In South Carolina, automobile license plates may be a statement of religious faith:

“…The state plans to issue plates featuring a Christian cross and the words “I Believe,” but a group advocating the separation of church and state says that goes too far.”

link: South Carolina plans license plate for Christians

If this precedent goes forward, wouldn’t other religions and faiths be entitled to state their affiliations on South Carolina license plates? Secular interests would have a strong argument that they too deserve a statement on license plates. South Carolina may have a strong argument from corporations like Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, Starbucks and so forth. If South Carolina allows a religious statement on automobile identifiers, it opens the space on millions of license plates to other interests who want to express a ‘personal message’.

Catherine Forsythe