Motto May Soon ‘Hit the Road’ in Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 14, 2003
NEWS CONTACT: Joe Glover – 804-419-4483

RICHMOND, VA – Motorists in Virginia may soon have a new way to express their faith in God. Transportation Committee members in Virginia’s House of Delegates will begin reviewing legislation today for a variety of new special license plates, including one that would read, “In God We Trust.”

Family Policy Network (FPN) President Joe Glover enlisted Delegate Kathy Byron of Campbell County to introduce the bill, which is expected to get a hearing early today or Thursday in a Transportation subcommittee meeting.

Glover says he doubts there will be much opposition to this year’s motto offering for two reasons. First, he says, “Only a few left-leaning ideologues opposed the ‘In God We Trust’ bills last year and only then because they dealt with public expressions of faith in God. This year’s legislation involves personal expressions of faith. Even the ACLU ought to go along with that.”

The second reason Glover is upbeat about the bill’s chances has to do with the upcoming campaign season involving every House and Senate seat in the Commonwealth. He says, “It’s pretty hard to vote against God in an election year.”

Explaining why his group feels promoting the display of “In God We Trust” is so important, Glover says, “There are thousands of Americans on ships at this very moment, going off to defend our way of life. And while they are the best in the world at what they do, our hope shouldn’t ultimately be in them. It should be in God almighty. Our motto is a great reminder of that important fact.”

Last year, FPN won a two-year legislative battle to require Virginia localities to post “In God We Trust” in public schools. Once the bill was signed into law, the group printed and distributed high-quality posters bearing the National Motto to every locality in the Commonwealth with the help of an anonymous donor from Richmond.

FPN’s efforts to promote the National Motto in Virginia are part of a joint effort with the American Family Association (AFA) of Tupelo, Mississippi. Here in the Commonwealth, FPN represents AFA as the organization’s state affiliate. AFA Chairman Don Wildmon began a campaign in 2000 to post “In God We Trust” in public schools throughout the nation. Mississippi and Virginia are the first two states to enact laws requiring the National Motto to be posted in public schools.

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VIRGINIA RESIDENTS:
Call your legislators at 1-800-889-0229 to express your
opinion about the “In God We Trust” license plate bill.