Jay Bookman

By jasper

June 6, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

What’s the difference. People put little fish all over their cars. And what about the College logos. That says more about a person’s religion than anything else. And besides, it generates revenue for the state goverment. Render unto Ceasar……

By LA

June 6, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this

Amen to brother Bookman!

By Taxpayer

June 6, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

Well,

I cannot say that I’m shocked or awed. After all, if there’s a buck to be made, we certainly have folks out there ready to capitalize on whatever. We may as well let the government use religion to sell license plates. After all, there’s no shortage of politicians willing to use religion for any other need. Let’s face it. We need to just go ahead and eliminate all tax exemptions associated with religion and get it over with for there is no separation of church and state.

By hillbilly ragger

June 6, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

As I’m so fond of noting—if Jesus comes back to Earth, you really think the first thing He’s going to want to see are a bunch of crosses?

By gttim

June 6, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

Funny, religious folks always complain about gays and atheists “shoving their beliefs in our faces,” when it is they religious who keep trying to shove their beliefs into our faces and into our government.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” [Matthew 6:5-6]

By Demetria

June 6, 2008 3:55 PM | Link to this

What’s the difference? Well, the separation of church and state that’s the difference. Even the Bible says to pray softly, nothing about in your face “my way or no way”. I suspect those that want this are the Bible thumpers, the people who never bother to actually OPEN itQ

By RightyTighty

June 6, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

The government should not be promoting religion. It can only screw that up too..

By James

June 6, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

Ah, but Jesus also said not to hide your light by putting it under a bushel but to let it shine ! This is a clear free speech issue.

Two major points:

First - Jefferson (who had nothing to do with the writing of the Constitution as he was the ambassador to France at the time) only objected (correctly) to a state sponsored religion (i.e., a state church as England had) not a state free of religion and that is the only intent of his letter to the Danbury, Virginia Baptists - look it up.

Second - I refer you to Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution. “If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law …….”. Ah! Sunday is excepted as a day of deliberation as Congress did not want the president to have to work on the “Christian Sunday” !

Hummm ………. Could I have that phrase from the Constitution on my license plate ?????

By Taxpayer

June 6, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this

We should just allow a free for all. Write out whatever you want and send it in and let the government figure out how much they want to charge for that particular license plate. Let us not forget stamps also. I like the idea of designer stamps such as paying the postal service to issue a series with your image on the stamp. We just need to get very creative with ways to make up this massive deficit. A fed lottery would be a good next step as well.

By Fred

June 6, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this

As long as someone wants to pay for it, let the government collect the revenue. I also think that if you have more than one accident where you are at fault, you should have to use a bright red “sh*tty driver” tag.

By Thor

June 6, 2008 5:12 PM | Link to this

No. No Jesus tags. This is only in the South and it shouldn’t be allowed.

It’s silly. No.

By al

June 6, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this

WHO CARES??? Stupid blog!!! Is this all you can come up with Jay? Must be a slow newsday.

By Abomi Nation

June 6, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this

A clear free speech issue?

Well then I want one that says “I believe” with a picture of the devil above it. Maybe they could offer an “I’m Gay” license plate with a picture of two men kissing above it for gays.

No, that would never happen. Thats why it should not be allowed because it does become government promoting a religion.

It actually becomes a very clear case of stifling free speech when other plates are not offered.

Free speech issue, indeed!

By JayRetard

June 6, 2008 6:28 PM | Link to this

Jay, Way to take a Bible verse out of context. Jesus was talking about praying and you somehow link that to a license plate. You are a sad sad person. I’ve yet to see a blog where you say anything positive about anything instead of tearing others down. If you don’t like then go call the congressman and complain. Last time I checked we still have freedom of religion. You sound more and more like a communist with every article you write.

By AJCsucks

June 6, 2008 6:32 PM | Link to this

Jay Bookman, What Bible reading days? Aren’t you Jewish? I think I’m going to call my congressman and have you banned from writing ridiculous articles like this one. As for all the other people writing against these license plates. By all means, go put whatever you want to put on yours. I could care less. But this issue is nothing but Christian hate mongering.

