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Florida considers Christian-based license plate design.

zman

zman

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"I Believe" License Plate

Florida is considering a Christian Based license plate. Do you think this will open a can of worms? Does this fall under the church and state stuff? Will other groups want one now?

The problem with the state manufacturing the plate is that it "sends a message that Florida is essentially a Christian state" and, second, gives the "appearance that the state is endorsing a particular religious preference," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.
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Simon, of the ACLU, said approval of the plate could prompt many other groups to seek their own designs, and they could claim discrimination if their plans were rejected. That could even allow the Ku Klux Klan to get a plate, Simon said.

Bullard, the plate's sponsor, isn't sure all groups should be able to express their preference. If atheists came up with an "I Don't Believe" plate, for example, he would probably oppose it
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There's no freakin' way the government should be sanctioning that kind of thing unless they also offer plates saying: "I don't believe" or "The Evidence is Inconclusive" or a "I believe" with images depicting a: Star of David, Islamic crescent, Yin and Yang, swastika, Robert Dobbs, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Odin, Zeus, Ganesh, hammer & sickle, peace sign, or any other icon you think of.:r:

It never ceases to amaze the lengths some folks will go to try to use/co-opt government to subject/inflict/impose their beliefs on others.
 
Maister said:
There's no freakin' way the government should be sanctioning that kind of thing unless they also offer plates saying: "I don't believe" or "The Evidence is Inconclusive" or a "I believe" with images depicting a: Star of David, Islamic crescent, Yin and Yang, swastika, Robert Dobbs, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Odin, Zeus, Ganesh, hammer & sickle, peace sign, or any other icon you think of.:r:

It never ceases to amaze the lengths some folks will go to try to use/co-opt government to subject/inflict/impose their beliefs on others.
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Well, on the flipside, they have teachers' plates but I don't think they have planners' plates. Somebody's gonna wind up screwed. It all goes by whatever there's the most popular demand for.
 
Here's a link to the insanely long list of specialty plates that are already out there in FL:

http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/specialtytags/

I figure, if sports fanatics and drive around with their religion (their team) on their plate, why not Christians, too?

As for FL looking like it's a Christian state, the existing list already makes us look like we're all environmentalist college graduates who care only about our kids and watching sports.:r::r:
 
In this area, half the people are driving with stolen tags. If there was a way to make my tag so offensive that no one would steal it but not make myself a target of road rage, I'd do it.
 
Doesn't bother me... wouldn't offend me. Assuming, of course, it isn't costing the general public money. That would be an issue. But if it's like most states, you pay extra, so it pays for itself, or makes money.
 
illinoisplanner said:
It all goes by whatever there's the most popular demand for.
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The reality is states do this sort of thing as a means of producing revenue. For the sake of discussion, why NOT lift the proverbial floodgates and open the field by offering any sort of plate to anyone who'll pay for the privelege? Sort of an ultimate state-sponsored vanity plate free-for-all......Coke and Pepsi plates? Home Depot Plates? McDonalds plates? My ta-tas are bigger than yours plates? Jimmy Johnson RULEZ & AlGore DROOLZ plates?
 
plates

Maister said:
There's no freakin' way the government should be sanctioning that kind of thing unless they also offer plates saying: "I don't believe" or "The Evidence is Inconclusive" or a "I believe" with images depicting a: Star of David, Islamic crescent, Yin and Yang, swastika, Robert Dobbs, Flying Spaghetti Monster, Odin, Zeus, Ganesh, hammer & sickle, peace sign, or any other icon you think of.:r:
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I want a cannabis leaf for Rastafarians, a peyote button for some Native Americans. See how far they get. Now, what was I talking about?:-$
 
I'm somewhat surprised that this came out of Florida rather than one of my home states of Oklahoma and Texas, or somewhere like Georgia.
 
TexanOkie said:
I'm somewhat surprised that this came out of Florida rather than one of my home states of Oklahoma and Texas, or somewhere like Georgia.
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Err, um...huh? ;)


Georgia from Macon south and Florida from Orlando north are fairly similar, for what it's worth.
 
Bubba said:
Err, um...huh? ;)


Georgia from Macon south and Florida from Orlando north are fairly similar, for what it's worth.
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Indeed. I guess in my mind I picture South Florida and the Tampa Bay area drastically different from the Atlanta area, as far as large metro regions go. No doubt such a license plate idea could spring up anywhere in the South.
 
