A national Jewish association is opposing a new Christian license plate that
could soon be available to S.C. motorists.

Wednesday, the S.C. House unanimously passed a bill that allows drivers to
buy a license tag with the words "I Believe." The tag includes a cross on a
stained-glass window.

After one more routine vote by House lawmakers, the bill heads back to the
Senate.

The American Jewish Congress, a membership association of Jewish Americans,
is urging Gov. Mark Sanford to veto the bill.

"It's singling out one faith for special treatment that other faiths are
unlikely to receive," said Marc Stern, attorney for the organization. "I
suspect the Legislature would not create an atheist plate. I don't think an
`I Don't Believe' plate would stand much of a chance."

In 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled in Planned
Parenthood S.C. vs. Rose that the state could not issue a pro-life plate
because speech on license plates is, in significant part, government speech
and is subject to the constitutional limits.

But proponents of the license plate, including Rep. Bob Walker,
R-Spartanburg, and chairman of the Education and Public Works Committee,
said other groups are also welcome to request specialty license plates from
the General Assembly.

"This (Christian license) plate is going to give people a choice, on their
personal property, to express their personal religious beliefs," Walker
said. "No one has to have this plate."

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