http://www.newser.com/story/185580/athei...ss_topnews

The article says "Atheists are often treated like second-class citizens"
No doubt about that!

manowar

Saw this on patheos. No doubt it's just some crotchety old lady in the plate approvals office making those decisions. Either that or the guy who runs the plate shop at the state pen...

Suppose David Duke put a license plate on his car that read:

NGGR H8R

Would his car get torched? While you might own the car you don't own the plate. The state realizes there are assholes in the world and doesn't want to have its property used to incite those assholes towards violence.

If this atheist really wants to express her atheism....she can purchase a bumper sticker so her ability to speak is not impinged.

In my opinion the state should either allow all speech on its plates and accept the consequences thereof, or not allow its plates to be used for speech at all. Playing a guessing game of what speech is okay and what isn't is just ripe for abuse.

If I have to look at the words "in God we trust" on money I should at least be able to put Atheist on a license plate.

It might seem like a silly or small issue but when it comes to free speech and especially in terms of being able to express my Atheism in public, I believe firmly in a give no ground approach. Not an ounce.

(April 19, 2014 at 3:53 pm)Heywood Wrote: Suppose David Duke put a license plate on his car that read:

NGGR H8R

Would his car get torched? While you might own the car you don't own the plate. The state realizes there are assholes in the world and doesn't want to have its property used to incite those assholes towards violence.

If this atheist really wants to express her atheism....she can purchase a bumper sticker so her ability to speak is not impinged.

In my opinion the state should either allow all speech on its plates and accept the consequences thereof, or not allow its plates to be used for speech at all. Playing a guessing game of what speech is okay and what isn't is just ripe for abuse.

You clearly missed the point of the lawsuit, she is suing because the state would allow a religious plate(baptist) but not an atheist plate.

(April 19, 2014 at 3:53 pm)Heywood Wrote: Suppose David Duke put a license plate on his car that read:

NGGR H8R

Would his car get torched? While you might own the car you don't own the plate. The state realizes there are assholes in the world and doesn't want to have its property used to incite those assholes towards violence.

If this atheist really wants to express her atheism....she can purchase a bumper sticker so her ability to speak is not impinged.

In my opinion the state should either allow all speech on its plates and accept the consequences thereof, or not allow its plates to be used for speech at all. Playing a guessing game of what speech is okay and what isn't is just ripe for abuse.

But you can put BAPTIST
I think that's the reason she's upset.

Heywood do you think "atheist" is a bad word?

(April 19, 2014 at 7:47 pm)Losty Wrote: But you can put BAPTIST
I think that's the reason she's upset.

I understand why she is upset, but I also understand why the state would want to discriminate.

I could see the state banning the plate, "WHTEPWR" and allowing "BLCKPWR". The first is more likely to incite violence than the second.

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(April 19, 2014 at 8:20 pm)FlyingNarwhal Wrote: Heywood do you think "atheist" is a bad word?

No.

(April 19, 2014 at 9:34 pm)Heywood Wrote:

(April 19, 2014 at 7:47 pm)Losty Wrote: But you can put BAPTIST
I think that's the reason she's upset.

I understand why she is upset, but I also understand why the state would want to discriminate.

I could see the state banning the plate, "WHTEPWR" and allowing "BLCKPWR". The first is more likely to incite violence than the second.

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(April 19, 2014 at 8:20 pm)FlyingNarwhal Wrote: Heywood do you think "atheist" is a bad word?

No.

Hmm...I personally don't care why the state would want to discriminate. I just don't think they state should be allowed to discriminate.