Judge Rejects Christian License Plates in South Carolina

By By miranda Trimmier 
Published on December 18, 2008
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A federal judge halted South Carolina’s plans to offer Christian-themed license plates last week, ruling that to do so would constitute state-sponsored religious preference, <a href=”http://www.thestate.com/local/story/618428.html” target=”_blank”>reports <i>The State</i>
</a>.</p>
<p>
<a href=”http://www.religiondispatches.org/blog/religiousright/869/south_carolina_christian_license_plates_blocked_for_now/” target=”_blank”>According to <i>Religion Dispatches</i>
</a>, the concern over the legality of the plates mostly has to do with process. Private organizations can offer specialty plates through the DMV, and do, like one for the <a href=”http://lowcountryhumanists.org/default.php” target=”_blank”>Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry</a> inscribed with the words “In Reason We Trust.” Another privately-produced (and currently available) plate sports an anti-abortion message, <a title=”notes Associated Baptist Press” href=”http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3710&Itemid=53″ target=”_blank”>notes <em>Associated Baptist Press</em>
</a>. Since the “I Believe” licenses were sponsored by the state legislature, however, they were subject to legal challenge. Take a look at <a href=”/2008-07-08/spirituality/religious-freedom-violated-by-palmetto-state-license-plates.aspx?blogid=28″ target=”_blank”>this <i>Utne</i> blog</a> from last summer, which explores the uproar around the case in more depth.</p>
<p>South Carolina is not the only state to debate religious plates–<a href=”http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/24/license.plate.ap/index.html” target=”_blank”>Florida and Indiana have courted controversy</a> after attempting to approve similar designs. Check out Stephen Colbert’s hilarious response to Florida’s most recent attempt:</p>
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<a href=”http://www.colbertnation.com/” target=”_blank”>The Colbert Report</a>
<span style=”RIGHT: 3px; POSITION: absolute; TOP: 2px”>Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c</span>
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<a href=”http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/167375/april-29-2008/the-word—separation-of-church—plate” target=”_blank”>The Word – Separation of Church & Plate</a>
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<a href=”http://www.colbertnation.com/video/tag/Christmas” target=”_blank”>Colbert at Christmas</a>
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<a href=”http://shop.comedycentral.com/detail.php?p=76445&v=comedy-central_shows_the-colbert-report&SESSID=e404c55c0698e438f4508b6b848da5eb” target=”_blank”>Colbert Christmas DVD</a>
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<a href=”http://www.colbertnation.com/video?keywords=green+screen” target=”_blank”>Green Screen</a>
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<a href=”http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/81003/january-18-2007/bill-o-reilly” target=”_blank”>Bill O’Reilly Interview</a>
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