Offensive license plate

wisconsin.
I was driving behind another vehicle with a WI licence plate which read "UZI 4 U" I find this quite offensive, especially in addition to all the other 'I'm gonna shoot you' type bumper stickers on his vehicle. I understand he can put whatever bumper sticker he prefers on his car, and I am fine with that; however, I find it disturbing that my state issued a plate which basically says that the driver will shoot me with an uzi.

WI statute 341.145(8) The department may cancel and order the return of any personalized registration plates issued which contain any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which may be misleading.

Is this the only grounds i could take on the offensive license plate, or is there any other law concerning the posting of offensive phrases on state property??

Either way, shall i take this issue directly to the DMV? Or is there a better route?

Thanks so much for your help in advance...

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by EvilEric
wisconsin.
I was driving behind another vehicle with a WI licence plate which read "UZI 4 U" I find this quite offensive, especially in addition to all the other 'I'm gonna shoot you' type bumper stickers on his vehicle. I understand he can put whatever bumper sticker he prefers on his car, and I am fine with that; however, I find it disturbing that my state issued a plate which basically says that the driver will shoot me with an uzi.

WI statute 341.145(8) The department may cancel and order the return of any personalized registration plates issued which contain any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which may be misleading.

Is this the only grounds i could take on the offensive license plate, or is there any other law concerning the posting of offensive phrases on state property??

Either way, shall i take this issue directly to the DMV? Or is there a better route?

Thanks so much for your help in advance...

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My response:

This is a "legal" site. You have not asked a "legal" question. You're asking, rather, for our decision, or an agreement with you, concerning a "subjective" statement. In other words, what may be "offensive" to you, may not be offensive to me or anyone else.

I don't know where to draw the line when it comes to freedom of speech - - except when there's a clear, present and imminent danger to you, or to society as a whole, by the words being spoken.

For example, it is "offensive" to me that you would be asking, or demanding, to limit someone's right to freedom of speech - - the very foundation of this country. That's offensive to me because hundreds of thousands of men and women have given their lives through this country's history to protect that august, and worthy, concept.

As as matter of fact, our First Amendment gives you the right to come to these forums to ask your question in the first place. And, for that, I am grateful.

Be very careful whose speech you wish to limit or quash - - because the next person's speech to be limited might be yours.

IAAL

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

[quote]Originally posted by EvilEric
[b]wisconsin.

WI statute 341.145(8) The department may cancel and order the return of any personalized registration plates issued which contain any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which may be misleading.

=======================================


My further response:

Also, the above statute is too vague and unwieldy to be of practical value. What does "connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which may be misleading" mean to you? What does "offensive" mean? What does "good taste" mean? And then, once you're able to define those, then I would ask, by whose standards are you measuring and determining those lofty goals? Yours? Mine? Your next door neighbor? Some unknown government employee?

In other words, the Statute itself is unconstitutionally vague, ambiguous and unintelligible. Therefore, it's unenforceable.

But, to look at your post a little closer, and YOUR feelings that the license plate is "offensive", one of our terrific contributors to these forums at FreeAdvice, "Boxcarbill", always uses a "tag line" in his responses, which states:

For those . . . whose sensibilities may be offended by [certain speech], my advice to those is the same as that of [U.S. Supreme Court] Justice Harlan in Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971) [who said]: Those people "could effectively avoid further bombardment of their sensibilities simply by averting their eyes."

IAAL

[stephenk]

Plus, your interpretation of the plate that the driver wants to shoot you is not what I interpreted, especially since you mentioned the car had other gun bumper stickers. I thought the plate meant the owner is a gun dealer and has an "Uzi for you".


So, how much sleep have you lost since driving behind this awful person?

If you thought that plate was offensive you'd love mine...

KatHuse

Now let's see what you make of that

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Originally posted by hexeliebe
If you thought that plate was offensive you'd love mine...

KatHuse

Now let's see what you make of that

My response:

Oh my gosh! That's degrading, offensive, humiliating, scary, terrible, troublesome, horrific, bad, tasteless, and indecent!

I want that plate, and you, banned from the roads. You're sick, disgusting, smutty, tantalizing, titillating, shocking, skanky, and you should be censored!

IAAL


P.S. What does it say, and mean?

I love you to big guy.

KatHuse means CAT HOUSE.....

Remember, I raise and sell purebred Persian longhair cats and right now I have 20...

Tried to get Pu-See but that wouldn't fly

Hahaha, this is some funny stuff. I don't think Uzi for U indicates that someone is planning on shooting you.

This reminds me of a guy I knew that had his vanity plate request denied by the DMV because it violated their decency policy. He wanted "Fuksman" on his tags. The funny thing is Fuksman is his surname.

Is "luvpusy" considered offensive too? for being a cat lover? gee lady, you need to pay more attention to the road than other ppl license plate. Being uptight does not make a plate offensive. Just don't look and it won't be offensive to you =)

[nailtech]

I would suppose if it said "he8me" he would feel better about the plate?? or would that pi$$ ya off worse??

this is EvilEric speaking now guys... Now just how Evil are your Eric??

[justin2003]

DMV decides whether they are offensive.