The Freedom From Religion Foundation has been denied space to place light-hearted billboards promoting freethought in Pitman, N.J., by Clear Channel Outdoor, as well as being censored by Pitman officials.
Although FFRF had a contract with the company signed on Jan. 10 — eleven months ago — for three particular billboards, the company announced in late November that FFRF’s proposed signs could not appear within a half mile of a church. Since all three billboards (conveniently) are within a half mile of a church, Clear Channel severed the contract.
FFRF’s spots would have included billboards saying “Heathen’s Greetings” as well as “Keep Saturn in Saturnalia.” The latter slogan refers to the pagan predecessor of Christmas, celebrating the Winter Solstice (Dec. 21 this year). The shortest, darkest day of year, heralding the rebirth of the sun, has been observed for millennia in the Northern Hemisphere.
FFRF first wrote a letter of complaint to Pitman in 2011, when a local resident alerted FFRF to a Knights of Columbus “Keep Christ in Christmas” banner placed every December over a main street in Pitman by the Pitman Fire Department. FFRF discovered the Knights of Columbus did not obtain a permit for their banner.
When FFRF sought to put up its own seasonal rejoinder, “Keep Saturn in Saturnalia,” in 2012, the borough required a permit, then denied FFRF’s application. Last December, FFRF put up billboards to counter the city’s continued favoritism of the Christian banner. Two men tried to burn down the Saturnalia billboard, but it wasn’t damaged. After this incident, Clear Channel agreed to lease more billboards to FFRF for placement this December.
“The most disappointing thing is that this reinforces criminal behavior. The arsonists were trying to censor FFRF’s message and Clear Channel has now rewarded that felonious behavior,” said Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel, who is dealing with Pitman for the fourth year. Seidel also pointed out that Clear Channel’s after-the-fact policy, not permitting FFRF to place ads within half-mile of a church, is arbitrary and unreasonable, and implies churchgoers are likely to vandalize billboards.
According to nj.com, Pitman Mayor Russ Johnson said the “Keep Christ in Christmas” banner represented the “spirit of Pitman,” and that he hoped it would do so “for another 40 years.”
“This blackout of freethought views in Pitman shows the danger of a government body illegally promoting religion. Government favoritism of religion and censorship of dissenting views has created a climate of intolerance. FFRF and area nonbelievers not only are being denied free speech by the town government, but now paid speech by a billboard company. Pitman is not a Christian theocracy, but it’s acting like one,” said FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor.
FFRF is a national state/church watchdog based in Madison, Wis., with more than 21,500 members across the country.
