Did my DMV just ask me to proclaim a belief in "God" - ?

[Skip Intro]

My mom sold me her car, and I went to the DMV to get things changed into my name. During the process, the lady who helped me at the counter asked if I wanted the "In God We Trust" plate, or the "Palmetto" plate (I'm in SC). I told her the Palmetto plate. She asked me twice more, even saying, "are you sure," before finally giving me the plate I had requested. I got the strangest vibe that she was trying to "push" me into the IGWT plate. It was like she took from my decision that I rejected "God" in some way by not taking that plate, as if any of this has anything to do with my right/privilege to own and operate a vehicle. I didn't like it.

One other thing, the "Palmetto" and the IGWT plates were right there up front. I had assumed the IGWT plate was a "special" plate, like the Veterans plates or the Teacher plates - kept behind the counter, and at an additional cost, I believe. But the IGWT plates were right there, seemingly being pushed by at least one of the DMV reps.

Maybe it was just me?

[phantom power]

1. It does seem a bit creep that she'd keep asking you.

[FreedomAngel82]

3. Some people are just very aggressive

:shrug:

[phantom power]

8. I would guess it was the woman, more than "the state." But...

I still think it's creepy. It's like getting inside my personal space. I don't know if it's exactly "wrong," but I know I don't like it. It's certainly not something I'd do to other people.

[derby378]

2. Report her

If she's trying to push one plate over another for religious reasons, someone from the ACLU might need to have a little chat with her...

[Lerkfish]

4. Not just you. This weekend, driving through fast food, the woman

who took my money and gave me change said: "God Bless you".
since I had to go to the next window to keep the line moving, it didn't really register on me until a few seconds later.

I thought, "what? is a red headed clown concerned about my soul, now?"

I'm a christian, but I found that out of line.

[tridim]

9. Probably not concerned about your soul..

But concerned about your gut and the subsequent "digestion" over the next 12 hours.

[FrannyD]

19. Good point

[Lerkfish]

21. LOL! good point.

[libnnc]

12. you should have asked her

"Did I sneeze?"

[movonne]

5. You should have asked her why she was pushing the igwt plates...

[LisaLynne]

6. Eh, I don't know if it was just you.

Those of us in Indiana will soon be faced with a similar deal when they add some such declaration to our licence plates. If she asked once and you told her, there would be no problem, but in asking you repeatedly to the point that you felt uncomfortable is a problem. But, maybe she just couldn't hear. BMVs are noisy.

[Skidmore]

7. I always go with the basic unadorned plate.

[Left_Winger]

10. Howdy neighbor

I think those plates are being pushed as I seem to see them quite frequently (I work in the upstate).

There is an alternative plate because of the IGWT version. It states "In Reason We Trust". One has to be a member of a certain organization (I cannot recall the name) to obtain one though.

[Skip Intro]

13. Wow - I found it - "In Reason We Trust" plates (Secular Humanists) - link

from the Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry...

http://lowcountry.humanists.net/IRWT.html?page=why
---------------
Why did we arrange for these tags?

In South Carolina, there are many people driving cars with license tags that say "In God We Trust". However, those of us who do not believe in God, as well as some who do, think that drivers ought to be using reason while driving and not just trusting their safety to a supernatural being. For instance, a driver approaching a dangerous intersection and hearing a siren could use reason to conclude that it might be reasonable to slow down, or they could trust that God will protect them and drive on at top speed.

So, as a political statement that not all South Carolinian drivers believe in supernatural beings, to show support of the power of human reasoning (which, after all, allowed us to build cars and invent traffic lights in the first place), or just because you think it sounds cool, please consider ordering an IRWT plate for your own car!
---------------

The site tells you how to get the "In Reason We Trust" plate.

Thanks for the info, I'd never heard of thses before.

And howdy back from the lowcountry :hi:

[Stephanie]

24. Why? Can just anyone obtain the God plate?

So why do you have to prove that you belong to an organization to get the other one? There's your lawsuit.

[Left_Winger]

26. I do not know the answer to that one

I've had the same plate for almost ten years and the IGWT and IRWT have come out only recently.

[libodem]

11. Maybe it affords extra protection from Police profiling

If you trust in God and have your support the troops ribbon and a MADD ribbon you won't be stopped and made to say the Alphabet backward if it's after midnight.:eyes:

[havocmom]

16. Might not hurt to keep an eye on things like that

and also response time in case of accident. If there is a sudden problem getting people without IGWT on their plates to hospitals in a timely manner after an accident, there might just be an agenda.

[Tesha]

14. Next time, ask for the Invisible Pink Unicorn plate...

Next time, ask for the Invisible Pink Unicorn plate.
It looks just like the regular plate except that it
has a picture of the Invisible Pink Unicorn on it,
righ there in the center, overlapping your license
plate number.

Tesha

[IsItJustMe]

15. A lot of weird shit going on now days. Last christmas It seemed like

all of my Right Wing relatives made it a point to wish me a merry christmas.

This by itself would not be unusual, but this started well before christmas and in previous years they never bothered to say any damn thing to me.

It was just strange. I just figured they were listening to Rush and O'liely because these two idiots seem to have made a big production out of it.

Strange days indeed, mighty peculiar mama.

[Bucky]

17. Or would you *wink, wink* prefer to have the "In case of rapture" warning?

I would like to request getting the state license plate design that features a Jesus fish mowing down a Darwin fish with an Uzi. Can I have one of those please, or are you all out?

[Nikki Stone 1]

18. REPORT HER................Then you'll find out how far up it goes

If they fire or reprimand her, you'll know it's one flaky fundie.

If they do nothing.....

[yellowcanine]

20. You should have asked her if there were a Gaia plate available, just

to freak her out.

[Tulum_Moon]

23. It is getting worse.

I am seeing "Choose Life" plates all over the place.

[Hobarticus]

22. It's a sales pitch...they make more money off the God plates

Pretty sad, once you think about it.

[BeerIsClear]

25. They can't

Says so in our Constitution -

"the church is separated from the state, and the school from the church"

[LeaveIraqNow]

27. Its not supporting a church.

Its just allowing them to express a belief in god if they choose to, I don't believe anyone is forced to have a IGWT plate. I fail to see what the big deal is here, its not even specifying any specific god so it could over any religion.

[Rob H.]

28. Here in TN there's an "In God We Trust" plate

The plate is actually supposed to help support the American Eagle Foundation and the preservation of the American Bald Eagle's habitat. They could've done without the "In God We Trust," though, imho. (Why not just "Helping the American Bald Eagle"?)

Here it is, complete with stuporpatriot color scheme: