South Carolina License Plates
South Carolina is moving forward with plans to issue “I Believe” license plates, complete with an image of the Cross and a stained glass window. Here’s an image of the plate
According to the New York Times, South Carolina has a process by which private groups can “sponsor” a specialty plate, and a number of disparate groups have opted to do so. Had this plate been created by a private sponsor, I think it would arguably pass constitutional muster. The state, in such a case, would merely be offering its plates as a sort of open forum for the expression of any number of private commitments, religious and secular (and even anti-religious). But by taking the initiative to direct the department of licensing to create the plate, the state has, I think, crossed the line into sectarian advocacy. Expect a successful constitutional challenge to this, followed by much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the Religious Right. Of course, that’s half the point, right?
If the state is responsible for this plate, and not private citizens, then this is troubling indeed. And yes, the Religious Right will be all over it. I can’t wait to hear all the accusations, dire prophecies, and stone-throwing that will follow. Just what we need–another manufactured battle in the culture wars.
I had an experience about a year ago that raised similar questions. While driving through St. Augustine, Florida, I spotted a county police car with one of those “ICTHUS” fish symbols on the back. I was surprised to see this and questioned its appropriateness–let alone its constitutionality. The car is the property of Saint Johns County, Florida, and as such should not be used for the expression of personal belief, right? Or am I taking it too seriously?
Why, this is an outrage, an absolute outrage! Man the barricades, load the Molotov cocktails!
And then there’s Sangre de Christi (excuse possible misspelling) electric company signs on road side poles in New Mexico… I assuming the electric company is left from when the land was part of Mexico! or whatever!
If this works the way it does in most states, the sponsors design the plate, and before it can be used legally on cars, the sponsors must pre-sell a certain number to ensure that the state will not have to pay for the increased cost of production and that there will be an adequate demand. Sponsoring groups can even raise money through the sale of plates.
Most people understand that specialty plates are about the individual driving the car more than they are about any sort of state sponsorship. They have become so ubiquitous – with everything from sports teams, conservation groups, veterans organizations, and even pro-life plates (which have survived court challenge) – that identifying them as endorsement by the state is a hard case to make.
Now the Icthus symbol on a police car – that’s a different kettle of fish.
Or it could be that the Sangre de Christo’s are a range of mountains in NM and southern CO – maybe just like Santa Barbara Power and Light?
Molehill….meet mountain.
The Sabge De Christo Mountains ( I see them ecvry day in their beauty) are so named for the beautiful wine like glow they display at sunset frequently.)
I agree with the view that the SC plates ar estill another distraction in the unending culture wars.
I guess I think folks havea right to their Christian specialty plates – but that kind of putting one’s heart on one’s sleeve always make me suspect the user of some kind of self aggrandizement more than faith.
Of course, I’m an old curmudgeon.
I agree with you Sean. I don’t see a problem if a private group steps in and sponsors this plate according to the mechanism the state has established. The problem is that in this case the state is, in effect, stepping in and acting as the sponsor.
That’s Sangre De Christo.
I agree with Shawn and Eduardo. I don’t think it’s up to the state to push such a plate, but sponsors who seek the plate ought to be able to receive approval on nondiscriminatory terms. I am guessing that the State sees this more as a commercial opportunity than much else, which still doesn’t make state sponsorship appropriate. (I suppose I might feel differently if the state proposed one for every major religion, including Islam and Hinduism, but of course, it hasn’t, and therein lies the reason why it shouldn’t be the sponsor.)
How about Corpus Christi, Texas, and San Francisco, California, and, yes, even Providence Rhode Island? Why are localities allowed to use names which refer to religious figures or ideas in this way? Probably because no one has ever raised a challenge. Actually how about Maryland? Is it really named to honor Queen Henriette Marie, the wife of Charles I? Or was Lord Baltimore honoring the Virgin Mary and counterbalancing Virginia?
In New York groups can get together an arrange for special plates. The Pro-Life lobby wanted a plate with, as I recall, something as innocuous as “Choose Life”. They have not so far, at least as known to me, gotten the State to agree. One journalist in a local rag said it would be too controversial! Imagine! A journalist who wants to suppress controversial speech. What next?
South Carolina is spelled F-L-O-R-I-D-A ?
How about Corpus Christi, Texas, and San Francisco, California, and, yes, even Providence Rhode Island? Why are localities allowed to use names which refer to religious figures or ideas in this way?
Probably because most place names like this were chosen either before the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, or before that area became U.S. Territory. If someone tried it today, without the new name being a reference to an exising town or feature, somebody might well sue.
Thank you for the spelling correction.
Jimmy — My understanding is that the SC plate is based on the Florida plate’s design.
The Sangre de Cristo mountains [running from Colorado to New Mexico] were apparently so named because of the red glow in the sunset. Then there is the San Luis Valley, and the San Juan mountains, and of course, Santa Fe.
There is Jericho, Long Island and Jericho, Vermont.
Amusing in the posting was the reference to the oldest city of the U.S. – St. Augustine.
One could have fun listing California towns – Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Sacramento, San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Maria, San Bernardino, and the rest. Imagine city seals with representations of each city’s patron.
We have Hell, Mich. It’s fun to go to the Dam Site Inn there and buy postcards that say, “I’m in Hell, wish you were here!” and “It’s a Cold Day in Hell” and stuff like that.
I usually visit at least once a year. Possibly it will help acclimate me to things to come.
There’s a lawsuit about this in Indiana, which waives the fee. The rumors are that DMV officials encourage people to get the “In God We Trust” plate versus the regular plate. Based on my own experience, that is the case…. “Are you sure you want the regular plate? The In God We Trust plate doesn’t cost any more.”
Trusting in God not costing any more . . .I was reading about the martyrs, and thought they’d be chuckling from heaven at that one.
Cathleen, yes, I think they’re having a laugh down at the St. Lawrence Bar and Grill over that one.
But really you have to admire the way some people manage to evangelize on the public dime. You set up the license plates that say “In God we trust,” and them pretty much force people to say, in front of God and everybody in the DMV that you don’t want to say that you trust in God.
The same tactic was used to pass the Patriot Act. It takes someone mighty brave to stand up and say they don’t support something that says they act patriotically. And that’s hardly anyone in Congress, even though Sam Johnson gave them a perfect comeback 200 years ago he said, “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
Overall, specialty plates that don’t cost more are a waste of taxpayer money, and they also make the cops’ jobs harder. IMHO, each state should have it’s own color-coded plate to make identification easy, like in the old days. If you want to parade your beliefs, get a tatoo or a bumper sticker.
My favorite is the one that says, “Caution! In case of Rapture, this car will be driverless!” I always make sure I leave extra car lengths between me and them, just in case I get Left Behind!
Symbols on license plates should be restricted because several undesirable symbols could wind up on plates that could be offensive to cetain groups. There should be guidelines as to what a state will accept. Expressions of faith should be generalized.