I am a Christian-conservative. I believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Bible and the fundamental rights that people can govern themselves without government overreach. I also believe that a baker or wedding planner should not face the threat of a lawsuit if they do not wish to bake a cake or plan a same-sex wedding.

But that also goes both ways.

If someone is agnostic or atheist, I will pray for them in the hope they find everlasting life, but I don’t believe they should be forced by the government to believe in something they truly do not believe in.

Last week, Gov. Phil Bryant unveiled the new Mississippi car tag. The standard license plate will include Mississippi’s state seal, which has the phrase “In God We Trust.”

Many are calling this a violation of the separation of church and state, while others are praising the move as showing the Magnolia State still believes in God. Bryant, in fact, said so as much when he revealed the look of the new license plate on Twitter, stating how proud he was to sign legislation in 2014 adding “… the United States National Motto. ‘In God We Trust,’ to the Mississippi State Seal. Today, I am equally delighted to announce that it will adorn our new Mississippi license plate.”

The new car tags will be available in January and are changed about every five years. The current design features the guitar of blues legend and Mississippi native B.B. King.

The debate over the redesign has raged, of course, on social media between those who are favoring the new car tag and those who believe they’re being forced to display something on their vehicle they may not believe in.

There are options for those who do not want this particular standard tag. For an additional price, the state sells a variety of specialty car tags that will not include the state seal of Mississippi.

My question is, with all of the divisiveness currently running rampant in our country, why would our Republican governor decide on this particular redesign knowing how offensive it could be to some in our state? Although it would be safe to say most are “believers” in God, including myself, not all are in our state and it is easy to see how some could be offended.

That beautiful magnolia, or a version of it, could have been a much better choice.

Rob Sigler is editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at rob.sigler@vicksburgpost.com. Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.