South Carolina Christians Playing The Discrimination Card

[_Angus McAwesome]

Linky.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- Unless a federal court intervenes, South Carolina drivers may soon be able to profess their Christian faith with a state-issued license plate.

South Carolina's plate is based on a design by Florida, which was rejected by the state.

The state plans to issue plates featuring a Christian cross and the words "I Believe," but a group advocating the separation of church and state says that goes too far.

A similar design had been considered by Florida's lawmakers, but it was rejected there because of concerns over separation of church and state.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which includes Christian, Jewish and Hindu clergy, filed a federal lawsuit last month. The group contends that the plates violate the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against government favoring one religion over another religion or non-religion.

South Carolina became the first state to offer Christian car tags last month, when Gov. Mark Sanford allowed the bill to become law without his signature. The state legislature had passed it unanimously.

"I think it allows people of faith to profess that they believe in a higher calling, they believe in God," said Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.

Bauer has offered to personally pay a $4,000 deposit required for the Department of Motor Vehicles to begin producing the plates. The fee would be returned to him later.

The Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said Bauer's willingness to pay the deposit "more deeply confirms this is a government-sponsored program."

"I don't believe that these license plates will ever be on any car in South Carolina, because I think our Constitutional claim is so strong," Lynn said.

South Carolina's legislature has not made a similar specialty plate available for any other faith, he said.

While individuals can ask the DMV to print plates for other faiths -- for a $4,000 fee -- the request would be subject to significant limits and rules not imposed for the Christian plate. Other tags could feature a religious symbol -- such as the Star of David -- but no words would be allowed.

The Christian plate will include the words "I Believe" and a bright-yellow cross on a multicolored stained glass church window.

Lynn's group said in a news release "that other religions will not be able to get similar license plates expressing differing viewpoints, nor can a comparable 'I Don't Believe' license plate be issued.

"The state has made believers of non-Christian faiths feel that they are second-class citizens," Lynn said. "Under our Constitution, that's impermissible."

Bauer said allowing Christians to have a specialty license plate is freedom of speech. He said those who oppose are prejudiced against Christians.

"We're not going to back down," Bauer said. "We're going to fight for a change. I'm tired of seeing Christians back down in fear of a lawsuit."

Bauer also said he is not afraid of a personal political backlash against him.

"If I were never to get elected or serve in another capacity because I pronounce my faith as a Christian, I don't have a problem with that," Bauer said

Why is it that "discrimination against Christians" always takes the form of restricting Christians' ability to discriminate against everyone else?

[_Gazelam]

Wouldent the Cross on the licence plate draw attention away from the shiney fish sticker to the left of the plate?

[_Dr. Shades]

Why is it that "discrimination against Christians" always takes the form of restricting Christians' ability to discriminate against everyone else?

Into the signature line you go!

[_Droopy]

1. Why is this anyone's business?

2. What in the world does the concept of "discrimination" have to do with any of this?

3. Why do certain people, holding to a certain political ideology become so exercised by the public presence of speech or symbolism with which they disagree, while seeing no problem in imposing, by force of law, their own speech and symbolism on others (otherwise known as 'political correctness")?

My answer: if you don't like Christian symbols on license plates, don't look at them.

[_Droopy]

Interesting, so interesting how the Left has made "discrimination' into a totem and an ultimate value that Trump's all other values, even the values that are necessary to the continuance of a free, civil society.

For the Left, the constitution is a suicide pact signed in the name of the God of liberalism, the self.

[_Angus McAwesome]

1. Why is this anyone's business?

Because by allowing these license plates the State of South Carolina would be showing preference for Christians, which is a direct violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

2. What in the world does the concept of "discrimination" have to do with any of this?

By showing preference for one religion over all others they are infact discriminating against those other religions.

3. Why do certain people, holding to a certain political ideology become so exercised by the public presence of speech or symbolism with which they disagree, while seeing no problem in imposing, by force of law, their own speech and symbolism on others (otherwise known as 'political correctness")?

What does political correctness have to do with this? It's a simple matter of Constitutional law, not politics.

My answer: if you don't like Christian symbols on license plates, don't look at them.

