CBS Outdoor will not take down Radiance billboards, says they are ‘not offensive’

According to a recent report by NewsOne, an African-American news organization, a set of anti-abortion Oakland billboard will remain up, despite stirring controversy. #

NewsOne reports that Jeff McCuen, CBS Outdoor billboard manager, “claims the billboards are not offensive,” and will therefore not be removed. #

The billboards — put up by the Radiance Foundation and Issues4Life — depict an African-American child, alongside the phrase “Black & Beautiful” and the web address TooManyAborted.com, a Radiance-owned site that alludes to racism on the part of Planned Parenthood. African-American and Latina populations are disproportionately served by Planned Parenthood clinics, but the organization’s representatives argue that it is because of poor access to health care. #

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., in whose districts the billboards were placed, criticized the billboards with the following statement: “I am deeply offended by the race-based billboards that are being displayed in my congressional district. These billboards stigmatize women of color and perpetuate myths about parenting skills and the types of women who seek and use abortion services.” #

During a Radiance press conference, an anti-abortion activist said that Lee had “betrayed the black race” by shunning the billboards. #

A similar billboard, from the controversial group Life Always, was displayed in New York’s SoHo neighborhood, and taken down after only one day. #