As the wheels on the DART bus go round and round, so has the debate about controversial ads promoting atheism posted along their sides.
"You know the bible says money is the root of all evil," said Mike Schuling while he publicly protested the ads August 3rd, "For them to put it on a bus, they've had a lot of complaints and continue to do it."
Schuling took it upon himself to protest DART's decision to run the ads by walking up and down Walnut Ave. in downtown Des Moines.
"We keep getting plastered with this stuff, now its plastered on the side of buses. I believe in my heart DART can refuse," Schuling said.
"Looking back on it the atheist ads (they) did a great job," says DART general manager Bard Miller, "They certainly got a lot of publicity and we would hope that would generate more advertising from others as well."
Aside from a DART driver refusing to get behind the wheel of a bus with the ad, the issue pointed out DART's failure to follow it's own policy. After the initial contract was signed between the atheist group and DART, the ad's went up before dart approved the content.
"Fiscally right now, DART needs the advertising dollars," DART's attorney Davis Brick said while addressing the DART commission on Thursday, "We also want to be consistent with the law."
During the special meeting the commission adopted a new, open policy in regards to bus advertisements.
"Some new things that are specifically outlined as eligible are political, religious and issue oriented advertising," Miller said.
DART's advertising manager will now review and approve an ad's design before a contract is signed.
"Certainly anyone can propose to advertise and as long as it meets our more open standards," Miller said.
"I'm very upset, I mean what's next? Pornography: Try it, you'll like it, know what I'm saying?" Schuling said.
"We will not allow ads that promote or display images associated with adult entertainment," Brick said.
"There's one specific thing that DART will not advertise, anything that is related to adult oriented business or certainly anything that violates Iowa code and is profanity, or obscenity." Miller said.
Alcohol, tobacco and ads promoting firearms will also be off limits. For some, it may not be enough; for DART, its a step in the right direction.
"We all agree as Iowans about free speech and in this case advertising and that's a right you can't deny," Miller said.
"You know the bible says money is the root of all evil," said Mike Schuling while he publicly protested the ads August 3rd, "For them to put it on a bus, they've had a lot of complaints and continue to do it."
Schuling took it upon himself to protest DART's decision to run the ads by walking up and down Walnut Ave. in downtown Des Moines.
"We keep getting plastered with this stuff, now its plastered on the side of buses. I believe in my heart DART can refuse," Schuling said.
"Looking back on it the atheist ads (they) did a great job," says DART general manager Bard Miller, "They certainly got a lot of publicity and we would hope that would generate more advertising from others as well."
Aside from a DART driver refusing to get behind the wheel of a bus with the ad, the issue pointed out DART's failure to follow it's own policy. After the initial contract was signed between the atheist group and DART, the ad's went up before dart approved the content.
"Fiscally right now, DART needs the advertising dollars," DART's attorney Davis Brick said while addressing the DART commission on Thursday, "We also want to be consistent with the law."
During the special meeting the commission adopted a new, open policy in regards to bus advertisements.
"Some new things that are specifically outlined as eligible are political, religious and issue oriented advertising," Miller said.
DART's advertising manager will now review and approve an ad's design before a contract is signed.
"Certainly anyone can propose to advertise and as long as it meets our more open standards," Miller said.
"I'm very upset, I mean what's next? Pornography: Try it, you'll like it, know what I'm saying?" Schuling said.
"We will not allow ads that promote or display images associated with adult entertainment," Brick said.
"There's one specific thing that DART will not advertise, anything that is related to adult oriented business or certainly anything that violates Iowa code and is profanity, or obscenity." Miller said.
Alcohol, tobacco and ads promoting firearms will also be off limits. For some, it may not be enough; for DART, its a step in the right direction.
"We all agree as Iowans about free speech and in this case advertising and that's a right you can't deny," Miller said.
