Maine motorists appeal to keep naughty vanity license plates

AUGUSTA, Maine – A Maine vegan whose customized license plate incorporates the phrase “tofu” is without doubt one of the motorists caught in a state crackdown on vulgar license plates.

Automobile homeowners throughout the US pays an additional payment to customise license plates, sparking creativity and persona however inflicting complications for state officers who must determine what’s acceptable.

Maine had for a number of years allowed folks to place nearly any mixture of letters and numbers on their car plates, together with phrases and phrases that different states would ban. However the state determined to vary course and this 12 months recalled 274 plates it deemed inappropriate.

Some individuals are combating again.

Thus far the state has rejected all the appeals, together with one introduced by the vegan whose license plate referenced tofu.

The state concluded the license plate “LUVTOFU” may’ve been seen as a reference to intercourse as a substitute of admiration for bean curd. The motorist insisted there was no mistaking his intent as a result of the again of his automotive had a number of tofu-related stickers.

“It’s my protest in opposition to consuming meat and animal merchandise,” Peter Starostecki, the disillusioned motorist, stated after a zoom session with a listening to examiner for the Maine Bureau of Motor Automobiles.

Heather Libby and her finest buddy grudgingly gave up their matching license plates that contained a phrase for a feminine canine.

“Individuals are so delicate these days,” stated Libby, of Jonesport, after a listening to examiner rejected her attraction. “I simply assume it’s silly.”

When the state successfully ended the overview course of for so-called “vainness” license plates in 2015, some residents obtained their plates with all method of profanities, together with F-bombs, both spelled out or abbreviated.

Residents in a state identified for being laconic and even-tempered quickly had been sporting uncensored plates pairing the F-word with “snow,” “haters,” and “ALS,” — the incurable nerodegenerative illness.

After license plate freedoms spiraled uncontrolled, the Maine Legislature directed the Bureau of Motor Automobiles to reestablish a system for vetting the state’s roughly 120,000 vainness license plates.

The brand new guidelines ban derogatory references to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender id, nationwide origin, faith or incapacity. Additionally banned is language that incite violence, or is taken into account obscene.

Restored as censors, Maine’s vehicular officers now stroll the same tightrope as their colleagues in different states.

In 2020, a federal decide dominated California’s ban on plates which can be “offensive to good style and decency” was overly broad, and violated constitutional rights to free speech. Earlier this 12 months, Texas officers rejected a license plate much like Starostecki’s — “LVTOFU” — resulting in rebuke from an animal rights group.

Maine’s guidelines had been narrowly crafted to go authorized muster, officers stated.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows stated motorists have the liberty to precise themselves, however she stated that they need to do it on a bumper sticker, not a state-issued license plate.

“We have now a public curiosity in retaining phrases and phrases which can be profane or could incite violence off the roadways,” she stated.

She stated she’s completely happy that the majority motorists have relinquished their objectionable license plates and not using a combat. Thus far, there have been solely 13 appeals, however there might be extra.

If a motorist loses an attraction to a listening to examiner, then they’ll sue in Superior Courtroom. Thus far, nobody has taken that step.

As for Starostecki, he was provided one other license plate that had turn into accessible, V3GAN. However he determined he was completed with vainness plates. He’s awaiting a brand new license plate — a boring one randomly chosen by the state.

Libby, who misplaced her B-word plate, received a customized plate celebrating her canine Zeus, named for the legendary god of thunder. “That might be offensive to somebody as a result of it’s a Greek god,” she quipped. “However I hope not.”

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Comply with David Sharp on Twitter @David_Sharp_AP