I have such a complicated reaction to this license plate. On the one hand, I understand that access to one's religion is a fundamental right. On the other, I am soooo uncomfortable with a state produced license plate bearing a religious symbol. The separation of church and state in the United States keeps dwindling and dwindling and when do citizens say enough is enough? Why do tax dollars go to support Christian themed projects? I already have enough issues with crisis pregnancy centers which operate as health centers even though no one is legally required to have any type of medical training whatsoever. The leaching between religion and state business has been intense in recent decades and this is just another example of how many religious messages are intertwined in the public sphere.
2 comments:
I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one offended by the hanging nuts. Of course those are fine but a license plate that reads "beastfed" is means for someone to complain to the DMV. (Because don't you know that breasts are only meant to be seen if they are being displayed for men's viewing pleasure.)
As for the separation of Church & State...what about dry counties. I was told recently, when I tried to buy a bottle of wine before 2pm on Sunday that it was no longer allowed. (Clay County, Florida.) I so resent someone pushing their religious morals across on me!
I have never seen the brestfed license plates--male privilege strikes again!
One of the first religious freedoms cases here in Canada after the advent of the Charter (a document akin to the U.S.'s Bill of Rights...but proclaimed as recently as 1982) concerned 'The Lord's Day' law which barred stores from opening on Sunday. In the decision, the Supreme Court noted religious freedoms must be protected but only so long as they do not infringe on individual freedoms.
This is still the tenant of our religious freedom laws and I think it strikes a good balance.
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