Holy War Back on Buses
In related news, no one actually reads bus ads.
sioaonline.com
The Miami-Dade bus ad in question.
Last week, in an effort to avoid a local holy war, Miami-Dade Transit pulled ads from the sides of buses that urged followers to leave the "falsity of Islam."
"Fatwa on your head? Is your family or community threatening you? Leaving Islam?" the ads asked. "Got questions? Get answers!"
Starting May 3, the ads will be back.
In fact, there will be an additional twenty ads on 10 routes.
"It was a violation of free speech that they were removed," said Pamela Geller, director of the New York-based group Stop the Islamation of America, who paid for the ads and fought to get them reinstalled, according to the Miami Herald. "Whether you like it or not, all ideas should be presented. It is dangerous not for all but some to leave Islam in America.
"This is a victory for free speech and religious liberty."
The news will likely prompt a response from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, who were instrumental in getting the ads removed by claiming they made false statements and promoted bigotry.
"Islam guarantees freedom to and freedom from religion...." said CAIR director Muhammed Malik. "[We] reject as un-Islamic any extremist interpretation that sanctions the killing of any individual because she decided to leave Islam."
We reject the idea that anyone actually reads bus ads, but Miami-Dade Transit was caught in the middle anyway -- though they now stand firm on County Attorney General-approved footing.
"Although they may be considered offensive by some, [these ads] do not fall under the general guidelines that would warrant their removal," said spokesman Clinton Forbes.
Posted Sunday, Apr 25, 2010 - 10:21 AM EST
