See if you can spot the new addition to Mississippi’s state seal:

That’s the seal that Governor Phil Bryant pushed for during his State of the State address earlier this year:

I continue to believe this is the right time to stand for our beliefs — our faith, our families, and our nation. To strengthen our resolve, I have asked that we take a bold step for God and country. I have called on Senator Michael Watson to introduce legislation that would change the wording on the Great Seal of the State of Mississippi to reflect our nation’s motto. With your help, the seal of the State of Mississippi will, from this session forward, reflect the simple yet profound words ‘In God We Trust’.

The old seal was perfectly fine, but leave it to a right-wing governor to promote religion even when it’s completely unnecessary:

You know, of all the things Mississippi needs to fix, the seal has to be at the bottom of the list. And if you’re going to fix something, you’re not supposed to make it worse.

The change came on the same day that Senate Bill 2681 went into effect, to enact the state’s version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. (Because you know who has it really hard in the South? Christians.)



