MPEACHW license to be recalled?? Ridiculous

[MA-Caver]

Ping898 sent me this news story...

State looks to pull anti-Bush license plate
By Kevin Woster, Journal staff

RAPID CITY -- Heather Moriah loves the personalized license plates on her silver Prius encouraging the impeachment of President George W. Bush.
The South Dakota Dept. of Motor Vehicles have decided to rescind Heather Morijah's personalized license plates "MPEACHW" because of one reported complaint. The Rapid City residentis the conservation organizer for the West River Office of the Sierra Club. (Photo by Steve McEnroe, Journal photographer)

But somebody doesn’t agree. And that somebody complained to the state. Now, the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles is trying to recall the plates -- which read MPEACHW. And if Moriah doesn’t turn them in voluntarily, the state might send law-enforcement officers to pick them up.

Even so, she’s not immediately inclined to cooperate.
“I don’t think I’m going to play,” Moriah said Thursday afternoon. “The plate isn’t in poor taste. It‘s not sexual in nature or pornographic. To me, a political message should not be considered offensive.”

But Division of Motor Vehicles director Deb Hillmer said Thursday that the law clearly gives the state authority to recall the plates and have them forcibly removed if necessary. And although only one person complained about Moriah’s political statement, that’s all it takes to recall a set of vanity plates, Hillmer said.

“I’m following the letter of the law,” she said. “It’s offensive to someone and not in good taste and decency. And the plates are the property of the state of South Dakota.” State law declares motor vehicle licenses plates to be the property of the state as long as the plates are valid. The law also allows personalized plates with as many as seven letters for an extra $25 fee. But it gives DMV officials the right to refuse to issue “any letter combination which carries connotations offensive to good taste and decency.”

Hillmer said MPEACHW meets that criterion. The plates never would have been issued if DMV officials had caught their meaning at the time Moriah applied, Hillmer said.

“This was one that we apparently missed when it came through originally, and we received a complaint from an individual that found it offensive,” she said, declining to identify the individual or provide the contents of the complaint. “I don’t think we ever would have issued it if we’d have picked up on what it was inferring.”

Moriah said she bought the 2005 Prius late last summer and fitted it with personalized plates similar to those her partner, Curt Finnegan, had on his blue 2004 Prius. His plates actually read: IMPCH-W.

Moriah said has received plenty of positive reactions in public to her plates and that negative responses have been rare. So she was surprised to receive the April 18 letter from the DMV announcing the recall and giving her 10 days to turn in the plates at the Pennington County Treasurer’s Office or the DMV office in Pierre.

The letter said DMV would issue a refund on the months remaining on Moriah’s license.

She is hesitant to give up the plates, however, because she believes her free-speech rights are being unnecessarily limited.
“It’s kind of sad to me,” she said. “For one person to be able to say they’re offended because it’s different from their political beliefs seems really arbitrary. And I don’t think the law is very clear about what ‘offensive’ means.”
Hillmer said the law gives the state great latitude in making that determination. Moriah is free to exercise her free-speech rights in ways that don’t involve state property or implied state sanction of a given message, Hillemr said.

“They have every right to use that free speech, but they need to do it with a bumper sticker,” she said. “That plate is property of South Dakota. And that (message) is not something the state should advocate.”

It wouldn’t matter if the political message or the president were different, it would be inappropriate on a state plate, Hillmer said.

Moriah has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, which intends to protest the recall in a letter to the state. Moriah said it’s unlikely the ACLU will pursue legal action, in part because she is planning a move to Pennsylvanian in the next couple of months.

“We may have law enforcement go pick them up if we receive more complaints about it,” she said. “If she returns them, we’ll make her new plates. If we have to go pick them up, we probably won’t.”

Hillmer has been with DMV for more than 20 years. She remembers five or six instances when so-called vanity plates were recalled. One of them said “SNIPER” and another “OLDFART.”

Moriah is the only person to complain about a recall, Hillmer said.
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/05/03/news/top/news02_impeach_bush_plate.txt

ONE person whines and the lady has to turn the plates back in. How stupid is that? It's too bad that the DMV wasn't diligent enough to notice the message with the plates' letters. Consider that it has to be written out on the form and then put up for review by the person taking the form and then put up again for another review by the plate manufacturer and so on... hey that's more than one person who didn't realize the plate could've been offensive.

I don't think the state should recall the plate once it's made. They should've been careful and should've said something earlier on... but nooo, they got to let ONE person decide their policy. I dont' see how having that message on a state license plate says the state supports whatever message it may be. Everyone knows that personalized license plates... means personalized! Geez
Sigh, state of the union today I guess. What do you all think?

 

[Ping898]

Let her keep it....

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Just drive through South Dakota and report as offensive every plate you find. Stupidity deserves attention, I think.

 

[Kacey]

Let her keep it... they tried that here in Denver a few years ago:

DENVER - A Denver police sergeant is under investigation for reportedly telling a young woman he'd arrest her if she didn't remove a bumper sticker that had a profanity directed at President Bush.
<snip>"He said my First Amendment (right) wasn't covered under profanity displayed on my truck," said Bates.
But Denver's city attorney has said he's never heard of the law that the sergeant was reportedly enforcing. So far, the Denver Police Department is only confirming that an investigation is underway.

If I recall, it was eventually dropped, after the ACLU stepped in.

But City Attorney Cole Finegan said he doesn't believe there's any city ordinance against displaying a profane bumper sticker.
Colorado ACLU Legal Director Mark Silverstein said the alleged threat of arrest clearly violates First Amendment protection.

 

[Obliquity]

I think liberals are typically the first to have temper tantrums when something offends them, and the first to point fingers and name call, and, well, have temper tantrums when someone even hints at being offended by them.

 

[michaeledward]

I think liberals are typically the first to have temper tantrums when something offends them, and the first to point fingers and name call, and, well, have temper tantrums when someone even hints at being offended by them.

I think clouds are really made of billowey cotton balls.


Based on what are you thinking 'liberals are typically the first to have temper rtantrums when something offends them'?

 

[Blotan Hunka]

Case in point.

 

[OUMoose]

I think liberals are typically the first to have temper tantrums when something offends them, and the first to point fingers and name call, and, well, have temper tantrums when someone even hints at being offended by them.

Sooo... Are you pointing YOUR finger at the cop, for throwing a tanty about the woman's license plate, or at the woman for following suit? Your response is rather unclear... :idunno:

Personally, I say let her keep it. *shrug* Who's it hurting for her to have her own little bit of protest? GOD forbid someone actually see that and... well... you know... think....

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Sooo... Are you pointing YOUR finger at the cop, for throwing a tanty about the woman's license plate, or at the woman for following suit? Your response is rather unclear... :idunno:

Personally, I say let her keep it. *shrug* Who's it hurting for her to have her own little bit of protest? GOD forbid someone actually see that and... well... you know... think....

She could just as easily have a bumper sticker saying the whole thing. I pretty much think it is much ado about nothing. Nor would I care if it had said MpeachC in the past when Clinton was in office. Imagine how much of our tax dollars will be wasted regarding this incident. Even a few dollars is to much if you ask me.

 

[Phoenix44]

My partner has MPEACHW in New York. He applied for the plates and was rejected on the grounds that it was "offensive." He said "I don't think so." He called the New York Civil Liberties Union, and they took his case. Refusing the plate was considered a violation of his right to free speech. And there he is in our driveway: