Posted on 05/16/2005 6:12:14 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
'I Will Defend To Keep It Based On Free Speech'
TACOMA - A Tacoma woman says she feels violated by a complaint about her vanity plate. It simply reads: "John 3-16"
But someone found the Bible verse offensive and now the state is deciding whether she can keep the plate.
"The verse in the Bible says 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son,' " says Jane Milhans.
To her, John 3:16 is a message of love, and a great vanity plate. But now, someone has told the state Jane's plate is offensive.
"My first reaction was I was in shock," she said.
Jane says she's had the plate for 21 years without a single complaint.
"It's not profane, it's not bigotry, it's not hatred, it's not evil," she says.
But Brad Benfield with the State Department of Licensing said, "It appears from the complaint that somebody was not happy that a state issued license plate had a religious component."
A Pierce County woman made the complaint, which reads in part: "I was offended that I have to be 'prayed over' by a license plate... What happened to keeping church and state separate?"
We tracked down the woman who lodged the complaint, and she declined an on-camera interview. She says frankly, she's dismayed the state didn't keep her complaint anonymous.
"A lot of people view this as a waste tax dollars to go through this process," Milhans said.
Now Jane says she'll have to defend her plate in front of a review committee, who will decide if she can keep it.
Benfield admits just one complaint can trigger a review.
"We're always interested in finding out if one slipped through the cracks," he said.
They caught one last year. "GOT MILF" was thought to be a play on the milk commercials. It turned out to be a sexual reference to good looking moms.
The state cancelled the plate.
But Jane Milhans vows they won't cancel hers.
"I will defend to keep it based on free speech," she said.
She says she'll fight to spread her message of love.
Last year, the state handled complaints about 16 vanity plates. They canceled four of them.
We should find out next month if Jane can keep hers.
Offended??? By what????
It's crazy that she even has to appear before a state committee. Faith is treated like a hate crime. I guess that's the point.
The evil Christian offended her with that horrible Bible verse. Don't you understand? The state didn't protect her eyes from that awful religious message.
"Faith is treated like a hate crime. I guess that's the point."
That and the fact that she's a successful, (probably considered) wealthy Christian. A plate like that on a BMW? Come on! That's considered a target in a place like Washington State, Right? ;)
My plates are due for renewal. Maybe I'll try that one here in Wisconsin if it's not already taken. :)
The CHRISTIAN FAITH is treated like a hate crime.
ping to self for later pingout.
The wench who snivelled and initiated the complaint should have to appear at the review and explain why that verse is so offensive to her, causing the only complaint in 21 years.
BINGO!
How stupid. Some latte sipping, unwashed Greenpeace hippy sees that and gets "offended". OK, that part is fine - you are allowed to be offended by anything (even something as unoffensive as this). But then complain? Come on. Mr. Hippy needs to get laid and find a job (bashing out bad poetry at starbucks doesn't count).
Ms Hippy.
I'm guessing her defense will be that SHE is not offended but someone else might be.
These cowards are always hiding behind nameless, faceless entities.
The next time that woman sees something offensive while driving, she should just close her eyes really tight and floor it until she gets past the offensive object.
I wonder if this image in Washington state also offended her.
Somehow... I doubt it.
I saw a "Husker" SD plate recently, does this mean that the state Of South Dakota has endorsed Nebraska athletics?
It seems to me there has to be some knowledge for this to be of some offense.
I will say it again. GREGOIRE IS NOT MY GOVERNOR!
Statue of Lenin. I cringe every time I even hear of it. I am sure Governor GregWhore likes it.
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