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Some Call Ads On RTD Buses Offensive


DENVER (CBS4)- Some people find a certain advertisement posted on RTD buses offensive and inappropriate.

RTD does not condone the message but confirmed the ads would not be removed and continue to be displayed on buses throughout the Denver metro area.

Other cities that challenged the so-called anti-Islam advertising were sued by the company wanting to buy the ad space on buses and that company won. The ruling was based on Freedom of Speech.

RTD said they want to uphold the company's First Amendment rights.

"We have ads running on 10 of our buses out of about 1,000 that we normally have in service. They were purchased by a group that wants to send a message," said RTD spokesman Scott Reed.

The ad claims that there have been 19,757 deadly Islamic attacks on the U.S. since Sept. 11, 2001. The ad was paid for by an organization called American Freedom Defense Initiative.

"We need to be informed. We need to be educated in order to address this great national security threat," said American Freedom Defense Initiative spokeswoman Pamela Geller.

Some feel the ads are offensive.

"They seem to stereotype an entire religion based on the acts of extremists," said Anti-Defamation League spokeswoman Joyce Rubin.

The Anti-Defamation League believes there is only one real message the ads send and that is bigotry.

"The point of these ads was to at least start a dialogue. Not to accuse. Not to call names. Not to say racist things," said Geller. "Not for any of those reasons but to be able to discuss this growing national security problem."

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