License Plate Controversy: 2Xtian4aPl8?
A constitutional showdown in South Carolina over the wall between church and state
Reader Comments
Not Vanity Plates
These plates have 'I Believe' embossed as a motto or slogan on the plate. Unlike a vanity or specialty plate, a change where a motto is imprinted on the plate requires approval of the state legislature. With over 90% of their constituents being Christian, I don't believe the legislature will approve a similar plate with a Muslim sickle or a Wiccan pentagram. It puts SC in the position of determining which religions they'll allow to have the plate, which is pretty much putting them in the position of determining what religions are 'valid'. As a resident of SC somewhat familiar with our state legislators, I predict it will be a cold day in hell before anyone but a Jew or Christian gets an 'I Believe' license plate with their own religion's symbol on it in place of the cross.
i believe
Good God--Iraq in turmoil, one out of five people on earth living below the poverty line and now we've got personalized Jesus plates??!!! lol
All joking aside, as long as these personalized license plates are just that--personalized--I don't have a problem. It's not offensive to me--just not my taste. You don't need a bumper sticker to be a practicing Christian, but if it helps you as a daily reminder, go ahead.
Freedom of speech is not free
I believe the personalized plates entitled americans to their first ammendment.
South Caroline license plates
As long as these are personalized/vanity plates I don't care. I would be alarmed only if any particular religion was promoted on the required license plate. That indeed would be a blatant infringement of the First Amendment.
license plates or dog tags
I'd bet the same state who would allow "I believe t" would not allow "I don't believe t" (the t being a cross). Just like the guys in the military tried over and over again, in Iraq, to have "no denomination", atheist, or just blank for no denomination on their ID dog tags were unsuccessful in fighting the military on the issue. The military persisted in putting a religion on the dog tags.
License Plate Christian or Fuck-a-Christian
We cannot allow the State to dictate what can be put on a personalized license plate.
That is why they are personalized. Our right to Free Speech is Absolute. If the State does not want offensive speech on license plates it can ban them altogether and also forfeight the millions of dollars we spend to express ourselves. It is offensive speech that requires the greatest protection under law. You are free to express unoffensive thoughts in Cuba. What makes us Free is when we have the unfettered right to express thoughts the State finds offensive.
Faith Plates
OK, so what will happen when someone of another faith tradition wants equal PR time? How about Jewish plates with "G-d is One" or Muslim plates with "None but Allah" or Wiccan plates with "Satan is Lord" or Mormon plates with "Moroni has Appeared" or Atheist plates with "Grow Up: Believe in Yourself"? If they go with the Christian plates, will they come in Protestant and Catholic editions, further subdivided into liberal, moderate, conservative, evangelical, fundamentalist, 3-seeds-in-one-spirit separatists, etc.?
On an earlier note: Supposing that "non-believers" are "foul-mouthed" is just ridiculous rhetoric. I probably know as many "non-believers" as I do "believers" and my observation is that "foul-mouthed" is not by any stretch of the imagination limited to one group alone. In fact, I know some "non-believers" who have never used "foul-mouthed" language at any time that I've heard them. I've also heard some "believers" used language that would make a sailor blush. So hurling phrases like "foul-mouthed non-believers" is doing nothing to advance an honest conversation; rather, it demonstrates the limits of the speaker's intelligence as well as his/her bias against clarity of thought.
Christian license tags
When are we as a free democracy going to learn? Have we all not seen enough of personal death and tragedies from natures fury, horrid auto accidents and/or from wretched disease before we cry out to God for His grace and mercy??? Why, oh why then complain and gripe about a few people who want to express their humility and convictions on a simple thing as a car license plate? My guess would be those who are yelping about the so-called issue either are cold hearted or have never experienced any tragedy in their lives when they've cried O GOD? Looks to me like a good case of "DENIAL OF THE DIVINE"...period!!!
up side down
As long as i can have the same Christian don' t mind that mine will have an upside down cross i am all for it. Yes up side down, and something like "the powerless christ" as my saying.
Christian plates
I am proud to be a Christian and foul-mouthed non-believers will never stop me from showing the world what really matters. I am forced to see all kinds of bumper stickers, now you can look at my Christian plates!
