Local reaction is mixed after a federal judge struck down South Carolina's plans for license plates depicting a cross in front of a stained-glass window and bearing the phrase "I Believe."

U.S. District Judge Cameron Currie ruled Tuesday that the license plate was unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment ban on establishment of religion by government.

"I was in favor of having the 'I Believe' license plates," state Rep. Bakari Sellers, D-Denmark, said. "If someone had a great deal of faith and wanted to show that on their license plate, I saw no reason why they could not have that. I'm disappointed with Cam Currie's decision, but I respect it."

Sellers said even with that respect, he has reservations about the decision.

"I hope that this decision doesn't prove to be a slippery slope where we infringe on people's right to express their faith and their belief," he said.

State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, said the state has already been sliding down a "slippery slope" in dealing with the issue of separation of church and state. She said Currie's decision was correct and does not represent an infringement on religious rights, but rather takes the state out of the business of promoting any religion.

"It takes the court sometimes to save us from ourselves," she said. "I think we sometimes forget the principles upon which this country was founded.

"We have something called separation of church and state, and we've been sliding down that slippery slope for years now. It's not government's business to print religious license tags ... not an official plate for the state. I don't agree with that. I didn't support it in the General Assembly, and I'm glad the judge ruled the way she did."

Cobb-Hunter said printing the tags would amount to discrimination against other non-Christian religious groups.

"What if I'm Hindu or any other religion that is not Christian? That's pure discrimination, and the state ought not be in that business, period," she said. "It's not a popular position to take in this Bible Belt, but that's my position. We don't need to be forcing religion on people."

The Rev. Paul Hamilton, director of pastoral care at the Regional Medical Center, said rather than not permitting the issuance of the tag with the image of a cross and the phrase "I Believe," the state should simply consider allowing the issuance of tags with religious symbols representing other faiths.

"Why not open it to all religions? Why not have that kind of tag and people pay for it?" Hamilton said. "That's more in tune with what our forefathers would have wanted. I think that's kind of a neat idea. I'm not sure if that will ever catch on because I don't want the state to support religion, per se, or to promote one religion over another. I don't want them to do that, but at the same time, I don't like the state limiting religion.

"It seems like many things are being limited rather than us embracing the diversity that we have."

The Rev. Nate McMillan, pastor of Petra Community Church and a member of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Association of Clergy, said the state missed a "wonderful opportunity" to highlight a symbol that impacts the lives of many in the state and nation.

"The cross is a historical fact, not only just for Christians. Other sources of information ... verify that fact," he said. "With so much negativity taking place within our country, we missed an opportunity to accentuate something positive that impacts almost all of our nation.

"Christianity is the fastest-growing religion in the world. I think if we can focus on the positive that Christianity brings, we'd gain a greater perspective and loyalty even to our nation. We're just highlighting what I believe is central to the lives of most Americans."

Trinity Presbyterian Church's pastor, the Rev. John Ropp, said the matter of expressing faith through outward symbols like license plates, signs or bumper stickers is problematic.

"Faith needs to be shown by who we are and what we do and not just the stickers," he said. "We have to be kind to others and not just to ourselves.

"We don't win converts by ornaments. We win them by a trust in Jesus Christ and our lives showing it."

Ropp said he already has a license plate bearing the phrase "In God We Trust."

"I can see the cross being a little bit more sectarian than the one with the phrase 'In God We Trust,'" he said. "I don't know if it's a whole matter of having the freedom to express your belief, but Christians are going to have to realize that if a cross is on the plate, they're going to have to allow the Star of David, the symbol for Islam and all others. Is that what we're willing to do?"

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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