Donna Rowland, the Republican Christian State Rep. from Murfreesboro, wants to put the Christian fish symbol on state vehicle license plates. Murfreesboro is a college town just outside of Nashville. It's a town with elected officials wingnutty enough to forever refute the conservative claim that universities are a haven for bleeding heart liberals. Or, perhaps MTSU is a haven for sleeping liberals.
The Jackson Sun condemns the Christian lawmaker's effort to have the state endorse her religion:
Emblazoning a state-issued vehicle license plate with a Christian symbol would set a terrible precedent. Would the next new Tennessee license plate bear a Jewish Star of David or a Muslim crescent? How could they be denied under the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? They couldn't.
There are countless ways Tennesseans can promote their religious affiliations and religious beliefs. Dragging them through the General Assembly and the courts in an ill-advised attempt to get a state endorsement shouldn't be one of them.
The Christian lawmaker from Murfreesboro is also pushing Christian legislation that would permit cities and counties to display the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments bill is sponsored by Christian lawmakers, Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) and Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City).
Email and call Your Christian Lawmakers:
Rep. Donna Rowland
Phone (615) 741-2804; (615) 896-5571
Rep. Matthew Hill
615-741-2251
Sen. Rusy Crowe
(615) 741-2468; 423) 926-8288
Donna Rowland Radical Right Specialty Plates First Amendment Church and State Tennessee Theocracy Murfreesboro Rusty Crowe Matthew Hill
