Court upholds 'God' plates in Indiana

[douglas9]

Source: South Bend Tribune

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of the state's "In God We Trust" license plate Monday, rejecting a claim that people who buy the plates should have to pay a $15 administrative fee charged for other specialty plates.

In its 12-page ruling, the appeals court found that state lawmakers acted correctly in creating a license plate classification system that exempts people who buy the "In God We Trust" plate from paying the administrative fee.

The court found that the General Assembly's license plate system "is reasonably related to the inherent characteristics of the license plates."

In a statement on the ruling, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter said that "In God We Trust" -- the motto found on U.S. currency -- "has found deep support among our fellow citizens."

Read more: http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20081118&Category=News01&ArtNo=811180327&Template=printart

[summer borealis]

1. So I can get my "GOD BLOWS" plate, too?

[IndianaGreen]

23. I prefer GAWD Sucks!

The divine sob ain't done nothing but evil to the human race!

[jeff30997]

2. Now just imagine...

What would happen to someone with Allah Akbar on the license plate.

[BOSSHOG]

3. Another tax exemption for zealots

[Roland99]

4. "In God We Trust" -- the motto on U.S. currency -- "has found deep support among our fellow citizens

And judging by those "fellow citizens" here in southern Indiana I can safely say that most are lucky to be able to feed themselves and tie their own shoes.

[penndragon69]

5. Mitch Daniels SUCKS!

This was nothing but a free transfer of taxpayers money to promote the church.
I still say that it was unconstitutional to give these plates away for free,
i still have to pay $$$ for any vanity plate i would purchase.
Make them pay up and Mitch would not have to lease the toll road for 75 years
just to buy his re-election.

Hoosiers HATE Mitch!

[trotsky]

6. PLENTY of DUers routinely bash "militant" atheists for wanting to remove the slogan from our money.

We suggest that it is a stepping stone, enabling other church-state violations.

Looks like we're right. But no doubt this shouldn't bother us, just shut up, bigger fish to fry, etc. I've heard it all before.

[investintrains]

7. that decision about God is good

am a past board member of my local ACLU...

[msongs]

13. which god? the islam god, the jewish god, the xtian god, the mormon god? the rock god? nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

15. The Great Horned God of the forests. Or maybe Cthulhu or Azathoth

God are kind of like Pokemon, aren't they?

[melm00se]

17. I don't know

can you tell by the reference to "God"?

Or could it be a universally used english word to apply to the Supreme Being of the reader's choice?

[PVnRT]

30. And for those readers who are atheists?

[Politicalboi]

19. You know Jesus's father

You know the only one we know. Because our God doesn't stink. Just unbelievable. Is this the 21st Century? Religion does NOT belong in government. Take it off our money and the pledge. Get a license plate frame and put what you want in it.

[Jokerman]

18. It wasn't about god, it was about money.

The issue at hand was whether it's OK for the state to subsidize a god fetish while making people who want a different personalized plate pay extra. Just another way for the believers to thumb their noses at the Constitution.

[IndianaGreen]

31. God is dog spelled backwards!

And Mad Dog spelled backwords is God Dam.

[BlueJazz]

8. Perhaps a lot of people in Indiana are Dyslexic. They thought the plates...

..were paying homage to their hunting companions.

[Turbineguy]

9. In God We Trust

In Republicans We Don't.

[AllentownJake]

10. Its on Currency

Its an official motto of the US government.

I wish we spent our legal resources on outher seperation of church and state issues.

[Wednesdays]

11. True, that

What this particular issue boils down to, is the stupid $15 fee. As long as they give equal time to all other traditional American slogans such as "With liberty and justice to all," I have no problem with it.

[trotsky]

20. Do you know *why* it's on our currency?

Hint: See if you can find out what year it was mandated.

[Yet_Another_Account]

12. activists judges

These judges must be some of those "activists judges" that we hear about from the religious right all the time.

[onager]

22. You mean like that liberal activist in the Newdow Pledge case?

Judge Alfred Goodwin, appointed to the 9th Circuit by that other great liberal activist, Ronald Reagan. Judge Goodwin was also a WWII veteran. In ruling against the phrase "under God" in the Pledge, Judge Goodwin noted that the Nazis he fought wore belt buckles proclaiming "God Is With Us." (Gott mit uns.)

Right here on DU I saw plenty of whining about the Newdow decision. What I never saw was anyone successfully challenge Goodwin's logic: if "under God" is in the pledge, then why not "under Allah" or "under Zeus?"

[BluePatriot21]

14. In Oil we Trust

God hates that his name is on Money.

[Joe Bacon]

16. "In God We Trust" BUT all others pay cash!

:evilgrin:

[PVnRT]

21. For once, I can say I'm glad I'm in Kentucky now

[Voltaire]

24. Motherfuckers are doing nothing but promoting Jesuinsanity

I mean Christianity. I hate this fucking state sometimes.

[IndianaGreen]

25. You know, Stalin did have a couple of endearing qualities

In addition to his opposition to the rabid nationalism that fractured Europe along ethnic and religious lines, he crushed the Religious Right in his country.

[Voltaire]

27. And I thought only his mustache was cool

I am not against anyone's religion, my wife is quite the good Christian. But I can't abide fundamentalists. And I can't abide politicians of any party that cater to them. I'm a certified heathen and I do more Golden Rule stuff in a day than any of those cretins do in their entire lives.

So if Stalin stamped out the religious zealots, I ain't gonna complain about it. I agree with him. It would be nice if they would listen to reason, but they won't. I hear the guillotine is a rather humane way to get raptured though.

[PVnRT]

26. When I got plates for my car last year in Indiana

I overhead them telling one guy at the counter that they "were out of regular plates" for his county, and offered him the Gawd plate instead. I'm wondering how often that happens.

[Jokerman]

28. My car would be plate-less.

I've heard the same story from an Indy resident.

If they said that to me I would tell them to either find a regular plate or give me written permission to have no plate until one was available.

There is no way in hell one of "those" plates will ever be attached to a car I own. If that stance costs me a single ticket or fine, I'll sue the bastards.

I noticed recently that a very non-religious friend had the gawd plates on his cars. When I asked him about it he got confused because he thought that phrase was on all Indiana plates. Seems the clerk held up two choices and he picked the gawd ones because he liked the color blue.

[caraher]

29. they definitely push them

I had to ask rather pointedly to get my "regular" plate.

I'm actually surprised they just didn't make it the standard plate (and point to the currency slogan to justify it)

[Voltaire]

32. That will be their next move

Trust me