"Women's Health Link hasn't shown that Citilink's advertising policy was anything other than reasonable and viewpoint neutral."For background, read how governments and schools discriminate against pro-lifers, but also read how courts have ruled against such discrimination.
-- Judge Robert L. Miller Jr.
And for ads on buses in Des Moines, Iowa: It's OK to Denigrate God, but NOT OK to Advocate God
And read Jesus Advertisement Censored by Texas School, Says Lawsuit
-- From "Women's Health Link appeals Citilink ad decision" By Sheryl Krieg, The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, IN) 2/5/16
Women's Health Link filed the lawsuit in September 2014, alleging Citilink violated its constitutional rights, specifically the First and 14th amendments, by refusing to display an advertisement/public service announcement for its free referral service for women seeking "life-affirming health care related services."
[Judge] Miller also said, "Citilink has a detailed advertising policy limiting advertising in its buses to commercial advertisements and public service announcements that comply with the restrictions set out in section 1 of that policy and don't 'express or advocate opinions or positions upon political, religious, or moral issues,' and so far as this record shows, Citilink has consistently enforced that policy."
Kevin Theriot, Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel, said, "City officials can't run ads from non-profit groups, such as the United Way, and then single out Women's Health Link's nearly identical ad for censorship. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech for all people, regardless of their political or religious views. Because government has a responsibility to ensure equal access to community advertising, we have filed this appeal and hope the 7th Circuit [Court of Appeals in Chicago] will reverse District Court's decision."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Pregnancy Center Fights Back After City Censors Ad for Helping Women Find Abortion Alternatives" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 2/5/16
The case began in 2013 when Women’s Health Link asked to place advertising cards in the interior of the city public transportation company Citilink’s buses, LifeNews previously reported. Citilink denied the request twice, saying that Women’s Health Link is associated with Allen County Right to Life, a pro-life organization, and that the Women’s Health Link website discusses “controversial issues.”
Citilink reportedly has permitted many non-profit and government organizations to place public service announcements with various messages in the interior of their buses, including the state of Indiana, Parkview Health and the United Way.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Women's health group appeals decision in Citilink case" Rebecca S. Green, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette 2/4/16
According to court documents, the 11-by-17-inch ad would cost $524 for three months and says "You are not alone" and "Free resources for women seeking health care" on either side of the smiling face of a young woman, with the organization's website and telephone number on a banner below.
Citilink officials rejected the proposed ad on two occasions, saying their attorneys believed that the organization's website dealt with "controversial issues," according to court documents.
The woman who submitted the advertisement on behalf of Women's Health Link [Beck Rogness] was on the organization's board of directors and also was communications manager for Allen County Right to Life, according to court documents.
Women's Health Link and Allen County Right to Life share email addresses and a physical address.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "1 simple statement gets health ad banned" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 2/7/16
The Women’s Health Link site promotes itself as a referral resource “for women seeking physical, emotional, spiritual or mental health care.”
. . . [Citilink’s assistant manager, Betsy] Kachmar notified Rogness that the ad failed to meet the “commercial requirement” of the agency.
So the request was resubmitted under the agency’s provision for “public service announcements by government entities, academic institutions, or nonprofit organizations.”
[However, under that provision, the] agency contended the women’s health care ad was not neutral.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Click headlines below to read previous articles:
Office Depot Refuses Pro-life Customer in Illinois
Oregon Woman Fired for Being Pro-life Leader
Maine Sues Pastor: Preaching Too Loud on Abortion
California Law Forces Abortion Business on Pro-lifers
