Flori-Duh Tax Dollars at Work
13 April 2008 by Bob
Lawmaker wants ‘I believe’ license plates
Rep. Ed Bullard, a Miami Democrat and a sponsor of the license plate, conceded that ‘’some people” may find something wrong with it, but he said it was a license plate for those people who may want something other than a plate that has a manatee or picture of the Challenger space shuttle. ”That segment is a large segment of the population that can now get a tag that they like and express their beliefs,” said Bullard. Sen. Mike Fasano, a New Port Richey Republican who is sponsoring a measure that would create four different plates, including a ”In God We Trust” plate, said he saw no problem with letting motorists decide if they want to pay the $25 extra for the ”I Believe” plate. ”That’s that the option of every driver who owns a vehicle,” said Fasano. “They can decide if they want to have a license plate with a cross in front of a stained-glass window. It’s not different from choosing a Choose Life license plate or a manatee license pate or a Florida State University or University of Florida license plate.” Florida has dozens of license plates that include images of sports teams, animals, wildflowers. The Republican-led Legislature in 1999 also authorized a license plate with the words ”Choose Life” on it that drew lawsuits from groups that said the plate conveyed a religious message. The extra money earned from the sale of the ”I Believe” license plate would go to an Orlando based non profit called Faith in Teaching Inc. that says on its website that money from the plates would be used for grants to “continue faith based education for the youth of Florida.”
So, just to be clear: people are paying extra money through a state-funded system to get a state-funded and state-represented license plate on their cars, the symbol of which could quite easily be represented through other means, i.e., license plate frames, bumper stickers, magnets, decals, and so on.
How nice.
My father-in-law often used to quote an old saying when he was alive:
“There are two things that people should never see being made. The first are sausages. The second are laws.”
Granted, the quote isn’t exact, but it still worked for me.
13 April 2008, on 3:52 pm
I’m guessing the great state of floor-duh is not going to be providing the option of a corresponding FSM plate. Do you suppose the state’s faithful would be tolerant of such a plate? Hell, how about an “I believe” plate with an image of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in place of the stained glass window. I imagine many would be up in arms and would still fail to understand why the xtian plate is problematic.
Ah, juicy irony–you are particularly delicious in Floor-duh.
For those on the other side of the country, if you didn’t already know this, I was asked to sign a petition to put a referendum on the ballot making gay marriage unconstitutional in CA. I refused to sign, of course. I was surprised to find out this was even being considered in this state. I imagine that this will get a foot-hold in the central valley of CA, but likely will not gain ground anywhere else. (I hope) such a measure would be D.O.A. But I suppose we can never discount religiously fueled fucktardery, even in CA.
13 April 2008, on 4:25 pm
This is typical of the Florida mindset. You could take the combined IQs of the state legislators, stuff the total into a flea’s jockstrap, and have room left over for Christian love. The plate concept is unacceptable, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be approved. The only consolation: unless you live here you can’t believe the profusion of ego plate designs and messages. (I’m still trying to get my suggestion accepted: Stop Continental Drift.”) “I Believe” would be lost in the confusion.
13 April 2008, on 5:19 pm
Am I naive to assume that as a program implemented by a secular state government, FL residents will also have the option of getting that nifty, “All Religions Are Fairy Tales” bulletin-board scaled down and printed around their license number?
That’s what I thought.
13 April 2008, on 6:24 pm
Hey, while he’s at it, maybe this moron can sponsor a bill that allows anyone who buys this plate to get a tax credit for mileage and gas spent on driving to and from church! And school, if the kids go to Christian schools! Oh, and anywhere else, they fucking drive, as long as they’re praying in the car at the time!
Isn’t there some real legislation to work on in Florida?
13 April 2008, on 11:42 pm
Wonder how they would react to the Serrano, “Piss Christ” on a license plate?
14 April 2008, on 12:09 am
^ I made mention or Serrano’s piece on that post about the Jebus fishes. I suggested a bumpersticker, but I like your idea of a license plate much better democommie! If I lived in Floor-duh, I would seriously make this suggestion to my legislator.
14 April 2008, on 4:40 am
Remeber six years ago Florida tried to ban an
atheist plate. http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheist6.htm
Also another Florida attempt to dumb down their
children.
http://www.atheists.org/nogodblog/index.php/2008/04/10/sun_fries_brain_cells_in_florida_origin_?blog=2&c=1&page=1&more=1&title=sun_fries_brain_cells_in_florida_origin_&tb=1&pb=1&disp=single
14 April 2008, on 7:46 am
I believe…..that Florida is retarded.
14 April 2008, on 10:22 am
This part was mentioned in the Miami Herald
”
The extra money earned from the sale of the ”I Believe” license plate would go to an Orlando based non profit called Faith in Teaching Inc. that says on its website that money from the plates would be used for grants to “continue faith based education for the youth of Florida.””
14 April 2008, on 10:29 am
The extra money earned from the sale of the ‘’I Believe’’ license plate would go to an Orlando based non profit called Faith in Teaching Inc. that says on its website that money from the plates would be used for grants to “continue faith based education for the youth of Florida.’’”
That’s crap. Faith in teaching is what mythology temples are for, schools should be “facts in teaching” not “faith”.
14 April 2008, on 11:10 am
Faith-based education. Considering that faith is belief without evidence, that phrase is a classic oxymoron.
“Teacher, I believe I should get an A on this science test. I know there is no evidence for what I wrote, and scientists have given evidence that what I believe is not true, I still think I should get an A for just believing it”.
“Why yes Johnny, since you believe, the A is yours. You’ve demonstrated quite clearly he nature of creation science. Believing something despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary is what a good education is all about. Good job.”
Thus sayth the Lard.
14 April 2008, on 11:34 am
Well, to be quite fair, there are some freethinkers living here in Florida *coughs self-consciously.* Otherwise - yeah, much fucktardery is seen *sighs*…
14 April 2008, on 12:11 pm
Eve, maybe you and Carl Hiasson (sp?) should move, before you get smothered by the weight of teh stoopid. On your way out, flip my F-I-L the bird for me, will ya? I’m not certain he’s a bleever, but he’s a royal arse!
14 April 2008, on 12:40 pm
If I see a car bearing one of those plates parked up here in NY, I am going to deflate the air out of the tires.
What a bunch of crap.
Seriously, all you have to do to scare these fundie politicians is tell them that the state will then be obligated to provide license plates with Muslim symbols too.
14 April 2008, on 3:39 pm
With all of the Voodoo and Santeria practitioners in Miami-Dade it could get dicey. License plates with dismembered chickens and the walking dead–too cool.
14 April 2008, on 6:30 pm
Yes, and when are they going to dismantle that Kosher kitchen in the White House?
14 April 2008, on 7:35 pm
I wonder how they’d feel if someone started a movement to get a crescent above I Believe on a plate, or maybe a pentagram, or whatever the symbol(s) of Hinduism or Buddhism are.
Would they say sure or would they do what xians always seem to do and throw a temper tantrum?
15 April 2008, on 2:40 pm
Karen, don’t think I haven’t seriously thought about moving; I’m putting out feelers in different directions because I’m also considering a possible career change as well.
Also, if money weren’t so tight right now, I’d take up one of y’all’s suggestions of a voodoo, santeria, Wicca, or FSM license plate. I mean, “faith-based education” doesn’t specify the “faith,” does it?