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No, we're not talking about these plates again. Now that Blago is out of the way, the Illinois House can get back to the important business of the state like creating new specialty license plates. The plate, approved by the House yesterday, would be added to the growing number of specialty designs and feature the words "In God We Trust."
The measure received 9 "no" votes, including Democratic Representative Kevin McCarthy who said "the high number of specialty plates in Illinois makes it hard for police to read them. He added he believes they represent a hazard to law enforcers." McCarthy failed to mention the whole "separation of church and state" thing as well. Maybe that's because our neighbor Indiana instituted an "In God We Trust" license plate in 2007, which was challenged as unconstitutional but the lawsuit failed and was cast down by the Indiana Court of Appeals. We have a feeling that won't stop local atheist activist Rob Sherman from trying with his own lawsuit.
The measure still has to be approved by the Senate which ignored a similar bill last year, but if the license plates do become a reality this time we know exactly who the first person will be to request one.
Image via Illinois Library Association
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I'm originally from Indiana, and when you go to the BMV to renew your license plate they automatically would push those "In God We Trust" plates on you. Now that was a big issue between separation of Church and State.
I hope Illinois is smarter than Indiana.
I would have no objection to license plates which stated "In God I Trust", but proclaiming that "We" the people of Illinois all trust in God is a flat-out lie. Some of us don't.
Who cares? It's on our money, for Christ's sake.
The phrase only became the national motto in the 50s, in response to differentiating ourselves from those "godless communists." So not exactly a storied institution.
Right, I know that -- my point is that it's kind of ridiculous to be arguing about putting it on specialty license plates (which would be a consumer choice) when it's already in everyone's pocket.
Prescott - You're thinking about the "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance... Nevertheless, I'd rather they didn't do this, even if it is perfectly legal, constitutionally speaking.
I'm not thinking about the Pledge of Allegiance, although that was another change as a result of the McCarthy era. While the phrase was on coins dating from the 1800s, it was not made the "national motto" until United States Code 36 U.S. 302 which passed in 1956.
What's your point?
You know, I often find myself saying "Oh God" when trapped driving behind Hoosiers. The plates only reinforce it.
All of these stupid plate styles should be eliminated. If you want to support a group get a bumper sticker and make a donation. The purpose of a license plate is to ID a car, likely during an accident or crime, not express your opinion. Good luck identifying what state a car is from with the thousands of different plates issued by different states.
Can I get a specialty plate that says "Learn How to F*cking Drive, You Stupid Twat"? Because that's the solemn oath I take each day.
I am just glad we live in a county that can throw money away on things like this. Hell, i can barely afford the car that i have due to insurance and registration fees. Maybe there should be throwback plates - I miss the old Illinois plates.
When I was a kid, the plates in my home state had blue letters on a white background until about 1980, when they decided to mix it up and have white letters on a dark blue background. You could tell the state because it said the name in big white letters along the top. It was a system that made sense.
I'm glad Obama won. But enough of the idol worship already! Dude has enough on his shoulders as it is.
If this passes I'm going to demand an atheist plate!