Group sues CATA over atheist ad snub

An Arkansas group is suing the Central Arkansas Transit Authority and its advertising agency for rejecting its bus ads aimed at atheists and agnostics.

CATA and On the Move Advertising did not run the ads, which were to be placed on the sides of 18 buses to be used during Riverfest.

The United Coalition of Reason filed the federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Arkansas.

"Are you good without God? Millions are," the ads were to say.

A blue sky with clouds was to be the background behind the words.

The bus ads were to announce the new Central Arkansas Coalition of Reason, a collection of 10 area atheist and agnostic groups.

United Coalition of Reason claims in its suit that CATA and On the Move violated the group's free speech rights and says that the First Amendment prohibits CATA, a government entity, from rejecting its ads based on content that might be deemed objectionable.

The group also argues that CATA should not impose burdensome requirements, such as a damage deposit, on speech it labels "controversial."

CATA directed all queries to its lawyer.

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