Opinions on billboard clash
While the Freedom From Religion Foundation claims it has received few complaints about their "Imagine No Religion" sign, the city claims it took 90 calls of complaint on Wednesday and Thursday, which is why the sign company took it down and replaced it with this generic ad. I doubt the city is exaggerating. Many of those complaints have passed my desk.An anonymous caller told me he was thrilled that the city asked the sign company to take down the billboard.
"I've lived here since 1965 and this has been a beautiful, conservative town. Now we're known as an atheist city, I'm sure. But it's so good to see the city has the right mind. We will not put up with that kind of stuff in this city."
Roberta, a Christian from Upland, wrote, "We all know that there are agnostics and atheists, but when they feel that they have to rent a billboard to get their message out, it's quite sad. Everyone has a right to express their opinion in this country. Unfortunately, that isn't always a good thing."
Some people were disappointed that the city had contacted the sign company.
Richard, from Rancho Cucamonga wrote, "I am concerned that the city was so willing to take a stand for the 90 complainants and disregard the inherent separation of church and state. It appears to me the city has taken a position due to pressure from religious citizens."
I am ashame to live in Rancho Cucamonga. It is filled with a city hall full of religious followers not following the laws of their land. Instead they force their way upon others. I now ask all of my churches to remove all their signs, vacate Rancho Cucamonga and seek people who are tolerant of others. No longer should my followers force them self upon others. Even my son Jesus weeps.
All I can say is that I'm so very happy that crime, unemployment, poverty and disease have been so thoroughly stricken from Rancho Cucamonga that it has afforded our city the time to spend on such matters as a sign.
I'm also glad that the religious community is so secure in its views that it isn't afraid of someone publicly promoting a perfectly legitimate alternative in an innocuous manner.
...
Seriously, though, while I won't go so far as to call this outright censorship I also think it's highly inappropriate for the city to interfere in what is (I'm sure they will admit) perfectly lawful speech.
And, yes, they DID interfere: When a governing body makes such a request, there is always the implied threat of repercussions to the recipient (ie. changes to zoning laws).
I, for one, was far more offended by the multitude of Yes on Prop 8 signs littering our fair city. Did I call City Hall to get them to ask people to take them down? No. I simply waited until the hateful law was passed and its proponents took them down on their own.
- Jeff
This isn't about atheist or agnostics, it is about religion and censorship. There is a difference between religion and God. Religion is just a group of people thinking that their god is the correct one. A true follower of a god would not be offended by the title "Imagine No Religion". It did not say which religion we had to do without. I bet if they had put "Imagine No Islamic Religion" or "Imagine No Jewish Religion" that would have been ok to the ones offended. (sorry if I left out anyone's religion from the list) They just think their religion is the one that we need to do without. Must be something wrong with their religion. Now for the city to get involved with that one religion says that the city is supporting a favorite religion. Sound familiar pilgrims.
I'm glad that my city does not allow billboards. Billboards are a blight on the landscape, regardless of the message.
Someone should fire Linda Daniels. She had not right to contact the sign company about a perfectly legal sign. There are some that don't believe in the Constitution and want censorship and don't believe in the separation of church and state as Thomas Jefferson supported but they really aren't Americans. They are those that would follow Hitler and others. Shame on anyone who does not believe in our Constitution. We need to get rid of Daniels and others of her ilk that don't understand due process.
Anonymous said, "We will not put up
with that kind of stuff in this city."
"that kind of stuff" = Bill of Rights
Someone else said it was "sad"
atheists had to do this to get their point across. (Aren't there a lot more religious billboards? Are they sad?
-----------------------------------
Thesaurus of Indian Languages
(Third edition 1996)
cucamonga - - many cuckoos