STATE— A federal judge has ruled that state legislation calling for the creation of licenses plates with the motto “I believe” violates the constitution, and that decision disappoints Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer.

U.S. District Court Judge Cameron Currie issued a permanent injunction to South Carolina, prohibiting the state from producing or issuing the “I Believe” license plates.

The plates feature “I believe” and a picture of a cross on a stain-glass window.

In her ruling, Currie said the state statute “clearly violates” the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

But Bauer, who previously offered to pay for the production of the plates himself after a court ruled state funds could not be used on them, disagreed with Currie’s ruling.

“For those who say proclaiming “I believe” violates the constitution by giving preference to Christianity, I think this lawsuit clearly discriminates against persons of faith,” Bauer said. “I will ask the state Attorney General to vigorously appeal this ruling because it is time that people stand up for their beliefs. Enough is enough.”

A spokesman for Attorney General Henry McMaster said that, while he was disappointed in the federal ruling, he could not appeal the ruling, as McMaster’s only role in the case was in a “friend of the court” capacity.

Currie criticized Bauer for his role in the controversy in her ruling.

“The ‘I Believe’ Act had its genesis in

Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer’s desire to do here what had been unsuccessful in the state of Florida – to gain legislative approval of a specialty plate promoting the majority,” she wrote. “Whether motivated by sincerely held Christian beliefs or an effort to purchase political capital with religious coin, the result is the same. The statue is clearly unconstitutional and defense of its implementation has embroiled the state in unnecessary (and expensive) litigation.”

Bauer called Currie’s ruling “an attack.”

“I could say that this is yet another example of judicial activism, of federal judges out of control. My instincts tell me that it’s even deeper than that,” he said. “I think it’s another attack on Christianity and I’m not going to sit by and watch this one happen.”

Gov. Mark Sanford refused to sign the act allowing for the plates’ production, criticizing the legislature for becoming involved with license plates.

For 10 years now, the Department of Motor Vehicles has carried the authority to approve special plates proposed by various

organizations wishing to sponsor such plates.

The issue entered the courtroom when the group Americans United for Separation of Church and

State filed a motion seeking an injunction, on behalf of the Hindu American organization and the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee against the act.

Currie awarded legal fees to those groups, a move that angered Bauer.

“I am personally offended by Judge Currie’s ruling and especially her awarding legal fees to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and Americans United for Separation of Church and State,” Bauer said. “If these national groups are so strongly opposed to letting South Carolinians have a choice about their automobile tags, then let them pay their own legal fees.

“She is chiding the lieutenant governor for what she claims to be a waste of the taxpayers’ money, but then she turns around and awards these groups their legal fees.

Bauer said the issue is one of freedom of speech, not separation of church and state,” he continued.

“I believe that every South Carolinian has the right to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and choose among dozens and dozens of license plates the one particular tag that reflects something they want to share with the rest of the world about their personality and beliefs,” he said. “I am proud and unrelenting in my support of the Legislature’s unanimous enactment of this plate.

“Why?” he continued. “Because the “I believe” plate reflects core values that are meaningful to our society, promoting love, joy, and comfort in our spiritual lives, and accommodating to every citizen’s right of free exercise of any and all religions.”