I guess you didn't actually read the article, Droopy. If you had you'd have noticed things like:

While individuals can ask the DMV to print plates for other faiths -- for a $4,000 fee -- the request would be subject to significant limits and rules not imposed for the Christian plate. Other tags could feature a religious symbol -- such as the Star of David -- but no words would be allowed.

The Christian plate will include the words "I Believe" and a bright-yellow cross on a multicolored stained glass church window.

The Christian License plates, while costing additional money over the normally issues plates, would include text as well as the symbol of the Christian faith. No other religion would be allowed to have plates that include both their symbol AND text.

[_Droopy]

Because by allowing these license plates the State of South Carolina would be showing preference for Christians, which is a direct violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Sorry to have to be the bearer of the bad news that you don't know what you're talking about, but no such legal principle exists in the Constitution of the United States.


Droopy wrote:
2. What in the world does the concept of "discrimination" have to do with any of this?

By showing preference for one religion over all others they are in fact discriminating against those other religions.

Which really matters not at all and is not prohibited by the national constitution. Christians, of various kinds, are a clear majority in SC, so, of course, any licence plate is going to probably represent the religious preferences of the majority. But uh...how does this harm anybody?


Droopy wrote:
3. Why do certain people, holding to a certain political ideology become so exercised by the public presence of speech or symbolism with which they disagree, while seeing no problem in imposing, by force of law, their own speech and symbolism on others (otherwise known as 'political correctness")?

What does political correctness have to do with this? It's a simple matter of Constitutional law, not politics.

Sorry, but your position has no constitutional basis. Oh, I think what you mean is the ACLU's traditional interpretation of the First Amendment. Yes, but that is not part of the constitution either, as to its original intent (which we know, because we have the Federalist Papers and a large number of the political writings of the Founders).



Droopy wrote:
My answer: if you don't like Christian symbols on license plates, don't look at them.

I guess you didn't actually read the article, Droopy. If you had you'd have noticed things like:

Quote:
While individuals can ask the DMV to print plates for other faiths -- for a $4,000 fee -- the request would be subject to significant limits and rules not imposed for the Christian plate. Other tags could feature a religious symbol -- such as the Star of David -- but no words would be allowed.

The Christian plate will include the words "I Believe" and a bright-yellow cross on a multicolored stained glass church window.

The Christian License plates, while costing additional money over the normally issues plates, would include text as well as the symbol of the Christian faith. No other religion would be allowed to have plates that include both their symbol AND text.

What is the source for the $4,000 figure?

Even if true, the Constitution doesn't present any barrier to the state doing this. If SC residents want to make others available, or don't like it, they should work to change the law. This is a classic example of yet another culture war issue that has no place in the courts at all and should be left to the people.

Question: Why do you think that I, knowing there will be no LDS plates available, could care less if such are available for general Christians? Why doesn't this bother me in the least?

The second question to ask is: why does it put leftists into apoplectic fits?

[_Scottie]

I know you're not this stupid, Cogs.

It's not the fact that Christian get to have a special plate, it is that nobody else is allowed to. How you can't see discrimination in this is beyond me.

[_Sam Harris]

Don't see the point of a special plate, and I'm getting so sick of everyone hollering persecution and discrimination. Coming from a black female...it doesn't exist like that anymore. The sky is the limit if you want it to be; people don't owe you a damn thing. I like the fact that I've worked for what little bit I can put my hands on and say is my own.

Here in VA, I've seen plenty of license plates with scriptures on them or Jesus-something-or-other. Why does it need to go farther than that? Personalize your license plate, get a bumper sticker...but you don't need to be able to choose a special license plate just for Christians...

*sigh* "Spiritual warfare"...

[_Droopy]

I know you're not this stupid, Cogs.

It's not the fact that Christian get to have a special plate, it is that nobody else is allowed to. How you can't see discrimination in this is beyond me.

I don't have any dog in this fight!

1. Its not a constitutional issue. If the state of SC wants a plate with Christian symbols on it, the 10th amendment gives them the right to do so. This is a Republic. If a clear majority of voters don't like it, they can do something about it. Otherwise, I could care less if Protestants get a plate and Mormons, Buddhists, Confucians, Taoists, Muslims, Wiccans, or Worshippers of Odin don't.

I have my own bumper stickers and I'll use those if I so choose. Furthermore, none of this implies state sponsorship of the Christian religion. The establishment clause has nothing to do with a situation such as this.