Vanity license plates aren't too expensive to get. Seven letters for about $25 and you can get, pretty much, any message you want printed on the tags of your car.
Of course, your license plates don't belong to you; they are the property of the state your car is registered in. And did you know that if one person, just one, complains it's enough to make the state take them back? By force if necessary.
Heather Moriah of South Dakota is learning this now. Her vanity license plates, which read "MPEACHW" received one complaint, prompting the State of South Dakota to request that she turn them in: "And if Moriah doesn’t turn them in voluntarily, the state might send law-enforcement officers to pick them up."
Now, mind you, while these license plates encourage the impeachment of President Bush, but not in a tactless, tasteless manner.
Hell, I've seen worse than that in banners, billboards, bumper stickers, and graffiti. Why the big deal over license plates? Whoever complained is just an idiot (in my own not-so-humble opinion).
But, they aren't her property. So should she have the right to refuse to turn them back in?
How would you react in this situation?
Regardless if Moriah actually owns these license plates or not, the fact that she paid the $25 extra dollars to have her license plates read her political preferences is something that should be protected. Freedom of Speech that so many people would have us lose. If South Dakota succeeds in taking these plates (either peacefully or by force) then what's next? Should the President have to approve all banners, political propaganda, and bumper stickers? Perhaps he should read over the bits comedians are about to perform?
To be honest if it was me, I'd just hand em over. I think that law is just there as a safeguard against people getting things like 'fcukyou' or whatever on their plates. Sure you can get em, but 1 complaint and they're gonna be stripped so don't waste your time. Although I do think it should take more than 1 complaint. I think more like 4 or 5. 1 is just too easy for somebody with a grudge to exploit.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
You're probably right about why the law is in place. And I would probably cooperate and turn my plates back in; but not before I got every one I know to make up "MPEACHW" bumper stickers and signs to make sure the lady that complained saw one every day :)
Nah, I'm not really that vindictive; but it would be nice if I were.
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"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/fanaile-essence
I am. That would be a champion comeback.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
lol I'd do something like that.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Huxley
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Gandhi
haha. I would probably do that too. Actually, I think I just might since I live in Kansas and all, it would just generally piss off the majority of my state if all of my liberal friends and I had them.
And I think, even though the plates "belong to your state," it's still an issue of freedom of speech. And I've definitely seen more flagrant anti-Bush propaganda, so I don't understand what the big deal is here.
And this may be a moot point, but if they take her licence plates, does she get a refund, or a chance to make a new vanity plate? Because that seems very unfair to make someone pay for something then take it back and still keeping their money. Of course, our government has done more ridiculous things, so it's possible.
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"Get off the cell phone!"
A few years back some group in Arkansas designed choose life plates. Someone eventually challenged and they were declared unconstitutional... but people are still driving around with them. If they can keep those after being declared unconstitutional, Mariah should be able to keep her MPeachW plates.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Huxley
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Gandhi
I've made a design for a sticker version of this plate in support, and I'll be selling it on CafePress for $2.50 each.
If anyone's interested in ordering one, send me a PM, because I need to know how many to order in advance.
Here's the link to view the design (It's not up on my CafePress site yet):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v351/jessorzluvsu/Art/MPEACHW_LG.png
Also, if you have any other design ideas, we can turn those into stickers as well!
(Don't you just love it when inspiration strikes and you just run with it?)
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"Get off the cell phone!"
Haha! You should put his picture in the peach.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Huxley
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Gandhi
How incredibly sad... people really take offense at the craziest things.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." -Huxley
"It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err." -Gandhi
I think i'm getting a new vanity plate this June...
If Bush was required to review all propaganda and/or comedic media...this country would suck even larger balls than it already does with his "Leadership".
To this date, my favorite bumper sticker is "When Clinton lied...Nobody died. Impeach Bush!"
That's pretty much my point of view.
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"I'll be in my office...There's a lot of porn piling up on the internet...It doesn't just download itself!"
---Gregory House...My idol---
MM
That is also one of my favorites.
"A prime part of the history of our Constitution...is the story of the extension of constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded." ~US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg