park
I'm actually surprised it took this long. The group Americans United for Separation of Church and State has filed a lawsuit against the state of South Carolina over the religious-themed "I Believe" license plates. The suit was filed on behalf of several religious leaders, including "two Christian pastors, a humanist pastor and a rabbi in South Carolina, along with the Hindu American Foundation".
Rev. Barry Lynn, of Americans United, said the suit was filed because South Carolina's government is endorsing one religion, and that AU "would not have opposed the "I Believe" plates had they been advocated by private groups". In South Carolina, the law permits private organizations to create their own custom plates. All that is required is a deposit of $4,000, or 400 prepaid orders. What this means is that if, for example, the Really Big Church Coalition of South Carolina wanted to get the "I Believe" plates, as long as 400 of their members ponied up the cost of the plates, in advance, they could have gone ahead and placed an order with the Department of Motor Vehicles -- no endorsement needed at all by the state government.
Instead, a few legislators decided get this bill passed, and now South Carolina is going to have to spend taxpayer money defending themselves against a lawsuit that could have been prevented, had they just followed their own rules in the first place.
South @ MindSay 
[ South Slideshow | Browse Tags ]
"I Believe" license plate controversy
What do you all think, fair, or not? Is it ok for a state to show preference for one belief over another, or is this not the question in this instance?Does the state allow other 'religious' expressions on their license plates, if so, then this lawsuit is out of line, if not, then there is an issue here that needs to be addressed. Another point on this is the reaction of supposed 'Christians' towards those who filed the lawsuit, it would seem to me that they are showing their true colors.
blessings.
Group Files Suit Over SC License Plates
Sunday June 22, 2008
License Plate Lawsuit Brings More Arguing
Saturday July 5, 2008
Here's a follow-up to last month's post on the South Carolina "I Believe" lawsuit. The Columbia Free Times says that the plaintiffs in the suit have been on the receiving end of some especially nasty mail. Reverend Neal Jones of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbia is one of several plaintiffs in the suit filed by Americans United for Church and State, and told the Free Times that "since the lawsuit was filed, [letters have been received] saying “go to hell” and accusing the group’s director of being the antichrist". Jones says that by filing the suit, he and the plaintiffs aren't trying to prevent Christians from voicing their opinions in South Carolina. Instead, they've filed the suit because they believe "the government should stay neutral because by pushing an issue like this, it seems like religious bullying".
Hi, my name is Kristin and i'm from Aiken, SC.
This is the type of people I lived around: http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/ga-man-tries-to-deposit-fake-1m-bill/20071128094109990001
Sometimes....
Sometimes, when driving north, I have to resist the urge to drive to Wyoming. No reason. I don't have friends or family there. There's not (as far as I know) a kick ass thrift store up there. But the urge is there.
I don't have this urge driving south.
I guess New Mexico just isn't that exciting to my head...
I don't have this urge driving south.
I guess New Mexico just isn't that exciting to my head...
Lakota withdraw from treaties, declare independence from U.S.
I am posting this on my blog and suggested it to the news also. Last time I suggested a pretty important news bit, it got over ruled and something about the catchest catch phrase was put in place. Since Mindsay doesn't like putting important news up on their homepage this is going on my blog also!
Lakota withdraw from treaties, declare independence from U.S.
The Lakota Sioux Indians, whose ancestors include Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and Crazy Horse, have withdrawn from all treaties their forefathers signed with the U.S. government and have declared their independence. A delegation delivered the news to the State Department earlier this week.
Portions of Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming comprise Lakota country, and the tribe says that if the federal government doesn't begin diplomatic discussions promptly, liens will be filed on property in the five-state region. Here's the news release.
"We are no longer citizens of the United States of America and all those who live in the five-state area that encompasses our country are free to join us," said Russell Means, a longtime Indian rights activist. "This is according to the laws of the United States, specifically Article 6 of the Constitution," which states that treaties are the supreme law of the land.
"It is also within the laws on treaties passed at the Vienna Convention and put into effect by the U.S. and the rest of the international community in 1980. We are legally within our rights to be free and independent," he added during a press conference yesterday in Washington.
The new country would issue its own passports and driver licenses, and living there would be tax-free, provided residents renounce their U.S. citizenship, he said, according to a report from Agence France-Presse.
The Lakota say the United States has never honored the pacts, signed with the Great Sioux Nation in 1851 and 1868 at Fort Laramie, Wyo.
"We have 33 treaties with the United States that they have not lived by. They continue to take our land, our water, our children," said Phyllis Young, who helped organize the first international conference on indigenous rights in Geneva in 1977.
Means said the "annexation" of native American land had turned the Lakota into "facsimiles of white people."
In 1974, the Lakota drafted a declaration of continuing independence. Their cause got a boost in September, when the United Nations adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. The Bush administration opposed the measure.
(1855 portrait of Sitting Bull by David Frances Barry, Library of Congress)
OMG, I'm famous!!!
okay, so i'm a member of the aiken, sc ron paul meetup group (newly). i joined after a fellow ron paul supporter came through my line at work. then today, through the mailings tht come through the meetup group...i found this email:
Yesterday, the family and I had to head out to do some shopping at the Kroger in Aiken. Being the Ron Paul supporter that I am, I donned my sporty Ron Paul t-shirt for the trip. After filling up the cart and fulfilling certain traditions (like walking a mile back to where we started for that forgotten item and saying no a thousand times to pleading children), it was time to check out.
As I approached the cashier, she said, “I like your shirt.”
Stunned, I humbly thanked her and we started up an enjoyable conversation about the campaign. Amidst the scanner beeps, I discovered that she was a student at Clemson who had returned home for a few days. We both lamented the missed opportunity to see Dr. Paul in his latest trip to the Palmetto State.
While advising her to join a meetup group, another voice was calling from somewhere. I finally found the source and made eye contact. It was the cashier from the next aisle over trying to get my attention. “That’s a great shirt!” he exclaimed, “Where did you get it?”
“Cafepress dot com.” I answered. And as I looked around, it seemed that all activity had stopped. Other cashiers and baggers were looking on from their respective aisles. I heard a gentleman say, “He’s the only one for president.” The people in line were turning to see as to why they were presently not being attended. Time stopped for the briefest moment at the checkout lines of Kroger as everyone, it seemed, was staring at the two first names adorning my t-shirt: Ron Paul.
Patty and I exchanged a look of cheerful amazement as things snapped back into normalcy. When the cashier pleasantly handed me my receipt, I looked around again to see several discussions taking place between workers and shoppers. No doubt the conversational air had now switched to politics.
As we buckled up in the car, I turned to Patty and asked, “Did that really just happen?”
“Yes, it really did.” she replied.
When people ask me about Aiken, I’m quick to shower them with its wonderful attributes: friendly people, parkways, horses, playgrounds, gardens and shops. Now, better still, it’s a place where freedom is popular.
I left out the author's name, bc I don't wanna start anything. But halfway through I realized, wtf...that's me!! LOL, Well, needless to say it was a priceless moment!!! OMG, i'm still breathless off of that. It means ALOT to me, that I "sparked" all that!!
Showing 1 - 5. [ Next ]
Quick Links
Latest Comment
Re: An American Fairy Tale - *pulls covers over her head*
| Terms of Service
| Privacy Policy