Frankly, I think all extraneous crap should be banned from license plates. No pictures, no statements, no stupid mottos, and no colorful gradients. Just your number and the state name.
That said, if you're going to allow clutter onto the plates why not go the other way? If you allow plates for Christians then you have to offer plates for other religions, atheists and agnostics included? Maybe we'll end up with such a parade of crap on license plates that we'll finally revert to simple, clean designs. #licenseplates
@Alfisted: Oh yes. I loved the good 'ol green on white plates we used to have in WA. California's orange on black looked absolutely sinister. #licenseplates
NC has had plates censored also. "First in Freedom" was offensive to some hand wringer, so NC coveted the Wright brothers success, based on their long history of work in Ohio. "First in Flight" replaced the horror of the celebration of human freedom from oppressive governments.
I find it funny how intolerant liberals cite the first amendment as a reason to deny free speech.
@Steve_in_NC: I think anti religion should be the new religion. I say we should recognize it so we can hold them to the same restrictions and prejudices. #licenseplates
@Steve_in_NC: Get over yourself. This isn't an abridgment of free speech, you can put whatever the hell you want on your Christ-mobile.
This is about a state government promoting a particular religion. The GOVERNMENT doesn't get to have free speech.
What if this was another religion? What if there was a nice moon and star with the phrase "Allah Protect Me" written below it? I mean, we have many Muslims in the United States...
The point is that this was not some intolerant liberal Nazi-ing your socialism, this is exactly what the First Amendment states, and was put in place for. That's why the exact same plate got struck down in Florida last year. #licenseplates
@Brad: actually the state is not forcing you to use that plate. you get to pay an additional fee to use a custom plate. If a state wanted to sell an allah plate I could care less, as long as there is an additional fee.
Unlike how you sound I am tolerant, If I guy wants to drop to his knees next to me and pray to allah or a lady sitting next to me on a park bench wants to pray the rosary that's ok. Just don't force me to do it and we'll get along fine. #licenseplates
@Steve_in_NC: Right but when the Government tries to step in and only endorses a single subset of a single religion, it's a problem. If you don't think it is, that's fine. But the 1st Amendment says otherwise. #licenseplates
The judgment really isn't that hard to understand. The Constitution clearly states that there must be a separation between church and state. In this instance, the plates can be seen as being representative of the state, seeing as the state is issuing them, and therefore it ought not to have any sort of religious overtones to it.
What's the controversy here?
For people who are annoyed by all the Constitutional "violations" that are asserted as having happened in the past ten years, this ought to be a breath of fresh air. #licenseplates
@Alfisted: You are failing to include much of the context involved here. The founding fathers were Deontologists, meaning that while they believed in a higher being, they did not necessarily believe in the concept of God as presented in any given religion.
Also, you'll find that every major religion known to founding fathers all centered around a single, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent figure referred to as "God", albeit with different translations such as "Allah", which, literally translated, means "God". Thusly, despite what appears to be a statement blatantly supporting Christianity, they were saying nothing of consequence, only pointing out that the people of the United States believed in God; note that they didn't specify what God.
@pauljones: Don't get sucked into that argument. The founders would have been horrified by IGWT. It didn't show up on money until the 1860s, and it wasn't the national motto until the McCarthy-era.
Also BTW, don't cast the founders as uniformly deist. Several were very conservative Christians, but they had seen the failure of theocracy, and they gave us a document with what is probably compromise language that has been useful to courts and legislatures in making rules for the interaction of church and state. #licenseplates
@pauljones: not in the copy of the constitution that I was issued, seems in mine it says "Amendment 1 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech; or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble , and to petition the government for a redress of grievances", nope, doesn't say you can't make a religious license plate. Hey here's a thought, why don't they go ahead and make a plate for the top 5 religions then they can't say that they are picking one over the others? #licenseplates
@Spinnyd: Yes, but think of the context that that was said in.
It said that Congress shall make no law about religion, and there is a reason for that: the United States was intended to be a secular state in which people of any religion were free to practice the religion of their choice without fear of prosecution because that religion differed from a state-sponsored religion. By the same token, it also means that the government could do nothing that could even be remotely interpreted as being supportive of a religion, including issuing religiously-themed license plates.
Thus, according to the Constitution, it cannot release a plate for any religion whatsoever. It more or less accomplishes the same goal you are suggesting but more efficiently. Also, license plates as we know them today did not exist in the 1700s, thusly it is understandable that there are no specific laws dating from that time that refer to something that did not then exist. #licenseplates
What's worse than SC allowing that to go ahead, is that there will be lots of people upset that a judge struck it down.
Curse those activist judges making a reasonable interpretation of the first amendment (i.e., literally striking down a law respecting religion)! #licenseplates
@Paul Y. don't drive too fast.: It seems like more of a political ploy than anything. I'm sure they had a good idea it was unconstitutional since the same plate (that even had the same graphic) was struck down in Florida the year before. But now the legislators who voted for the plate have a list of legislators who "voted against God" to pull out in the next election cycle.
I'm guessing these were specialty plates, but it would be great if they had the guts to make them standard issue. #licenseplates
@tempesjo: You're probably right; that hadn't really occured to me.
Of course, with all my complaining about New York earlier, I can safely say that I'm glad our state government, while tactless , isn't run by fundamentalist crazies. #licenseplates
I'm in Wisconsin, and we are represented by run-of-the-mill crazies, which is a fair representation of the population and definitely a step above fundamentalist crazies. #licenseplates
The entire movement toward tricked-up license plates just needs to die. I used to have cars with the most awesome, iconic license plate ever just by virtue of registering them in Texas. #licenseplates
Then the Legislature got involved, and several designs by committee later, we have several choices of godawful crap I don't want on my car.
I mean, the Space Shuttle? Seriously? It blew up here. Is that something we want to advetise? How about just put a big dead Kennedy head on my bumper while you're at it or a burning school bus full of kids? #licenseplates
@snapoversteer 'bout to get told: I agree, but the new Texas plates and the new new Texas plates are gayer than a bag of dicks (though not as bad as "The Friendship State" LOL.) Anyway, at least the vanity plates are nice and simple. #licenseplates
@Jimmy-Pribble: This is the only new one I thought I would like because it has a horny toad on it, and that's one badass animal. But then I found out the $40/yr for the plate goes to promoting biodiversity or some other ghey hippie crap. Screw that. #licenseplates
@snapoversteer 'bout to get told: We seriously need to go back to the white background with red, or green letters from the 60's. I absolutely hate the new Texas plates, and I thank God every time I look at mine that they are plain ass white with blue lettering and the small words in red on top that read "FARM TRUCK".
snapoversteer 'bout to get told promoted this comment
Edited by FordTuffMcgruff at 11/11/09 4:29 PM
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11/11/09
Desoto. Where religion meets cars. Properly. #licenseplates
11/11/09
#licenseplates
11/11/09
Here's where religion + cars go together. #licenseplates
11/11/09
Here's where car + religion makes sense. #licenseplates
11/11/09
[www.youtube.com]
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That said, if you're going to allow clutter onto the plates why not go the other way? If you allow plates for Christians then you have to offer plates for other religions, atheists and agnostics included? Maybe we'll end up with such a parade of crap on license plates that we'll finally revert to simple, clean designs. #licenseplates
11/11/09
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NC has had plates censored also. "First in Freedom" was offensive to some hand wringer, so NC coveted the Wright brothers success, based on their long history of work in Ohio. "First in Flight" replaced the horror of the celebration of human freedom from oppressive governments.
I find it funny how intolerant liberals cite the first amendment as a reason to deny free speech.
11/11/09
[www.bjcpa.org] #licenseplates
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This is about a state government promoting a particular religion. The GOVERNMENT doesn't get to have free speech.
What if this was another religion? What if there was a nice moon and star with the phrase "Allah Protect Me" written below it? I mean, we have many Muslims in the United States...
The point is that this was not some intolerant liberal Nazi-ing your socialism, this is exactly what the First Amendment states, and was put in place for. That's why the exact same plate got struck down in Florida last year. #licenseplates
11/11/09
Unlike how you sound I am tolerant, If I guy wants to drop to his knees next to me and pray to allah or a lady sitting next to me on a park bench wants to pray the rosary that's ok. Just don't force me to do it and we'll get along fine. #licenseplates
11/11/09
11/11/09
What's the controversy here?
For people who are annoyed by all the Constitutional "violations" that are asserted as having happened in the past ten years, this ought to be a breath of fresh air. #licenseplates
11/11/09
11/11/09
Define "clearly states". And then, when you're done with that struggle, define "separation" in this context.
It's not as simple as some would have you believe.
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11/11/09
Also, you'll find that every major religion known to founding fathers all centered around a single, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent figure referred to as "God", albeit with different translations such as "Allah", which, literally translated, means "God". Thusly, despite what appears to be a statement blatantly supporting Christianity, they were saying nothing of consequence, only pointing out that the people of the United States believed in God; note that they didn't specify what God.
11/11/09
Also BTW, don't cast the founders as uniformly deist. Several were very conservative Christians, but they had seen the failure of theocracy, and they gave us a document with what is probably compromise language that has been useful to courts and legislatures in making rules for the interaction of church and state. #licenseplates
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It said that Congress shall make no law about religion, and there is a reason for that: the United States was intended to be a secular state in which people of any religion were free to practice the religion of their choice without fear of prosecution because that religion differed from a state-sponsored religion. By the same token, it also means that the government could do nothing that could even be remotely interpreted as being supportive of a religion, including issuing religiously-themed license plates.
Thus, according to the Constitution, it cannot release a plate for any religion whatsoever. It more or less accomplishes the same goal you are suggesting but more efficiently. Also, license plates as we know them today did not exist in the 1700s, thusly it is understandable that there are no specific laws dating from that time that refer to something that did not then exist. #licenseplates
11/11/09
Curse those activist judges making a reasonable interpretation of the first amendment (i.e., literally striking down a law respecting religion)! #licenseplates
11/11/09
I'm guessing these were specialty plates, but it would be great if they had the guts to make them standard issue. #licenseplates
11/11/09
11/11/09
Of course, with all my complaining about New York earlier, I can safely say that I'm glad our state government, while tactless , isn't run by fundamentalist crazies. #licenseplates
11/11/09
I'm in Wisconsin, and we are represented by run-of-the-mill crazies, which is a fair representation of the population and definitely a step above fundamentalist crazies. #licenseplates
11/11/09
The entire movement toward tricked-up license plates just needs to die. I used to have cars with the most awesome, iconic license plate ever just by virtue of registering them in Texas. #licenseplates
11/11/09
Then the Legislature got involved, and several designs by committee later, we have several choices of godawful crap I don't want on my car.
I mean, the Space Shuttle? Seriously? It blew up here. Is that something we want to advetise? How about just put a big dead Kennedy head on my bumper while you're at it or a burning school bus full of kids? #licenseplates
11/11/09
11/11/09
@Jimmy-Pribble: This is the only new one I thought I would like because it has a horny toad on it, and that's one badass animal. But then I found out the $40/yr for the plate goes to promoting biodiversity or some other ghey hippie crap. Screw that. #licenseplates
11/11/09