South Carolina has an "In God We Trust" plate that has the SC and US flags on it. I think because it is stamped on the currency (and given it's religious leanings) it didn't catch too much flak. I think the FL plate goes a little too far and pretty much agree that no religious iconography should appear on a government issued anything. Why do we have to have so many different plates anyways? I can only imagine what a headache it causes for law enforcement.
 
JNA said:
Here in Indiana we have a "In God We Trust" plate, which has stirred things up.

Headline: Judge throws out ‘In God' tags suit Lack of fee challenged; appeal likely
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/NEWS07/804180327/1002/LOCAL

I don't have one, I pay the extra for "Hoosier Safety" plate.
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I am not sure how the State can get away not charging extra for the 'In God' plates? The BMV just released that the 'In God' plates were the most popular specialty plates in Indiana, well of course they are if they are the same price. Wonder how popular they would be if they cost more like the other specialty plates? By the way the state is also issuing 'Lincoln's Boyhood Home' plates for the same price, and I think they should be charged more as well.
 
In Secular Humanism We Trust

I'll contact the State of Colorado about this one soon!
 
Texas has had "God Bless Texas" plates for a few years. They don't have a big glowing cross, Virgin de Guadalupe, or anything like that though. I don't see them very often--the Keep Texas Wild plates are far more popular.

If they really wanted to make money, you would be able to put your own picture on your license plate like you can for some credit cards. Why no state has thought of this is beyond me.
 
Flying Monkeys said:
Hey, while our wise gov't was at it they banned those fake testicles that you hang from the back of a truck....

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/23/senate-oks-bill-penalizing-vehicular-display-testi/?imw=Y


The State of Florida, after living on the real estate boom, now finds itself in the middle of a crisis...what does it do? Argue over christian lic plates and banning fake testicales....yeah, I am one proud Floridian.:-(
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Those things are so disgusting! You should get castrated for having them lol.
Sidenote: Some guy came into the office yesterday wearing a hat that said: " I love hookers".
 
Mastiff said:
Doesn't bother me... wouldn't offend me. Assuming, of course, it isn't costing the general public money. That would be an issue. But if it's like most states, you pay extra, so it pays for itself, or makes money.
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Let's say a Muslim group requests permission for a special license plate ... and they're voted down in a House committee. What then?

If, by some miracle (!), the plate actually makes it to production, I'll bet people buy it, and cover up the cross with images of the Buddha, aliens, Flying Spaghetti Monsters, bongs ... you get the idea.
 
Dan said:
Let's say a Muslim group requests permission for a special license plate ... and they're voted down in a House committee. What then?

If, by some miracle (!), the plate actually makes it to production, I'll bet people buy it, and cover up the cross with images of the Buddha, aliens, Flying Spaghetti Monsters, bongs ... you get the idea.
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In the first instance, I think that would be highly hypocritical, so it would annoy me.

In the second, people already do that... Go to Arkansas and see how many little Hog stickers are on plates. Again, if it doesn't cause problems, I couldn't care less.

I kind of like how it is in Oregon. The money collected for several of the special plates that anyone can buy (Crater Lake / Salmon / Cultural / Non-Profits) actually go to support the special interest. A lot of you would like the "Share the Road" plate that supports Cycle Oregon and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

M
 
Mastiff said:
I kind of like how it is in Oregon. The money collected for several of the special plates that anyone can buy (Crater Lake / Salmon / Cultural / Non-Profits) actually go to support the special interest. A lot of you would like the "Share the Road" plate that supports Cycle Oregon and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.
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Yeah, Colorado has a lot of special interest plates. All of the proceeds go to the very special interests that the plates advertise. Even the Denver Broncos plates, their extra fees go to Broncos Charities. We too have a "Share the Road" plate now.
 
Well I for one am glad that our legislature deems specialty license plates time over fixing...oh...Growth Management! After the threat of hometown democracy and with all the problems that budget cuts and property tax reductions have caused :-{
 
One of my ex-wifes should get a Florida plate. She's very religious. So devout, in fact, that her favorite phrase was "Ahhhhhh, men".

:-{

Bear
 
Looks like this is dead for this session. We may see a 2 year halt to this madness. The Fla senate has a bill moving forward to impose a moratorum.

The pPaper today said that only a handfull make more than the $60,000 admin fee the sponsers have to put up. The big $ makers in 2006-07: UF $2.46 million:D, FSU $1.86 million:r:, Fla Panther = $2.12, Save Manatee $1.3 mill sea turtle $1.37. The Bucs garnered $1.02 million for "their" charities.
 
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