Vanity license plates are commonplace in every state, depicting a little of the owner on the outside. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), however, denied one woman's license plate because the MVC's website deemed it objectionable. In turn, the woman has decided to sue the New Jersey MVC.

Shannon Morgan, a resident of Maurice River Township's Leesburg section in Cumberland County, identifies as an atheist and wanted to personalize her license plate to read "8THEIST"; but the NJ MVC's website did not allow her, according to NJ.com.

Although the website denied that vanity plate, it did approve "BAPTIST" when Morgan input it online. She attempted to contact the MVC in November and March, according to NJ.com, but there was no answer so she turned to litigations.

"There is nothing offensive about being atheist," Morgan said. "I should be able to express my sincerely held beliefs with a license plate just like everyone else."

Morgan is represented by Ayesha N. Khan, legal director for American United for Separation of Church and State. It is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington D.C., and its executive director is Rev. Barry W. Lynn.

"The state of New Jersey is favoring religion while disparaging non-belief," said Lynn in a statement released by the group. "This license plate issue may seem like a small matter, but it is indicative of a much larger problem -- atheists are often treated by the government as second-class citizens."

According to the statement, the lawsuit argues that the NJ MVC "demeaned atheists and favored religion over non-belief when it rejected the specialized plate." Morgan says an employee of the MVC did not know why her request was denied but was subsequently ignored when she attempted again to get her plate approved.

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