Do you know of any examples of states that put specialty plate revenue straight into the general fund? That’s what I used to assume was happening, but looking at the Florida list I linked to, I haven’t yet found any sign of this.
Of course, I haven’t checked all the entries on that list–maybe one of them says “25% to State Senator Arnie Johnson’s Single Malt Scotch Fund”. 
Working from AskNott’s original premise to your surmise of it above, wouldn’t it make more sense to say, if you are lead to the conclusion that, because the license plate mentioned is espousing one form of religion and its Christian god (and no other), the automatic conclusion is, like AskNott said, no other belief system (or god), by its very definition, is valid.
Having a “Support Teachers” license plate does not evoke such an encompassing and exclusionary belief system; therefore, it cannot be construed to put a singular stamp of “approval” on the teaching profession, nor can it be construed to be opposed to all other professions by it’s definition.
ETA: And what DtC said simply.
I think it’s the ‘besides’ bit that it the major difference. Here, and I suspect in Israel as well, car and plate are as one. Nothing on any plates, except for permitted national identifications on the left side. When you buy the car, it has the plates on it, and when you eventually sell it, they’re still there.
That’s interesting. Do they apply them at the factory?
The dealer applies them when the car is bought new. They don’t change when the car is sold on to another owner.
But that’s not what you said. You said that:
“The cross points out a particular deity, thus establishing Christianity as the one approved religion of Florida”
So if we are going to be consistent, then you would say that the Support Teachers plate establishes teaching as the one approved profession of Florida, right?
I’m not asking if it would be constitutional or not. I’m asking if an optional license plate about teaching, wildlife, NASCAR, or Christianity, or whatever else makes such a broad statement regarding the state of Florida’s endorsement of it, to the exclusion of all similar things.
Since you can get a Florida State plate, does that mean that it is the only “approved” university in Florida? But you can also get a Florida Gators plate, so is that the only one approved school?
We have a paradox under your interpretation of what this Christian license plate means…
But is a license plate, which can be purchased at the option of an individual, using no taxpayer money, be considered an endorsement of a particular religion?
I think that taxpayer money is not the only thing that counts. The government is using its official apparatus to help set up a donation channel to a particular group, and producing symbolic items that promote that group’s philosophy.
Since the fact that it’s on a license plate as opposed to some other physical form is not particularly relevant to the debate, how would you feel about a state government manufacturing crucifixes, selling them to the public, and giving the revenue to a faith-based private group? That’s essentially what’s happening here.
To be fair, Florida already has an IMAGINE license plate. Take a look at the pic. If that’s not a vote for “I don’t believe” we aren’t going to get one. And it looks pretty cool.
Money from that one goes to a food bank.
So the state can make extra money. You have to pay more for such plates.
IMO, it’s the fact that the state rigidly defines which set of license plates can be used, including a Christian and not any other religions, that looks like an endorsement of a particular religion.
If it were up to me, I’d not have any special plates. If one simply MUST make some kind of statement on the back of one’s car, there’s all sorts of bumper stickers out there.
Are there no non-Christians in Florida?
Yes, according to this clause of the First Amendment:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of the worth of the lives of manatees, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
It means that teaching is apparently considered the most important and donation-worthy profession in the Florida public sector, a statement which is not only constitutional but also hard to disagree with.
Not to mention that one of Christianity’s basic tenets is that no other god is valid, and another one is that worshipping any other god or choosing not to worship their god (or worshipping their god in the wrong way) can put your life and soul in jeopardy. By officially endorsing Christianity, the Florida legislature would inherently be making those statements about non-Christian religion and atheism, which is blatantly unconstitutional. The teaching profession, on the other hand, has as its raison d’etre the goal of teaching people to mainly work in other professions.
And, you know, it’s not blatantly unconstitutional.
The teaching profession does not deny that other professions exist.
The fact that an endorsement of Religion is specifically Unconstitutional makes this whole line of question irrelevant anyway.
Yes.
You can actually view the revenue reported by the Florida DMV for each of these special plates. It’s very enlightening. Here’s some numbers from 2007 fiscal year:
Choose Life ($20 annual fee). . . . $805,380.00
Family First ($25). . . . . . . . . . . . .176,225.00
Family Values ($25). . . . . . . . . . . . 56,625.00
Invest in Children ($20). . . . . . . . .430,760.00
Parents Make a Difference ($25) . . . 49,825.00
Guess which ones support a Christian-based organization. I’d be willing to bet that a number of people who actually pay for one of these plates don’t even know or care. It’s like a bumper sticker that doesn’t wreck your paint job. Otherwise, it’s a feel good exercise in supporting your cause.
The key is none these are blatantly religious. Neither is the Imagine one (supports hunger relief; 2007 revenue: $234,000), which I’d totally go for specifically because of the song’s lyrics (and the fact that I love Lennon).
I wonder if maybe FL politicians and candidates might use these revenue reports to get an idea of their demographics? Probably doesn’t hurt.
ETA: Last year, most Floridians supported protecting the panther almost as much as they love Univ. of Florida. And in total, the state raised $33 million from these plates. Nice chunk of change.
In what way?
In that it has an official state imprimatur on it.
So does money. What’s your point?
I don’t think money should have an endorsement either, but even the Supreme Court standard, “In God We Trust” is “Ceremonial Deism,” and therefore allowable because (according to SCOTUS) it doesn’t endorse a specifuc religion. This licence plate is explicitly Christian, and therefore does not fit through the “Ceremonial Deism” loophole.