The ACLU has filed suit on behalf of Indiana resident Mark Studler against the Indiana Department of Motor Vehicles over specialty plates being offered to Indiana residents without the usual specialty plate fee.

Considering the plate in question is religiously themed and reads "In God We Trust," this brings up a whole host of issues people from both sides of the debate are anxious to rally behind.

Indiana House Rep. Woody Burton, a sponsor of the legislation that both created this plate and waived the additional fee for the consumer, claims that no fee is charged because the funds generated from such a sale would not go to support any particular group as the other specialty fees do.

The plaintiff’s complaint is two-fold. One: Studler was still expected to cough up the extra $25 for his preference of environmental plate and Two: the waiving of this fee, in the words of ACLU attorney Ken Falk, amounts to promotion of the religious-themed plate by the state.

BMV Commissioner Ron Stiver stated that the BMV isn’t promoting the “In God We Trust” plate or any other plate over the other 75 designs.

Unfortunately, that’s not entirely true as two Hoosiers very near and dear to my heart (my mom and dad) were told upon plate renewal that the “In God We Trust” plate was the Indiana plate this year and are now stuck with the religious proclamation affixed upon both their vehicles. Not that they have anything against the big G-man or anything, my parents just aren’t always ones for such public displays of affection  

Despite inclement weather, thousands came out today to march on the Capitol in an appeal to Congress for D.C. voting rights. 

As D.C. mayor Adrian Fenty pointed out in his remarks preceding the march, the District of Columbia remains the only capitol of a democracy in the world that doesn't have the right to vote. 

The march corresponds with D.C. emancipation day as well as the reintroduction of HR1433 that would give the district a seat in the lower house. The bill was first brought to the House for consideration in March of 2007, but it died shortly after a move was made to attach an amendment to the bill that would overturn D.C. gun control laws, which are some of the strictest in the country. 

The residents of D.C. pay federal taxes, serve in wars, and serve jury duty, but have never been afforded a vote in Congress. In fact, Congress, per the constitution, has final legislative power over all D.C. laws, but D.C. has no say in those decisions.

The goal of the current movement embodied by today's march is for a seat in the House of Representatives, but Fenty made clear that long term plans involved two senate seats for the District as well.

A vote is anticipated to take place possibly as early as this week, spurred on by momentum from the march.

To contact your congressperson regarding H.R. 1433 go to  Link for contact information and other advocacy opportunities.
 

“YOU GO BACK TO AFRICA AND DO YOUR GAY VOODOO LIMBO TANGO AND WANGO DANCE AND JUMP AROUND AND PRANCE AND RUN ALL OVER THE PLACE HALF NAKED THERE AND PRACTICE YOUR GAY MORALS OVER THERE THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG”

No, unfortunately, that is not some horrible attempt at anti-gay, racist parody-speak, but an actual quote from Army Recruiter Sgt. Marcia Ramode.

Some more pictures from Campus Progress's L.A. Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes screening and panel discussion! Miss the coverage? Check out the movie review from Ashwini or a summary of the trip from Madhu.

Divine Chocolate Bars are launching in the U.S. just in time for Valentine’s Day. What’s different about Divine? Well, now you can enjoy the rich sweet taste of chocolate while being socially minded and supporting small farmers in Ghana all at the same time.