Were Indiana to put this same motto on all standard license plates, and
not offer its citizens any choice in the matter, I think the analogy to
the currency would be perfectly apt.
But this seems different. In Indiana, there's a standard plate and
various optional plates. If you choose an optional plate to express
your support for your university, or veterans, or the national guard,
or DARE, or even "our troops," you pay an extra fee. But choose the
optional plate on which you display the government's endorsement of
God, and the government in effect gives you a subsidy for agreeing to
propagate that particular religious message.
Quoting "Volokh, Eugene" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Well, to the same extent that the motto on currency is
establishment, or the phrase "Let this be our motto, In God Is Our
Trust" in our national anthem is establishment -- which is to say, given
the courts' caselaw on this, not establishment.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jean Dudley
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 10:10 PM
To: Law & Religion issues for Law Academics
Subject: Indiana License Plates
Specialty plates cost money; But not if you want to proclaim
your religiosity on the rear bumper of your car in Indiana.
http://fauxrealtho.com/2007/03/22/in-god-indiana-trusts/
The author brings up a very good point: Indiana has a number
of specialty license plates available, but the "In God We
Trust" plates don't carry the extra fees that all the others
do. Why should those who identify with religion do so at
taxpayer's expense?
It smacks of establishment of religion, to me.
Jean Dudley
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_________________________________
Steve Sanders
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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