[Southsider2k12]

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/17999573/detail.html#-

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Court of Appeals issued a ruling Monday that affirmed Indiana's "In God We Trust" plates are constitutional.

The appeals court upheld an earlier trial court judgment against the ACLU of Indiana, which claimed that motorists who ask for God plates get special treatment because they don't have to pay a $15 administrative fee charged for specialty plates.

In its decision, the appeals court affirmed that Indiana offers two alternatives to standard license plates and that the fee structure for those plates is "uniformly applicable to all similarly situated license plates."

Indiana also offers specialty license plates for organizations, which requires the $15 administrative fee, under state statute.

The court ruled that the "In God We Trust" plate, along with another, "Lincoln's Boyhood Home," are simply alternatives to the standard plate and that the fact that motorists who choose them aren't subject to the additional fee is not arbitrary.

"The display of our material motto, 'In God We Trust,' on state license plates has found deep support among our fellow citizens," said Attorney General Steve Carter in a statement released Monday. “So often when there is a reference to a supreme being in the public arena, objections are made. With the court’s ruling, those objections have failed and the Legislature's will has been sustained."

The plates were first made available in January 2007.

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[Roger Kaputnik]

The ACLU would have won if the money collected for the plates or any part of the money from the plates actually went to a church like the plates for other organizations.

This claim of damage to the constitution was too thin.

[Dave]

I'd bet money that the ACLU is going to appeal. Don't think this is going to have a final determination at the first appellate level. I'd be pretty surprised if this didn't end up getting appealed to the SCOTUS, though I have to say I'd be surprised, given the current makeup of that court, that the ACLU is going to prevail there either.

Personally, I've been considering getting a personalized license plate. One of these:



personalized like this:

[Roger Kaputnik]

"Cattle Hell Who"??????

[ANH27]

Wow - "Seat Hal Who"? ... maybe.....

[Roger Kaputnik]

I got it! It is Cathy Loo Who, Cindy Loo Who's cousin.

[Dave]

Gee, none of you've read any Lovecraft?

Cthulhu.

[ANH27]

Gee, none of you've read any Lovecraft?

Cthulhu.

OH!
Okay.
Wait....
Still don't get it....

[Roger Kaputnik]

Geez, haven't any of you read Seuss?

[Dave]

OH!
Okay.
Wait....
Still don't get it....

[pedantic mode] Cthulhu is one of the Elder Gods in the Lovecraft Mythos. Cthulhu currently (according to the Mythos) is in a deathlike slumber in the sunken city of R'lyeh, waiting for the day when he will awaken and once again feast upon the souls of men. [/pedantic mode]

Given the above, a "Kids First" license plate with the name Cthulhu has a certain twisted amusement value. But YMMV.

[Roger Kaputnik]

It looks like H.P. would have loved the recent candidate, Nfr.

[ANH27]

I got it! It is Cathy Loo Who, Cindy Loo Who's cousin.

You get my vote. I think you might be on to something with 'Cindy Loo Who'.