North Dakota gives thumbs down to “ISNOGOD” plate

May 25, 2010 | Filed under: Judicial | Posted by: Loren

A North Dakota atheist is appealing the state Department of Transportation’s decision to deny him a vanity plate expressing his beliefs about religion while allowing the religious expressions of others.

Brian Magee co-hosts a radio show, The Amplified Atheist, on KNDS 96.3 in Fargo. Amplified as he is, Magee decided to go one step further and purchase a vanity license plate. It was to read “ISNOGOD”.

The six-member panel at North Dakota’s Department of Transportation which reviews vanity plates put the kibosh on that, however . . . even though Magee backed up his case with pictures of three existing North Dakota vanity plates which express religious beliefs, such as “ILUVGOD”.

“You can’t have freedom of religion if the government picks one,” says Magee, who would rather see the state pull all the religion-oriented vanity plates than get his atheist plate.

Linda Butts, deputy director of Driver and Vehicle Services, says this is the first plate denied in the three years she has been with NDDOT. However, while policy restricts vulgarity, incitement of lust, drugs references or other illegal activity, and language intended to offend, there is no policy statement about religious views.

Butts says that a recommendation for NDDOT’s director should be available in about a week.

For more information:

Magee’s radio program, Appreciate Your Mind (Update: Formerly “The Amplified Atheist”), streams live from KNDSradio.com from 11 am – 12 pm Saturdays, or may be found in podcast form at theamplifiedatheist.podomatic.com. The show’s Facebook page is HERE.

Update: Brian’s plate was ultimately approved. You can read his commentary on the ISNOGOD saga in the first of his weekly Secular News Daily columns HERE.

3 Responses to North Dakota gives thumbs down to “ISNOGOD” plate

Blamer .. May 26, 2010 - 5:40 am

BLNDFTH

Marshall May 28, 2010 - 12:29 am

Praying for you Brian Magee.

MarkPogue July 5, 2010 - 10:19 pm

Christians in government = Christian bias!

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North Dakota gives thumbs down to “ISNOGOD” plate

3 Responses to North Dakota gives thumbs down to “ISNOGOD” plate

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