The Freedom From Religion Foundation is sad to announce the death early this morning of FFRF member, chapter leader, court victor and feisty octogenarian Ben Hart.
When Ben asked for his tongue-in-cheek freethinking license plate to be approved, the state of Kentucky responded that his submitted wording was āobscene and vulgarā even though it allowed numerous religious plates. After FFRF and the ACLU of Kentucky filed a federal suit in November 2016 on Benās behalf, the BBC picked up the story and, as Ben noted: āIt went around the world.ā Fox News and the Washington Post interviewed him. In January 2020, Ben was finally informed that his āIM GODā plate was on the way. When it arrived, it didnāt contain the slogan āIn God We Trust,ā ruining Benās joke. He complained ā and the state reissued it correctly.
Ben recorded a video acceptance speech of his āFreethinker of the Yearā award, which was bestowed remotely at FFRFās online national membership meeting in November 2020. He noted, āI now have the most famous license plate in the world on the front of my Jeep and the most expensive license plate in the country on the rear, thanks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Kentucky American Civil Liberties Union.ā He observed that the state had to pay $150,000 in attorney fees āto deny me my rights, and that, my friends, shows the power our Freedom From Religion Foundation has.ā
Ben explained his āIM Godā wording: āAnd for those who are wondering, Iām not the god of the bible ā thatās the guy who drowned all the babies in the world.ā He added, āIām the god of the dictionary. The American Heritage Dictionary has six definitions for āgod.ā Number five is āa very handsome man.ā And my wife says Iām a very handsome man. And nobody argues with my wife.ā
He and his wife Yvonne, who knew each other since being youngsters, recently celebrated their 65th anniversary. Born in Corbin, Ky., in 1939, Ben described rebelling against a ālife of religious saturation, seven days a week.ā The couple lived in Cincinnati when Ben worked for the postal service and pursued some small business initiatives. Ben was also a race car driver, according to Dan Myers, director and treasurer of FFRFās Cincinnati Metro Chapter.
Ben, who had several heart issues and used a cane-style walker, had been unusually fatigued the last couple of weeks. He fell late last night and was nonresponsive. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.
The “I’m God” license plate is on display in the legal wing of Freethought Hall.
āI and other staff members were in touch with Ben as recently as late last week,ā says Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. āHe was the sweetest, funniest guy. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and to his friends at the Cincinnati Metro Chapter.ā
You have only to watch his interview on FFRFās Freethought Matters TV show (January 2021) or listen to his interview on Freethought Radio to know that the world and the freethought movement have lost a unique and lovable ally.