Past Reflections

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November 22, 2009 - What Should We Allow on Our License Plates?

by Father Edward L. Beck, C.P.

Last year the South Carolina state legislature passed a bill that allowed a Christian license plate. It showed a cross in front of a stained-glass window and the words I BELIEVE underneath. A similar bill in Florida failed to pass into law, and now a U.S. district court has struck down the license plate in South Carolina too as a First Amendment violation. I had a parishioner come up to me this week and say, Father isn’t that terrible? But I’m afraid I couldn’t share in her dismay. My response was, No, actually I think the court made the right decision. I don’t think a license plate is the appropriate place to tell other drivers what you believe. A state issued license plate should be used as intended, as a vehicle identification tag, not as a proselytizing forum for the one who happens to be driving the vehicle. After all, what about all the other faiths? Are we going to issue ones that say, I DON’T believe? Or Allah Akbar? Or Shiva is my Diva? I don’t think so. But I also don’t think the court went far enough. There are 103 other specialty tags approved in South Carolina- everything from your favorite sports team to your beloved pet. I think these should be banned too. The state should have no interest in you promoting your pet cause, literally. But what about freedom of expression some may argue? There’s plenty of room on bumpers for whatever unsightly stickers you may want to ruin your vehicle with to express yourself. Yankees fans, I’m afraid that means you too. Let’s keep personal religion and personal preference off the license plates and put them back on the bumpers where they belong. Or you can get a CHRISTIAN ON BOARD cross to bounce around in your back window. Knock yourself out. Just don’t expect the State to give the benediction.

To watch Father Beck give the above Reflection, click here.