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In our last issue, Crosswinds
Board member, Tommy DeRamus wrote an article about the "Imagine
There's No Religion" billboard that was placed
in Alabama by an atheist group. In covering
this story, Tommy learned the location that
was the group's first choice for placement of
the sign was denied them by the advertiser who
owned the space.
Naturally, he was immediately threatened
with litigation. Though this threat apparently
was not made publicly, when representatives
for the atheist group were interviewed by local
media they did make such claims their rights had
been violated and they were discriminated
against.
We wondered if there was any legal standing
for such a claim so we asked Eric Johnston of
the Southeast Law Institute for his opinion. In
response Eric submitted the following article,
regarding "Morality in Advertising.
We also sat down with Eric for an extensive
video interview and discussed a variety of other
issues related to rights in advertising and how
we should respond to public advertisements that
we think do not meet community standards or
which are offensive to family values. That video
will be on our website for viewing within the
next two weeks.
If you are not familiar with Southeast Law
Institute, I encourage you to learn more about
them. This organization does a great work in
looking out for the legal interests of
Christians in a number of different arenas. They
also do a tremendous job defending and
protecting the community values that many of us
hold dear.
Please let me know if we can be of help to
you with any questions or information
needs. 
Bob
Waldrep | |
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"Morality in Advertising"
by Eric
Johnston
Advertising is a way of life
for all of us. It is how we find or
identify something in which we have an
interest. It is how merchants hawk their
wares and how we let others know what we are
thinking. It is knowledge in the
information highway. It is speech.
The internet has revolutionized
advertising. Even so, newspapers,
magazines and billboards are advertising
sites. Advertising on the internet is
different from traditional methods. Likely
as not, the advertiser will create his own
website, and may join with search engines or
other services, to draw your attention to
it. Like traditional providers, internet
advertising services are usually provided by
private companies.
What happens when we want to
advertise, but our request is rejected?
Or, what happens when we object to disagreeable
ads? First, it depends on whether the
provider is public or nonpublic.
 Take city buses as an
example. These are owned and operated by
governmental entities, usually cities.
They are prohibited from free speech
discrimination. When the American Humanist
Association placed ads on the Washington, D.C.
Metro buses in September 2008 saying "Why
believe in God? Just be good for goodness
sake," hundreds of complaints were filed.
D.C. Metro had no choice but to accept the
advertising. The response was a later bus
ad by the Center for Family Development which
said "Why believe? Because I created you
and I love you, for goodness sake - GOD."
This is free speech in action.
But, what about a privately
owned newspaper who rejects an ad? The one
that comes to mind proposed to show graphic
pictures of aborted children. It was
shocking, but it would have gotten the message
across. The newspaper had the right to
reject the ad.
Similarly, when atheist groups
The Freedom from Religion Foundation and the
Alabama Freethought Association wanted to run an
ad, like on the D.C. Metro buses, but on a
billboard in Birmingham, Alabama, a private
company, Lamar Advertising, rejected the
ad. However, another private company later
put the ad on its billboard.
The principle is that a private
provider can accept or reject ads based on its
own personal judgment or values. This is
not censorship. On the other hand, a
government provider cannot reject ads, unless
the content is unlawful. Speaking of the
latter, a small Alabama town objected to
billboards by a private company advertising sex
toys. Because the ads are not unlawful,
the city could do nothing. While
billboards can be regulated for safety reasons,
i.e., proximity to highways, sight distances,
etcetera, it cannot discriminate on the basis of
content.
On the bright side, Christian
businesses cannot be required to advertise
pornography, atheism, homosexual matters or
other objectionable things. But, as with
so many things in the public square, community
values will ultimately dictate the content of
advertising, public or private. No one
stays where they are not wanted, it is not fun
or profitable. What are the values in your
community?
If you are like those who
opposed the atheist ads on D.C. Metro buses, be
vigilant for such ads. Join with others to
purchase ads expressing your values. You
may want to do this, whether you have seen an
objectionable ad. We do not need to always
be on the defensive.
Support values organizations
with whom you identify. Encourage them to
speak out publicly in the advertising media.
Remember, advertising is
putting knowledge on the information
highway. By doing so, you inform your
community of its values. Be a leader for,
as well as, a defender of our traditional moral
and religious
values.
1200
Corporate Drive, Suite 107
Birmingham,
Alabama
35242 |
Back issues of
CrossingCurrents are now archived on
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Archives
Please let us know if you have any
questions or of we might be of assistance to
you. If you would like an information packet on
a particiular subject or issue just send us an
email, identifying your request,
to: info@crosswindsfoundation.org |
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in our ministry, please make your check payable
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to:
Crosswinds Foundation
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Box 12143
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Eric Johnston
is the Founder and Director of the
Southeast Law Institute. Email Eric
at: