<p>Consolation, I believe the war you wish to wage here is too broad. It seems to include a great many things that have absolutely nothing to do with license plates – school prayer, 10 commandments et al.</p>
<p>In any case, if as you say the state is “sponsoring” a religion in granting a vanity plate to a constituency that has requested one that they believe represents their interests, is the State also then “sponsoring”: </p>
<p>As all of them have petioned for and received specialty plates for their chosen “Thing”.</p>
<p>I think the plate is tasteless, but I also believe attacking people for no more than bad taste to be equally “tasteless”.</p>
<p>But like Garland, I am merely a citizen.
Not a constitutional lawyer; neither am I a Woodworker still working through his ideological resentments.
Just a Woodworker.</p>
<p>“IN REASON WE TRUST”
– a plate that requires “showing that you are a current and active member of the organization.”
Meaning, the organization: “Secular Humanist of the Low Country.”</p>
<p>I don’t suppose anyone finds that objectionable. Certainly not CNN.</p>
<p>not to mention,</p>
<p>“IN GOD WE TRUST”</p>
<p>The deed is done.
The horses are on the track.</p>
<p>No, I don’t agree. Stating belief or none belief is qualitatively different from stating which belief–and only one acceptable. (Lets see if SC okays a Wiccan plate, shall we?)</p>
<p>Then, Garland, does the Establishment clause allow the state to stamp license plates for organizations dedicated to eradicating the superstition of religion? In fact tacking a swipe at religious belief with the wit and sarcasm of “In Reason We Trust”?</p>
<p>I say, YES.</p>
<p>Like Poetsheart, I am somewhat more bothered by “Sons of the Confederacy” than “I Believe”.</p>
<p>Obviously, Woodwork, “I believe” would not be problematic without the symbol of a cross next to it.</p>
<p>I can’t fathom where you are getting the “eradication” of religious belief from those who proclaim not to have one.</p>
<p>The humanists/agnostics/atheists I know don’t seem to want to erase the beliefs of others, but maybe I just run with the wrong crowd. And the Christians I know (and am one of) don’t need the state to state what they believe in.</p>
<p>I guess it’s too much to hope that “reason” and logic will prevail in this issue. I think one of the salient questions to ask concerning “the establishment clause” is: What does it mean in the context of the time of its writing? </p>
<p>Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but, wasn’t the purpose of this Constitutional clause to address the problems endemic to the establishment of an official state religion, in the vein of Mother England’s establishment of The Anglican Church as the sole recognized religion (with all the political power that entailed) of that state? A brief study of Early American History clearly shows the contextual motivation of this clause, and the social and political pitfalls the founding fathers were attempting to avoid. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I don’t see that the state is “stating” anything other than the willingness to allow its citizens to show their religion on their license tags. By definition, if they allow Christians to have a special license plate, they must also allow the same right for any other religious group that is willing to petition for the plate, raise the money, and pay the biannual fees. Having the tag does not grant broader privilege under the constitution or greater political power to those with the tags on their cars.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter who puts up the start-up costs. The Lt. Gov. is a private citizen with a right to his religious beliefs like every other citizen. Any citizen (or group of citizens) with the funds is well able to do the same for his or her pet concern. There are more than enough SC Christians who could and would put up a mere 4 grand for the privilege of sporting the proposed plate on their car. Whether or not the money comes from the Lt. Gov. (acting as a private citizen, you can be sure), or some John Doe church goer is neither here nor there. The fact still remains that The State of South Carolina would not be establishing Christianity as its Official Religion by issuing this specialty plate to persons who desire them.</p>
<p>And has there been a petition for “Wiccan” themed plates by any concerned citizens of South Carolina? </p>
<p>Specifically, one of the many practicing Wiccans that live in South Carolina…and not just those carpet-baggers from parts unknown that would use “Wiccans” or “Rastifarians” for cannon fodder in their war on tasteless Christians.</p>
<p>If there are actual South Carolinian Wiccans that want the vanity plates they should have them --after paying the fees and doing their own due-diligence. Perhaps there is a notable wealthy S Carolinian Wiccan that could pony up like the lieutenant Govenor. If the state then refused to stamp the Wiccan plates, lovers of freedom and equality would then have a cause for indignation and political caterwauling. I’d join in --if joining in means posting on an internet forum.</p>
<p>But until that time, whether or not there is a Wiccan themed plate is of absolutely no significance or consequence in the current controversy over **Secular Humanist plates<a href=“oh,%20yeah…and%20those%20sketchy%20“I’m%20a%20believer”%20plates,%20as%20well”>/b</a>.</p>
<p>It’s going to be an interesting question, overall, certainly not settled. Florida turned away from the subject on Constitutional grounds, the SC gov chose not to sign the bill, and lawsuits have been filed. Will be worth watching.</p>
<p>Woodwork, I don’t think that there should be religious license plates of any kind manufactured under state auspices. If the “reason” license plate was sponsored by a religious group as a religious statement, then they shouldn’t have allowed that one either. </p>
<p>And yeah, I think that when the state agrees to manufacture an official state license plate, they are to some degree lending the force of their authority to it. </p>
<p>To be frank, I think that this “support a cause” vanity plate thing has gone too far, and I wish that states would return to a single plate. Even though I have my state’s environmental plate on our cars. (Largely, I admit, a decision originally made to avoid having a lobster plate. This one has a very attractive loon.)</p>
<p>I have many relatives in SC who are decent, intelligent people. That said, I am constantly embarrassed by the “backwardness” of this beautiful state. </p>
<p>The principal of the top-rated high school in the state has said he will resign rather than allow a Gay-Straight Alliance to form at his school, because it violates his religious principles. Here in MA, the state REQUIRES all schools to have a Gay-Straight Alliance. Somewhere between SC and MA there must be a happy medium…</p>
<p>I am a believing Christian, but the best bumper-sticker I ever saw said:
“The Christian Right is Neither.”</p>
<p>That said, I don’t see how a religious license plate is different from an environmental one, or a college or fraternal organization plate. As long as the plate allows the police to identify the car, it’s doing it’s job.</p>
<p>It’s a 60 year old non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-profit, currently run by an ordained minister and attorney, Barry Lynn. The group was founded in 1947 to combat a proposed bill in Congress for government funding of private religious schools. The group was active in the prayer in public schools debates, the teaching of creationism in public schools, and so on and so forth.</p>
<p>They do education and public outreach (as in the South Carolina case) as well as legal work with a staff of attornies, including taking cases to the Supreme Court.</p>
<p>It’s summertime, when politicians and regular people are on vacation and all sorts of mischief takes place.</p>
<p>It usually pays off, especially in the south, for a politician to support this sort of thing even thoigh it’s unconstitutional and may very well be defeated. Biut there’s no political loss in supporting it down there, least of all if it only costs $ 4000 (if the Lt. Gov. ever has to pay).</p>
<p>If they issue Wiccan license plates, would they be in a Celtic language?</p>
This one has a very attractive loon.)</p>