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Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers, Inc. (IAF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization operating in the state of Iowa, United States. It is a social and educational group working to provide a community of support and friendship for atheists, freethinkers, secular humanists, agnostics, and other non-religious people.〔Official website of the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers. (About Us )〕 The current president is Russ Fulton, succeeding John Fruetel, who continues as a Board Member At-Large.〔(2015 IAF Annual Election results )〕 IAF is a member of Atheist Alliance International, an affiliate of the American Humanist Association and American Atheists, and a partner of the United Coalition of Reason.〔Official website of the United Coalition of Reason. (Atheists Target Des Moines with Godless Bus Ads ), press release. August 3, 2009.〕 ==Bus ad campaign controversy== In August 2009, IAF sponsored a bus ad campaign, placing advertisements on twenty Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART) buses.〔 The message of the ads stated "Don't believe in God? You are not alone."〔〔Cynthia Reynaud and Jason Clayworth. "(ACLU questions removal of atheists' bus ads )". ''The Des Moines Register'', August 7, 2009.〕 However, four days after being installed on the buses, the ads were removed by DART,〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (Resurrection for Atheist Ads ), August 10, 2009.〕 who cited numerous complaints from people offended by the ads and insisted that the ads had not been approved by the advertising commission before being installed.〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (Atheist Ads On Buses Pulled After Complaints ), August 6, 2009.〕 DART also assured IAF that a refund would be issued for the ads.〔 On August 6, 2009, Iowa Governor Chet Culver commented on the ad, stating that he "was disturbed personally by the advertisement and () understand why other Iowans were also disturbed by the message".〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (Atheist Ads May Come Back ), August 7, 2009.〕 The governor's statement heated the controversy, with the governor himself being accused of taking sides, divisiveness, and offensiveness towards the non-theist community.〔Rekha Basu. "(Culver sends message of unacceptance )". ''The Des Moines Register'', August 12, 2009.〕 In response, IAF wrote a letter to the governor, expressing regret with his remark and inviting him to one of the organization's meetings.〔〔Cynthia Reynaud. "(DART: Atheist group's ads will go back on buses )". ''The Des Moines Register'', August 8, 2009.〕 On the same day, the American Civil Liberties Union questioned the legality of the ad's removal,〔 and requested a review of DART's advertisements policies.〔 Also on August 6, 2009, DART reported that after the incident received media coverage, they received more calls in support of the ad than against it, and proposed that IAF re-design its ad and submit it for DART's consideration.〔 On the afternoon of August 7, 2009, the DART officials had a meeting with the representatives of the IAF during which IAF refused to consider running an alternate bus ad, stating that the removal of the ads is a freedom of speech issue, while DART agreed to update its advertising policies to "keep pace with () progress".〔 Later during the day DART announced that the ads would be restored on the buses in an unaltered form.〔Cynthia Reynaud. "(Atheist ads will go back on buses, DART decides )". ''The Des Moines Register'', August 8, 2009.〕 As a result of the controversy, IAF membership doubled from what it was before the beginning of the campaign, while DART reported increased interest in bus advertising from other groups, including a religious one.〔Cynthia Reynaud. "(DART, atheist group benefit from ad debate )". ''The Des Moines Register'', August 14, 2009.〕 The controversy, however, re-ignited several days later when a DART driver was suspended for refusing to drive a bus with the IAF's sign, stating that the sign goes against her faith.〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (Suspension For DART Driver Over Atheist Ad ), August 19, 2009.〕 On August 20, the ad was protested in downtown Des Moines by a local resident, who compared it to "pornography".〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (Deadline For DART Driver Suspended Over Atheist Ads ), August 21, 2009.〕 In the beginning of September, DART adopted a new, "more open", advertising policy, which required formal approval of any ad's design prior to the signing of the contract.〔WHO-HD Des Moines. (DART Commission Approves "More Open" Advertising Standards ), September 3, 2009.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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