Americans United for the Separation of Church and State sued South Carolina officials Thursday over plans to produce a license plate that states “I Believe” and includes a cross superimposed over a stained glass window.
“The special preference shown for Christianity via the General Assembly’s approval of the “I Believe” license plate not only improperly advances and endorses religion, but also discriminates against citizens of other faiths because it fails to provide a comparable expressive outlet,” the suit charges.
It was filed on behalf of four South Carolina clergy – a rabbi, a Unitarian Universalist, a United Methodist and a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – and the Hindu American Foundation. They object to the plate because they feel it will be a form of “theological bullying” of religious minorities and treat them as “second-class citizens,” the suit states.
“I can’t think of a more flagrant violation of the First Amendment’s promise of equal treatment for all faiths,” said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United, in his group’s announcement of the suit.
(The photo shows a license plate that was rejected in Florida in April but the South Carolina plate would have a similar look.)
