Atheist Billboards Go Up in Iowa

It’s been a while since we’ve seen these, hasn’t it? Welcome back, billboards!

The newly-formed Central Iowa Coalition of Reason and Eastern Iowa Coalition of Reason have put up billboards announcing their presence:

The four billboards will be located in Des Moines (2), Davenport, and Moline (Illinois).

Reaching out to the like-minded isn’t the only goal of the effort. “We want people to know that nonreligious folks like us are a regular part of communities all over the state,” added Rory Moe, coordinator for the two coalitions. “Nontheistic Iowans are your friends and neighbors, your coworkers and family members. And we believe we should be as free as anyone to express our views in a public way.”

The billboards, which will be up for a month (through Thanksgiving), cost $10,000 and were funded by the United Coalition of Reason, a group that has now placed signs in 37 states in addition to the District of Columbia.

In 2009, a similar ad campaign (on buses) became the subject of a lot of controversy because 1) Governor Chet Culver said he was offended by the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers‘ innocuous ad…

… and 2) A bus driver refused to do her job if the ad appeared on her bus. She was disciplined for her actions.

So far, there’s been no backlash or vandalism to the UnitedCoR billboards. But give it time.