ACLU contests Ore. transit agency's rejection of ad

By Marissa Wells

The Associated Press reports that the American Civil Liberties Union is suing Trimet, the Portland city transit agency, over a rejected advertisement. The ad showed three salmon unable to pass an underwater wall of electrical outlets, accompanied by the text, "Salmon shouldn't run up your electric bill. They should run up the Klamath River." The ACLU, on behalf of conservation groups and the Karuk Tribe of northern California, claims that the ad's rejection violates free speech rights. A Trimet spokesperson responded by stating that they only accept advertisements "focused on selling goods and services." The ACLU, however, stated that they believe the ad was rejected because Trimet doesn't want its buses to be used to debate public issues. A spokesperson for a local conservation group found the argument ridiculous, citing the generally positive attitude towards environmental conservation in the Portland area.

Photograph by Barry Sweet (c) 1998 Associated Press