The Florida DMV is attempting to recall a man’s personalized license plate — “ATHEIST” — on the ground that it is “obscene or objectionable”. Of course, they issued the thing in the first place, and have renewed it since 1986, so it can’t be too objectionable.

Anyway, some people who disagree with the sentiment have sent a petition to the DMV, and the DMV has ordered the man to send the plates back.

The St. Petersburg Times story quotes Kenneth Vickery, who owns the Florida plates “ALL4GOD” and “GOD4ALL” (he is associated with some sort of Holy Trinity of musketeers, one must assume), who thinks that the ATHEIST plate should be allowed, and who is concerned that the state could pull his plates on the same pretext. He’s a good man for thinking that, but somehow I don’t think it’s too likely.

Question: If your religion or faith is so fragile that someone’s license plate is potentially harmful to it, it’s not a very good religion or strong faith, is it?