Judge Says "JOHN316" Plate Violates Guidelines

AP ^ | 8/11/05

[linkinpunk]

Judge Says JOHN316 Plate Violates Guidelines

POSTED: 11:43 am EDT August 11, 2005

RUTLAND, Vt. -- A federal magistrate has recommended against issuing a vanity license plate with a religious theme to a Vermont man, at least for now.

But the magistrate also denied the state's bid to have the case dismissed.

Shawn Byrne sued in January after his bid for a license plate with "JOHN316" was turned down by the state, which contended it conveyed a religious message.

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles also has refused to issue him a vanity plate that says "JN36TN."

Vermont regulations state that license plates are not allowed to have a combination of letters or numbers that refer in any language to race, religion, color, deity, ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, disability status or political affiliation.

A federal judge must decide whether to adopt the magistrate's recommendations.

[linkinpunk]

A federal magistrate has recommended ... A federal judge must decide whether to adopt the magistrate's recommendations.

Bad reporting on the part of the Title Writer.

[OpusatFR]

What about someone named John born on March 16?

That illegal too?

[Walkingfeather]

we need to find a guy named john that was born on 3/16 to order the plates....

[agitator]

A slave complaining he doesn't like the color of his chain

[atomicpossum]

Vermont regulations state that license plates are not allowed to have a combination of letters or numbers that refer in any language to race, religion,

So much for free expression.

color,

So "RED CAR" is verboten?

[IronJack]

"... or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

[Millee]

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles also has refused to issue him a vanity plate that says "JN36TN."

If I saw that on a license plate I wouldn't be able to figure out what it meant. But I'm one of those who has to have everything spelled out for me.

[Peach]

So people can get all kinds of vile license plates (but the staff at Motor Vehicles pretend they don't understand the "hidden" meanings) but people can't get religious license plates?

Our rights being taken away, little by little.

[newgeezer]

"INDY500" would be nixed, too. ;)

[Phantom Lord]

Best license plate battle ever was in California. A women wanted the license plate "PussyLvr". She had lots of cats.

[al baby]

John 3:16 ok ?

[sofaman]

m-e t-o-o

[Modernman]

So much for free expression.

There's no "right" to a vanity license plate.

[newgeezer]

A friend of mine has "EPHONE7" on his vanity plate. I'm guessing the powers-that-be in VT would allow it. But, if they parsed it correctly, they wouldn't.

[xrp]

HEY MAGISTRATE!

[CAWats]

Might offend Islam.

[verity]

It's Vermont. Do you expect sanity from a State whose populace has OD'd on tree sap?
:-)

[meandog]

...but he would, I suppose, authorize issuance of a plate that said "DARWIN"? "WICCAN"? "NARAL"? "NAMBLA"? "