A religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self.

In Germany during the 40’s a whole group of people were branded, identified, marked, and issued by the government a religious symbol for their home, cloths, business, and life. This was the negative, discriminatory, segregation through symbolic labeling. The same mind set or behavior that happened in Germany during World War Two can happen through what at first seems like positive labeling. When the government or state entities or any related function become or allow specific labeling of religious symbols they open Pandora’s Box. Even though we have a hard time considering the thought of discrimination based on belief happening here in the land of the free, we seem to be heading toward allowing the camel into the tent. We assume that people will choose who is hired for work on merit rather than what symbol or lack of symbol is on my license plate, bumper, or trunk. I would hope that we refrain from choosing who we talk to based on what symbol might or might not be draped in advertisement around our neck, wrist, or finger. If the state issues a license plate say in Florida they open up the potential for everyone to put their symbol on the plate. Now imagine road rage based on religion instead of someone cutting you off. Allowing the state to get into the business of religious symbols can create the visual ability to discriminate against those who have no symbol on their license plate. What don’t you love Jesus enough to order the special plate? Are you a believer? There are the thoughts that go through some peoples minds, either consciously or subconsciously. We all know someone who always declares a strangers life story based on nothing more than the visual first impression. Even so-called positive labeling by believers who view the labeling as positive are not the victim of the discrimination. It is the non-believer or the person without the label who usually suffers potential discrimination or segregation. Yes we do not consider that the lack of a religious symbol is as much a label as the label its self. It is who receives the segregation or discrimination that determines which is negative.