Posts Tagged ‘south carolina’

SC License Plates FAIL

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

From the Associated Press

Published: November 10, 2009

A federal judge ruled that the state cannot issue license plates showing the image of a cross in front of a stained glass window along with the phrase “I Believe.” Judge Cameron M. Currie of Federal District Court said in her ruling that the license plates were unconstitutional because they violate the First Amendment ban on establishment of religion. The fight over the plates started shortly after Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer helped push the legislation through in 2008. Groups including Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee challenged the law. Judge Currie ordered the state to cover those groups’ legal expenses.

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Another SC Republican hikes the Appalachian Trail

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Gotta love those South Carolina Republicans.  They cheat on their wives–on government time, no less–all the while preaching about the sanctity of marriage.  Thank goodness the gays can’t marry.  Anyway, this time it was Roland Corning, assistant state attorney, who was caught in flagrante delicto in a cemetery at high noon with a stripper, a Viagra pill and several sex toys.  (He keeps those last two in his SUV, “just in case.”)

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If God can’t keep you out of trouble…

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

…maybe invoking His Name four times in your apology can bail you out of trouble.  South Carolina governor Mark Sanford, in a lot of hot water over his intercontinental affair with an Argentinian-woman-who’s-not-his-wife, is playing the God card in a ballsy gambit to stay in office and salvage his reputation.

Sanford issued a formal apology to his constituents today, published by newspapers across South Carolina.  Apparently if you abuse the trust of the voters, go AWOL for four days, and fly to South America to “hike the old Appalachian Trail” with your lover instead of spending time with your sons ON FATHER’S DAY, there’s no price to pay as long as you say “sorry” and pepper the apology with the name of the Lord.

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NYTimes on Atheism

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

The New York Times posted a brief and generally positive article on the 26th about atheists in South Carolina.  Lots of quotes from active members of the nonbelieving community, including Herb Silverman, president of the Secular Coalition for America.

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“I Believe” this might be illegal…

Friday, December 12th, 2008

As we discussed in podcast #19, the government of South Carolina decided it was a good idea to print special license plates featuring a Christian cross and the words “I Believe”.  Various and sundry groups sued, and now…

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Podcast #19 – Herb Silverman

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

South Carolina Approves I Believe License Plates – The SC legislature just approved specialty license plates that include the words “I Believe” along with a Christian cross and a stained glass window.  Florida tried the same trick and failed.  We’ll talk to Herb Silverman, longtime SC resident and president of the Secular Coalition for America (www.secular.org), about their opposition to this.

City Halls Display In God We Trust – A listener in California alerted us to a movement intent on convincing city councils across the country to display the national motto.  The fact that the motto is “In God We Trust” has nothing whatsoever to do with religion, of course.

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