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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Humanist
Billboard Vandalized in Moscow, Idaho…Again<BR><BR>(Washington, D.C, November 4,
2009) An individual or individuals have<BR>defaced a billboard in Moscow, Idaho…
again. The billboard originally<BR>read "Millions are good without God" but was
partially obscured with<BR>blue paint to now read “Millions are good with God”.
It's the second<BR>time the American Humanist Association (AHA)-sponsored
billboard has<BR>been vandalized in two weeks. In the first instance the word
"without"<BR>was completely blacked out, after which the AHA quickly replaced
the<BR>billboard. The advertisement, which was originally
placed<BR>mid-September, is part of an American Humanist Association
advertising<BR>campaign to spread awareness about being good without God. It's
the<BR>third billboard advertisement the organization has displayed in
the<BR>Moscow area and similar ads have been put up around the country.<BR><BR>A
picture of the vandalized billboard can be found here:<BR></FONT><A
href="http://www.americanhumanist.org/system/storage/29/1225/Picture_002.jpg"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"
size=3>http://www.americanhumanist.org/system/storage/29/1225/Picture_002.jpg</FONT></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>.<BR>The billboard can be found on Highway 95,
just south of Moscow near<BR>the Sweet Avenue cross street, facing northbound
traffic.<BR><BR>"The irony here is worth noting," said David Niose, president of
the<BR>American Humanist Association. "Some individuals are
committing<BR>criminal acts while apparently claiming that their religious view
of<BR>the world leads to good behavior. It's not a very convincing
argument<BR>on their part."<BR><BR>"This is not just vandalism, it is
religiously motivated vandalism<BR>which attempts to silence a minority
viewpoint," added Niose.<BR>"Everyone, not just humanists, should be concerned
about such acts."<BR><BR>The Moscow Police Department notified the AHA this
morning. They<BR>believe the ad defaced between 1 and 3 am. The AHA has alerted
the<BR>billboard company who leased the space, Lamar Outdoor, who said
they<BR>will start leaving the lights on round the clock. The AHA will
be<BR>replacing the billboard but hasn't yet decided whether to go with
the<BR>same design.<BR><BR>"I’m disturbed that this happened again," said Roy
Speckhardt,<BR>executive director of the American Humanist Association.
"Two<BR>consecutive crimes in a town where the last incidence of
billboard<BR>vandalism was years ago makes it obvious that humanists and
our<BR>message are being targeted.”<BR><BR>The American Humanist Association
(</FONT><A href="http://www.americanhumanist.org/"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>www.americanhumanist.org</FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>)
advocates<BR>for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941
and<BR>headquartered in Washington, D.C., its work is extended through
more<BR>than 100 local chapters and affiliates across the United
States.<BR><BR>Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in
God.<BR><BR>###<BR><BR>Contact:<BR>Karen Frantz<BR>202-238-9088<BR>cell:
703-725-4112<BR></FONT><A href="mailto:kfrantz@americanhumanist.org"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"
size=3>kfrantz@americanhumanist.org</FONT></A><BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>