the Seattle bus ads, it was as straightforward as contacting the advertising department, getting details on cost etc, coming up with an ad, and moving ahead. The cost to put small poster-sized ads inside of several buses for 2 months was ~$400. If there’s a local atheist, freethought, or humanist organization (or Meetup group), you may be able to find some donors, and some people to help w/ the legwork (including design/printing the ads).

In other words: it’s do-able! Go for it!
Kyle

Holy crap, that KCFreeThinkers website is atrocious. Hideous.

Maybe I should just volunteer to clean it up, even if my skillz aren’t something to put on a pedestal. Anything’s better than that.
Nadine

Yeah, the site is pretty bad, but the billboard did happen! 🙂