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<DIV><FONT size=2><FONT size=3>Atheist Billboard Vandalized in Moscow,
Idaho<BR><BR>(Washington, DC, October 21, 2009) Vandals have blacked
out—apparently with spray paint—part of a billboard in Moscow, Idaho that reads
“Millions are good without God” so that the word “without” is unreadable. The
billboard, which was placed by the American Humanist Association in
mid-September, is part of an AHA advertising campaign to spread awareness about
being good without God. It's the third billboard the organization has displayed
in the Moscow area and similar advertisements have been put up around the
country.<BR><BR>“We’re disappointed that someone felt the need to sabotage our
message,” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist
Association. “We don’t see the billboard as being controversial or an attack on
religion; we see it as just stating a point of fact. It’s saddening that some
people react with such antagonism to the mere statement you can be good without
a belief in God.”<BR><BR>“I knew there would be some disagreement with the
billboard’s slogan, but I do wish that those who objected would have opened a
dialogue with us rather than trying to stifle our message and damaging
property,” continued Speckhardt. “A phone call would have been much
nicer.”<BR><BR>An image of the vandalized billboard can be found here: </FONT><A
href="http://www.americanhumanist.org/system/storage/29/1215/1_088.jpg"
target=_blank><FONT
size=3>http://www.americanhumanist.org/system/storage/29/1215/1_088.jpg</FONT></A><FONT
size=3> .<BR><BR>The American Humanist Association has filed a police report
with the Moscow Police Department. In addition, it has alerted the billboard
company they contracted with, Lamar Outdoor, who said they will assess whether
or not the billboard can be cleaned. If not, the American Humanist Association
will pay to have the billboard replaced.<BR><BR>"If we replace the billboard our
next slogan might read 'Being good without God clearly not for everybody',"
Speckhardt joked.<BR><BR>The billboard can be found on Highway 95, just south of
Moscow near the Sweet Avenue cross street, facing northbound traffic. Lamar
Outdoor said that occasionally billboards are vandalized, but it hasn’t happened
in several years. This is the first American Humanist Association advertisement
that has been defaced to the organization's knowledge.<BR><BR>"We have had a few
complaints about our advertisements, but most have been respectful of our right
to speak our minds," said Speckhardt.<BR><BR>The American Humanist Association
(</FONT><A href="http://www.americanhumanist.org/" target=_blank><FONT
size=3>www.americanhumanist.org</FONT></A><FONT size=3>) advocates for the
rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in
Washington, D.C., its work is extended through more than 100 local chapters and
affiliates across the United States.<BR><BR>Humanism is a progressive philosophy
of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives
of value to self and humanity.<BR><BR>###<BR><BR>For more information
contact:<BR><BR>Karen Frantz<BR>Communications and Policy Manager<BR>American
Humanist Association<BR></FONT><A href="mailto:kfrantz@americanhumanist.org"
target=_blank><FONT size=3>kfrantz@americanhumanist.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT
size=3>cell: 703-725-4112<BR>work: 202-238-9088
</FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>