By AL

June 6, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this

HOLY CRAP!!! I’m right now this moment agreeing with Bookman. No way! Even though they’re not government issued. They’re government sold. However, if you can salute the wildlife. Don’t you also have the right to salute your faith? Stupidity can’t be regulated.

By GOPs got to go

June 6, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this

OH boy you have really done it now dude. Mocking the rightous? Oh how dare you Bookman. Now you will surely be left behind with the bugs and pustules.

Hey AJC sucks.. Ah, Jesus was Jewish, the first half of the bible is Jewish. If you want to see real hate mongering join your brothers at Jim’s house a*****.

By AJCsucks

June 6, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this

GOPs got to go, The Torah is made up of the first FIVE books and not the entire Old Testament. Don’t you have coffee to serve?

By jhavard

June 6, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

WOW, at a time of 4 dollar a gallon gas, the design of a license plate gets the news. Just looked at a 2008 election survey of what issues matter the most to you. The price of fuel some how wasn’t on the list. Fuel prices are the one thing that effects basically every aspect of our lives. Technology in music, has taken us from records to IPODS. In communications, we’ve gone from party line phones to blackberries. With all the technological advances I’ve seen in the last 50 years, somehow the auto mobile combustion engine has remand a dinosaur. I can get any tricked out option I desire on my car except gas mileage. Same old gas, same old mileage. The technology is there. The oil and auto industry lobbyist, along with our elected officials in DC won’t allow it to reach us. That might derail their money train. Now thats INCREDIBLE

By CHARLIE BOY

June 6, 2008 7:22 PM | Link to this

Thomas Jefferson was a Christian and he never wrote anything about not having a Christian license plate. Furthermore, there is nothing about separation of church and state in the US Constitution. That is just urban legend created by atheist democrats to help further their cause of partnership with satan. Jay, go down to a abortion clinic and watch a few babies be murdered - that should cheer you up.

By CHARLIE BOY

June 6, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this

Thomas Jefferson was a Christian and he never wrote anything about not having a Christian license plate. Furthermore, there is nothing about separation of church and state in the US Constitution. That is just urban legend created by atheist democrats to help further their cause of partnership with satan. Jay, go down to a abortion clinic and watch a few babies be murdered - that should cheer you up.

By Jeff

June 6, 2008 7:48 PM | Link to this

Shouldn’t Christians have the same invaluable right of “freedom of choice” as others. The plates with flowers, teachers, wildlife, etc have become the “religion” of some.

By Jeff

June 6, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this

Sep of church & state is a stupid argument against this. If no one ever bought it, thus no one ever seeing it, how could the gov be promoting religion?

By Jeff

June 6, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this

Can you imagine the amount of gov revenue that could be generated from this? Isn’t increased gov revenue the “holy grail” of you christian haters/dems/leftists? That money could be spent on “the children”!

By sane jane

June 6, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this

Thomas Jefferson was deeply critical of Christianity.

Anybody who states otherwise puts their utter ignorance of the man on display.

By sane jane

June 6, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this

I honestly don’t care about the church/state issue here, either.

It’s a money grab, just like everything else.

But the act itself is unsavory on the part of the OWNER. What about humility? When did “letting your light” shine morph into bragging & showing off alleged virtuousness?

It’s just tacky. Unbecoming. And not particularly Christlike.

By Cop Talk

June 6, 2008 8:38 PM | Link to this

Religious License Plates. SO when a cop runs your plates…..Hey, dont they make plates in prison…..So a personalized license plate is now a zen thing……How about a wildlife plate that shows someone sacrificing a goat……

I cannot find a joke for this religious license plate bit.

Anyone?

By jhavard

June 6, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

hey cop talk, how about a plate that says, 4 DOLLAR GAS, WHERE IS PETER WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

By Abomi Nation

June 6, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this

My personalized Jesus plates will say “IBRAKE4JESUS” or if thats too many letters how about “IBRAKE4X”.

On second thought I wouldn’t want to take “Christ” out of my Jesus license plates. Its bad enough when we take the Christ of of Christmas with that tacky “x-mas.” I wouldn’t want to start another war, like the war on Christmas.

And what if your Jesus plate number was something like FPR 666. Wouldn’t that cancel out the cross? Probably end up killing the owner in a car crash.

By SUBURBAN OVERLORD

June 6, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

Bookster, even though you are a still a Commie, you have been much more right than wrong as of late.

Reading you quoting the Bible has caused hundreds of smelly Buddy-Holly-glasses-wearin’ Midtown hipsters to spit hot coffee on their laptops and their deluxe hardcopy edition of Richard Dawkins’ “The God Delusion.”

I believe a very senior (and privately very potty-mouthed) state official would have been thrown out of the Temple along with the other hypocrites for a public “prayin’ for the rain” stage show. This bible verse was made for you know who…

By Callie369

June 6, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this

I hope this spreads across the country. I would love to have one of the plates.

Atheists can just stay with a plain plate. No one is forcing them to get one.

They should expand it to other religions. It’s just an EXPRESSION of our religious belief, not the government forcing religion on anyone. No one is saying you have to buy one.

I suppose next, the atheists will want churches changed so they don’t look like churches. They must be offensive to their eyes.

Maybe they will file a suit to stop ministers/priests from wearing cleric collars or stop nuns from wearing habits…too offensive to look at.

Maybe I should have the cross removed from my husbands tombstone. It might offend someone going through the cemetery.

How much more ridiculous can people get?

By Cop Talk

June 6, 2008 10:38 PM | Link to this

Yes! I liked your jokes!

A license plate of a waffle with the image of mary on it? a tortilla with the face of jesus on it?

I was trying to work in, “I crossed the popemobile with the circumsized oscar meyer weinermobile and got a Hebrew National Weinermobile”, but it’s just not there. Or maybe the Popemobile has a secular license plate, but so what? See? I cannot find a confounded license plate religious joke.

I give up.

By Robert

June 6, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this

Given the fact that there are so many specialty plates now, who cares that there’s yet another new one that indicates what a moron you are? If that’s a problem, states could go with an a white metal plate with the vehicle’s VIN and a place to affix an expiration sticker. You then have the rest of your car to express yourself as you see fit while the rest of us make fun of you in our cars!

By sane jane

June 6, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this

Callie has issues.

By ron

June 7, 2008 3:55 AM | Link to this

A christian themed license plate saying “I Believe” is extremely close to a government sponsoring a religion.

Christians are a lot like gays,they’re not happy unless they blow their horn to let people know they’re around.What’s with you people anyway?Infreriority complex?

By Larry

June 7, 2008 5:14 AM | Link to this

Based on his stated position, Governor Sanford made the correct decision.

His personal views on the proper way to practice a religion should not influence any decision he makes as an elected official.

By WFC

June 7, 2008 6:44 AM | Link to this

I’m OK with people having religion plates as long as I’m free to have one stating: “God’s a Joke.” Freedom rules!

By WFC

June 7, 2008 6:44 AM | Link to this

I’m OK with people having religion plates as long as I’m free to have one stating: “God’s a Joke.” Freedom rules!

By GOPs got to go

June 7, 2008 6:55 AM | Link to this

Yes consider yourselves sincerely rightous, you can join “ASSMAN”, “BLOWME” “WANT2RAC”,

BLAH,BLAH,BLAH…..

Was’nt Pride one of the deadly sins?

By GOPs got to go

June 7, 2008 6:58 AM | Link to this

AJC SUX,

Please bring my next patient in to room 2.

By NarrowMinds=SmallHearts

June 7, 2008 8:21 AM | Link to this

As long as I can have one saying, “I believe…he’s a myth.” I fine with it.

By Mallory

June 7, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

Tacky but not unprecedented. Taxpayers pay extra for prestige tags. The government doesn’t pay squat for anything.

The atheist out in Pennsylvania paid for a huge billboard promoting a self-help group. If they don’t believe what are they going to discuss?

Prestige tags is my guess.

By NarrowMinds=SmallHearts

June 7, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this

Isn’t “vanity” supposedly one of the devil’s favorite sins? Oh, the irony. ;)

By Road Scholar

June 7, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this

As long as the righteous are held to the Christian standard, this is fine. No more speeding, illegal lane changes, cutting off drivers, etc. Aren’t they suppose to follow the rules better that us common people/sinners? Then the state troopers can feast on their illegal manuvers…just think of the ticket revenues!

Well, as long as other religions are represented by plates, then this would be OK. The plate will need to represent other religions also, ie:

Jewish: Oie Vae!

Muslin: Allah is good!

Aetheists: Who? Nah!

By David B.

June 7, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

Oh, well, no different than the bumper stickers saying, “My other car is a broom..” At least we’ll know who the superstitious nuts are on the road, so we can steer clear of them.

By GOPs got to go

June 7, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this

Say Amen Brothers!!! Great point Road Scholar. The hypocrites will be out there for all to see, always trying to shove their way to the front of the line in turn lanes, speeding like an archangel out of hell, cutting off their neighbors, trying to hit bikers just because they can. How the true behaviors will show the masses the truth about their everlasting souls. Can I get a witness?

By CT Woman

June 7, 2008 9:59 PM | Link to this

Let’s remember that we really live in a secular society. Gov’t issued Christian license plates violate the US constitution as does ‘In God We Trust’ on our currency and ‘under God’in the Pledge of Allegiance. The following words are not mine, but they cover the issue quite well:

According to Isaac Kramnick, a professor of government at Cornell University, America was founded as a secular state—completely neutral towards all forms of religious expression.

“In 1787,” Kramnick writes, “when the framers excluded all mention of God from the Constitution, they were widely denounced as immoral and the document was denounced as godless, which is precisely what it is.”

Opponents of the Constitution challenged ratifying conventions in nearly every state, calling attention to Article VI, Section 3: “No religious test shall be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

An anti-federalist in North Carolina wrote: “The exclusion of religious tests is by many thought dangerous and impolitic. Pagans, Deists and Mohammedans might obtain office among us.” Amos Singletary of Massachusetts, one of the most outspoken critics of the Constitution, said that he “hoped to see Christians (in power), yet by the Constitution, a papist or an infidel was as eligible as they.”

The United States Constitution is a completely secular political document. It begins “We the people,” and contains no mention of “God,” “Jesus,” or “Christianity.” Its only references to religion are exclusionary, such as, “no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust.” (Article VI), and “Congress shall make no laws respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (First Amendment).

The presidential oath of office, the only oath detailed in the Constitution does not contain the phrase “so help me God” or any requirement to swear on a Bible (Article II, Section 1). In 1797, America made a treaty with Tripoli, declaring that “the government of the United States is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.” This reassurance to Islam was written under Washington’s presidency and approved by the Senate under John Adams.

The first colony of English-speaking Europeans was Jamestown, settled in 1609 for trade, not religious freedom. Fewer than half of the 102 Mayflower passengers in 1620 were “Pilgrims” seeking religious freedom. The secular United States of America was formed more than 150 years later.

The words “under God,” did not appear in the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954, when Congress, under McCarthyism, inserted them. Similarly, “In God we Trust” was absent from paper currency before 1956, though it did appear on some coins. The original U.S. motto, written by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, is E Pluribus Unum (“Of Many, One”), celebrating plurality and diversity.

American law is not based on the Bible or the Ten Commandments. The first four Commandments in the Old Testament are religious edicts having nothing to do with law or ethical behavior. Only three (homicide, theft, and perjury) are relevant to American law, and have existed in cultures long before Moses. If Americans honored the commandment against “coveting,” free enterprise would collapse! The Supreme Court has ruled that posting the Ten Commandments in public schools is unconstitutional.

So, put all the crosses and fishes and whatever you want on your bumpers. Just don’t expect the gov’t to issue it on your license plate.

By Mark

June 8, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

All of you ignorant lemmings need to keep your voodoo at church, or at home. You are merely showing off how illiterate you actually are.

By Mother of Exiles

June 8, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

blacks, hispanics and women have been systematically disenfranchised for centuries in this country. Justice would reverse that.

CNN just reported that Big Brown has been shot by his owners, not for being lame, but for being lame. Let this be a warning to all horses: this is your fate for being a poosie.

By Marks Mother

July 8, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

If the government charges extra for the plates, and a person wants it, why not?

Vanity? I don’t think so. People just love spending money.

I love the idea. Perhaps, people will drive safer and be more courteous.

As long as I don’t have to pay for “YOUR” tag, or feed you because you wanted a “TAG” over feeding your children, I’m o.k with it.