You Know What They Say About Guys and Cars...
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...they're compensating for some "inadequacy" --
In any case, the excuse most often put forward for "official religion" (by which, of course, is always meant "official Christianity," since there is no such thing as a practicing "Judeo-Christian" or "Islamo-Judeo-Christian") -- maneuvers such as adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance or "In God We Trust" on money or the hiring of Congressional chaplains -- is that such circumventions of the First Amendment are so "de minimus" as to fall far short of "establishment of religion."
But at some point, piling on layer after layer of "de minimus" expressions of "not quite religion" stops being de minimus and becomes "yes indeed religion." Stated differently, "Be offered an inch, then demand a yard" is not an intellectually honest political tactic. It's also not a particularly Christian approach either.
The other excuse for allowing God in the public square -- namely "tradition" -- is of course wholly inapplicable to a proposal such as this.
More:
(Via Fark.)
State Rep. Steve Hurst, D-Munford, has prefiled a bill in the Alabama House that would require most Alabama car tags to include the phrase "God Bless America."Of course, one man's "Bible Belt state" is another man's "Redneck state." Go figure.
...
Hurst said he got the idea when the saw the words "God Bless America" on a specialty prisoner of war car tag. "I thought why don't we do the same thing for all the tags in the state of Alabama. That will let all the people in America know that we are a Bible Belt state," Hurst said.
In any case, the excuse most often put forward for "official religion" (by which, of course, is always meant "official Christianity," since there is no such thing as a practicing "Judeo-Christian" or "Islamo-Judeo-Christian") -- maneuvers such as adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance or "In God We Trust" on money or the hiring of Congressional chaplains -- is that such circumventions of the First Amendment are so "de minimus" as to fall far short of "establishment of religion."
But at some point, piling on layer after layer of "de minimus" expressions of "not quite religion" stops being de minimus and becomes "yes indeed religion." Stated differently, "Be offered an inch, then demand a yard" is not an intellectually honest political tactic. It's also not a particularly Christian approach either.
The other excuse for allowing God in the public square -- namely "tradition" -- is of course wholly inapplicable to a proposal such as this.
More:
State law requires that the phrase "Heart of Dixie" be on Alabama plates. "Heart of Dixie" historically appeared at the top of plates, but was moved to the bottom of the tag when former Gov. Don Siegelman had the plates redesigned and put "Stars Fell on Alabama," also a song title, at the top. Hurst said he believes the plates could be designed so that there would be room for "God Bless America" without removing "Heart of Dixie" or "Stars Fell on Alabama."Can a law requiring "Sweet Home Alabama" to appear on license plates be far behind? In any case, one wonders how many traffic accidents will now be caused by curious out-of-staters trying to read all the gobbledygook on Alabama license plates.
(Via Fark.)
All Related Posts (on one page) | Some Related Posts:
- "One Negative Person"
- There is No "I" in "Team" ... or "Jesus"
- For Every Good Scalia Sentence......
- Harris and the "Judeo-Gotcha"
- You Know What They Say About Guys and Cars...
- From the Archives: On Roy Moore on the Motto...
- On Roy Moore on the Motto
- One Nation, Under A Generic Monotheistic Deity
- Pledge Protection Act: First Amendment Violation?
Posted by Kip on
28 November 2005
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