More MPs Object to “Atheist Bus Ads”

There’s a second, and even worse EDM about the atheist bus ads (h/t: MediaWatchWatch):

OFFENSIVE ADVERTISEMENTS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

That this House notes that posters with the slogan `There's Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life', appear on 800 buses in England, Scotland and Wales, as well as on the London Underground; notes that this causes concern to Christian and Muslim people, many of whom feel embarrassed and uncomfortable travelling on public transport displaying such advertisements and would not wish to endorse the advertisements by using that public transport; regrets that the British Humanist Association backs the campaign; and calls on Ministers responsible for public transport and advertising media to investigate this matter and to seek to remove these religiously offensive and morally unhelpful advertisements.

This EDM is worse than the previous one for two reasons. 

First, it elevates “causing concern” among  the devout to a greater importance than protecting the freedom of expression of a significant number of citizens of the UK.  The fact that people may be “embarrassed and uncomfortable” is neither here nor there.  There are an unlimited number of things which may cause “embarrassment or discomfort”, is Bob Spink, the author of this shameful motion planning to have all of those things censored too?

The second element is even worse.  Spink and the other craven fools who have signed this terrible document thinks that censorship and the exercise of state authority are the answer to words and ideas he doesn’t like.  Note, they say, “calls on Ministers responsible for public transport and advertising media to investigate this matter and to seek to remove these religiously offensive and morally unhelpful advertisements.”  Does Spink not understand what it is to live in a liberal democracy?  Does he rather we live in a Taliban-like theocracy where the Church/Mosque has the power not just to censor words they don’t like, but to exercise judicial power under blasphemy laws to punish those who dare think differently from him?  Spink and the others who support him do not deserve to be MPs.

The Hall of Shame for this EDM is seven:

Democratic Unionist Party

• Campbell, Gregory
• Simpson, David

Independent

• Spink, Bob

Labour Party

• Cryer, Ann
• Dobbin, Jim
• Drew, David
• Singh, Marsha