...and the angels rejoice.
Speaking as a former resident of Alabama who has not one but three religious bumper stickers on her minivan (Constitutional guarantee of free speech), I'm actually surprised a district judge protected South Carolina taxpayers from paying for a religious license plate (Constitutional separation of Church and State).
From our friends at Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, who filed the lawsuit, natch:
A federal judge today ruled that the state of South Carolina may not issue a special “Christian” license plate featuring a cross, a stained-glass window and the words “I Believe.”
“The ‘I Believe’ license plate is a clear example of government favoritism toward one religion,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “The court drove home an important point: South Carolina officials have no business meddling in religious matters.”
U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie today issued a preliminary injunction forbidding the state to issue or manufacture the plates. She also ordered the state to inform people who requested the plates that they will not be available and to remove information about the plates from the state Web site.
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