Many of you are probably getting tired of hearing about all the different atheist bus campaigns, but since I’m helping with this one, you get to hear one more. Indiana is trying to get its own bus campaign started, mainly focusing on big cities and college campuses. If you’ve never been to Indiana, most of the stereotypes you’ve heard about it are probably true. Outside of Indianapolis and the Chicago suburbs (yes, we have those) it’s a extremely conservative and religious state. To name just a few annoying examples, we have blue laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sunday and this is one of our default license plates:
Various groups including the ACLU have been trying to fight the license plate to no avail, so what better way to counter it than to put our own ads on motor vehicles? Not to mention there are already religious ads running on the buses that service Purdue and the surrounding area. Campus Crusade for Christ has had an ad for years, and just recently the Creation Museum has one too. Don’t ask me what the heck they’re doing advertising up here.
The fun part? The cost to get a full bus painted for a year ($1250) is the same as getting a dinky side ad for 8 months. I have no idea why, but wouldn’t it be awesome to have something like this driving around your town?
So, if you want to help inject a bit of secularism into Indiana, please spread the word, or even better, donate to the cause. Big hat tip to the Secular Alliance of IU, who are the masterminds behind this project. I’m but a mere Purdue liaison.
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FUG says
I’ve always wondered about the point behind the atheist adds. Not that I’m really opposed: I’m an atheist. I just don’t get the point.
FUG says
I’ve always wondered about the point behind the atheist adds. Not that I’m really opposed: I’m an atheist. I just don’t get the point.
Jen says
Honestly I think it’s a simple way to say “Hey, we exist!” to both nonbelievers and theists. It’s comforting knowing you’re not the only heathen in the area, especially in Indiana. And I think it’s healthy to give religious people a wake up call that atheists are a large minority, and we’re just normal people too.
Jen says
Honestly I think it’s a simple way to say “Hey, we exist!” to both nonbelievers and theists. It’s comforting knowing you’re not the only heathen in the area, especially in Indiana. And I think it’s healthy to give religious people a wake up call that atheists are a large minority, and we’re just normal people too.
BorgHunter says
“Outside of Indianapolis and the Chicago suburbs (yes, we have those) it’s a extremely conservative and religious state.”Yeah, and the northwest Indiana suburbs, despite being less “Hoosier” than the rest of the state, aren’t exactly jewels of the Midwest either. I’m a Chicagoan who’s driven through Gary numerous times, and I cringe every time I do. It’s truly a dump.
BorgHunter says
“Outside of Indianapolis and the Chicago suburbs (yes, we have those) it’s a extremely conservative and religious state.”Yeah, and the northwest Indiana suburbs, despite being less “Hoosier” than the rest of the state, aren’t exactly jewels of the Midwest either. I’m a Chicagoan who’s driven through Gary numerous times, and I cringe every time I do. It’s truly a dump.
Jen says
Careful now, my hometown is in northwest Indiana =PThough I agree, most of it is still craptacular.
Jen says
Careful now, my hometown is in northwest Indiana =PThough I agree, most of it is still craptacular.
Jared says
I’ve wanted to try and startup an ad campaign here in Utah. I think it would be funny to see the reactions of people here when they see it.
Jared says
I’ve wanted to try and startup an ad campaign here in Utah. I think it would be funny to see the reactions of people here when they see it.
George says
When I first saw that picture I immediately though: “HEY! I’ve never seen that bus on campus”. Then I slowly realized that if such a bus existed I would hear more about it in the paper(or from students), and it would probably take me a while to get a look at it.ANYWAY. I would love to see this rolling around campus, and listening to half the campus complain about it.
George says
When I first saw that picture I immediately though: “HEY! I’ve never seen that bus on campus”. Then I slowly realized that if such a bus existed I would hear more about it in the paper(or from students), and it would probably take me a while to get a look at it.ANYWAY. I would love to see this rolling around campus, and listening to half the campus complain about it.