Saturday, December 03, 2011

‘Buy American’ Ad Rejected for Being Too Political‏

Patriotism unfashionable in Seattle?
An advertising campaign encouraging shoppers to “Buy American” has been banned in Seattle for being too political. King County, which includes Seattle, rejected local nonprofit organization TAP America’s attempt to run the ads on the sides of buses, citing county policy against ads expressing a view on “matters of public debate about political, religious or social issues,” the Seattle Times reported.

TAP America — which stands for “Tolerance, Americanism, Patriotism” — had sought to place the ads starting this week, concentrating on bus routes that run through downtown Seattle shopping districts, according to the Times.

Mark Bloome, the Seattle philanthropist who founded the organization this year, said he was similarly baffled by the county’s rejection. “We’re not political,” Bloome said. “We’re just trying to keep the light of liberty alive as the economy spins down, and the only answer I have seen is to buy American.”

He added that it was absurd that the county would accept ads for clothing made in China but denied a “Buy American” ad.

But a King County Metro spokeswoman defended the decision to reject the ads, calling the “Buy American” concept “an issue of both political and economic debate.”

Source

As a government agency, the 1st Amendment applies to King County but they have no obligation to facilitate speech

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

BUY AMERICAN GOODS.

Anonymous said...

Starbucks is based in Seattle. Buy your coffee somewhere else.

Brian from Virginia said...

Anon 4:26, don't place all the blame on Starbucks. I'm not saying they are guilty or guilt free, but that anyone who has spent anytime in Seattle (I did this past summer) can tell you that most folks there are left leaning.

Anonymous said...

Don't buy American. Screw over the Unions.

Anonymous said...

“an issue of both political and economic debate.”

That is political speech, which is protected by the First Amendment. Seattle is on the left side of the country, and now everyone knows why. I've spent a great deal of time there and it's "very" Left-wing.