Fidler in the Subway: New York Council Member Calls For Censorship of Pro-Palestinian Ads in Subway

Councilman Lewis Fidler (D-Brooklyn) is calling for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to pull down ads critical of funding for Israel. Fidler is demanding that MTA President Thomas Prendergast put an end to billboards calling for an end to funding for Israel as “a highly political campaign with a controversial underlying anti-Israel message.” Apparently, amid all of the graffiti and ads and pamphlets in the MTA there is no room for messages critical of Israel. Fidler wrote I would urge you to disallow and/or remove these advertisements.”

The ads – with the tagline “End U.S. military aid to Israel” – are pure free speech on a subject of great interest to citizens. In response, the pro-Israel group Stand With Us is planning its own ads to counter the message. This is how it should be and the public is benefitted from the debate. I would prefer these billboards than additional ads for hair products and weight loss. Yet, Fidler (right) wants the government to engage in content-based censorship.

Fortunately, MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz insisted that the MTA would stick with the First Amendment rather than Fidler.

I find it incredible how quickly our politicians will dispense with core civil liberties with little thought of the implications of their actions for our society.

Source: NY Daily News