"In God We Trust" Virginia license plate

Proposed "In God We Trust" Virginia license plate.
Dean Welty of the Valley Family Forum shares the new license plate design that needs 350 people to pre-order before it will be considered by the General Assembly.

Dean Welty passes out "In God We Trust" license plate applications ... Kurt Michael holds the prototype artwork while Mike Shull looks on.

Dean Welty brought the "In God We Trust" license plate design to Saturday's SWAC Conservative Round Table Breakfast where it was excitedly received by the 70+ attendees. There was an urgency in his voice as he impressed that time is of the utmost importance if the plate design is to be approved by this year's General Assembly.

Mr. Welty passed out DMV application forms that need to be filled out and mailed back with a $10 check (special license plate fees are $10 above regular registration fees) as soon as possible.

From Dean Welty:

We have a great opportunity today to have “In God We Trust” license plates on our cars in July, but we must file our applications now in order to gain approval by the General Assembly. Please pass this on to all of your friends and family for their action as well.

How to Apply:
Valley legislators Sen. Mark Obenshain and Del. Dickie Bell are sponsoring the bill in the General Assembly and the vote could come at any time. However, as with any other specialty plate, they need at least 350 pre-filed applications on hand when they make their case to their respective committees.

You can download and complete the application form at www.ingodwetrustvaplate.com, attach a $10 check, and send it to the address shown on the form. No money from the plate will be allocated to any other entities, in contrast so some other specialty plates.

Our National Motto:
“In God We Trust” first appeared on U.S. coins in 1864, where it continues to appear on both coins and paper currency. It became the official motto of the United States in 1956 by an Act of Congress, a decision which has been upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Our National Anthem:
The words appeared much earlier, however, when in 1814 Francis Scott Key included them in the fourth stanza of “The Star Spangled Banner”. That became our national anthem in 1931 and reads, in part, as follows:

“Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'

Recognition on Other State License Plates and Official Documents:
Starting in 2007, at least five states have offered similar “In God We Trust” license plates: Florida, South and North Carolina, Indiana, and Ohio. Both Georgia and Florida include the motto on their state flags, and Florida adopted it as its official state motto in 2006. If approved, it will become one of more than 200 motifs from which Virginia drivers can choose, ranging from Lighthouses to Parrotheads.

Call to Action:
Please file your applications today to help ensure that we have the 350 required number of pre-filed applications on hand, when needed. Go to www.ingodwetrustvaplate.com

Questions may be directed to Dean Welty at the Valley Family Forum.

Previous posts:
- SWAC Conservative Round Table Breakfast ... 73 turn out to discuss issues
- SWAC bloggers at SWAC Conservative Round Table Breakfast
- Conservative grassroots faces at SWAC Conservative Round Table Breakfast
- Fishersville Mike: Future site of SWAC Breakfast

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
23 January 2010