La Crosse Tribune: Ultrasound images too controversial and offensive for advertising

Pro-Life Wisconsin is running the above billboard for the month of December at two locations in La Crosse — at the intersection of George St. and Clinton St. (close to the Caledonia St. Planned Parenthood) and at the intersection of 4th St. and Cameron Ave. To reinforce the joyful message these pro-life Christmas billboards bring, an individual contacted the La Crosse Tribune about placing a similar advertisement in the newspaper.

The La Crosse Tribune’s response?
“If you would like to promote Christ in Christmas we would need an image that would be more appropriate and less “controversial” than the ultrasound w/ a doctored halo.”

When asked for clarification:
“Basically we don’t have a “set” guideline for this, just that the image won’t be seen as controversial or offensive (fetus, ultrasound, abortion, etc). A picture of Jesus, a nativity scene or the like would be OK.”

But since the La Crosse Tribune still wants advertising money, they will settle for an ad with text about a fetus:
“[S]ome religious businesses use no pictures and just copy [text], for instance. This sends a strong message w/ a clear page of white space.”
The La Crosse Tribune’s reaction to a simple ultrasound picture is remarkably similar to Planned Parenthood’s infamous line caught on tape by Live Action – “A fetus is what’s in the uterus right now. That is not a baby… It’s not a baby at this stage or anything like that.”

The billboards are part of an Advent campaign by ChurchAds, an ecumenical nonprofit in England, dedicated to the idea of keeping Christ in Christmas. Click here to read an article about the impact the campaign is having in England.
We encourage people to download the image and distribute it at  your school, parish and anywhere else that would benefit from seeing the joyful preborn Baby Jesus.

Help us keep this pro-life Christmas campaign going! Click here to donate to Pro-Life Wisconsin’s Education Task Force, which sponsored this program and many others.

 Pro Life Wisconsin

I don't think this surprises any of us from La Crosse.  We are long overdue for an alternative newspaper in the area.  One not run by Davenport, IA based Lee Enterprises.