Atheism - obscene & objectionable?

[Spitfire]

I guess it's ok for all those Jesus-freaks with their bumper stickers proclaiming how "Jesus saves all", "Jesus, don't leave earth without Him" and (I think) the extremely offensive "It's a life, not a choice" This country has turned into a bunch of frigging pussy-whipped thin-skinned hypersensitive fucks.

I hate vanity plates, but this is ridiculous....and I'm sure that "ILVGOD" plates are fine...

'ATHEIST' plate raises a holy ruckus

After getting complaints, the state decides a Florida man's license plate is objectionable and yanks it.

By KATHRYN WEXLER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 14, 2002


Steven Miles has tooled around Gainesville for 16 years with a license plate that says "ATHEIST."

To Miles, it is a form of self-expression, one he is happy to spend a few extra dollars every year to keep.

But to the state of Florida, the tag is "obscene or objectionable," according to a letter Miles received last month from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That puts the personalized plate on the department's blacklist, right up there with epithets, expletives and words describing certain body parts.

The state must use "great caution" in screening plates, the letter said. Medical reference books are consulted. Slang dictionaries, too.

"The plate must be canceled," it ordered. Officials want it mailed back.

Miles, 55, is incensed. Giving up his tag is out of the question.

"It's kind of disconcerting to know that the United States is based on freedom of expression, yet in actuality, it's quite restrictive," said Miles, an electrical engineer at the University of Florida.

He also is vice president of Atheists of Florida.

The review was prompted by a complaint signed by 10 people, said DMV spokesman Robert Sanchez.

A supervisor in the Bureau of Titles and Registrations in Tallahassee sided with the protesters and decided to yank the plate. Department officials routinely refuse to issue blatantly offensive personalized tags. But pulling them off the street is rare.

A few complaints about license plates trickle in every month and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, Sanchez said.

The last kerfuffle happened in October over a Fort Myers personalized plate that depicted manatees and had the phrase, "EAT UMM." It was pulled.

Miles thinks his First Amendment rights are being curtailed. He said he intends to fight and is in touch with the American Civil Liberties Union.

"I was quite surprised and angry that one person would infringe on my rights," Miles said.

He has a backer in Christos Tzanetakos, a Fort Pierce resident. About six years ago, Tzanetakos founded the Atheists of Florida, a civil liberties group that claims a 300-person mailing list. He recently wrote the department a stinging letter about its decision.

The DMV appears to be succumbing to the "religious hysteria that prevails after Sept. 11," Tzanetakos said Wednesday.

"For the department to claim or state that the word 'atheist' is offense or objectionable is something to be upset about," he said.

Sanchez said a letter in support of Miles is prompting the DMV to take a second look at the issue. But if Miles is unsatisfied with the final decision, he has an alternative, Sanchez said.

"There is a venue for people's free speech on automobiles and that's a few inches below the license plate," he said. "That's a bumper sticker."

The controversy over the plate didn't start with the DMV. Others have reacted strongly to it since he screwed it to his Isuzu in 1986.

"I had a wrench thrown at me in Jacksonville about 10 years ago. It went right over the hood," he said. Another time, "someone surreptitiously tore up my tag and threw it in the bushes. I put a frame and a plastic cover on it after that."

People would sometimes slip into his yard and place notes beneath the plate or the windshield wipers. Some took issue with his stance; others cheered him on.

But it never occurred to him to give up his tag.

Lakeland resident Kenneth Vickery understands why. For 15 years, he has owned two personalized plates dear to his heart: "ALL4GOD" and "GOD4All."

Vickery was concerned to learn of Miles' run-in with the DMV. "They may cancel mine, too."

Miles should be allowed to display his message, he said, "if that's what they want to advertise."

Vickery, a preacher at the United Methodist Temple in Lakeland, added this about Miles:

"If I get a chance to meet the guy, we've got something to talk about."

Edited By Spitfire on Mar. 15 2002 at 2:48

[Maynard]

This fuckin pisses me off. WTF! Why can't we be free to display our choice in religion? Or lack of it?

Then I got to this part and had quite a chuckle.

The last kerfuffle happened in October over a Fort Myers personalized plate that depicted manatees and had the phrase, "EAT UMM." It was pulled.

First off, who says kerfuffle???
Secondly, LMMFAO!!! Eating Manatees=always funny. That person gets teh funney!

[BeckyDC]

I'm no Jesus-Freak, but I do pray and I am Catholic. I think everyone is ectitled to their own opinions.

[fbd]

I'm no Jesus-Freak, but I do pray and I am Catholic. I think everyone is ectitled to their own opinions.

i agree with becky...i'm still semi-catholic, but why should they get rid of "atheist" as a plate?its one think to censor a plate like "fuck you", but he is simply stateing his religion(or lack there of).its breaking the first ammendment to take it away.if he cant have it, get rid of ANY religious plate, for any religion



Edited By fbdlingfrg on Mar. 15 2002 at 3:22

[Spitfire]

Sorry, didn't mean to offend (for once), "jesus freaks" is my pet name for those who have all the bumper stickers on their car; the radical religious who would be "offended" to see an atheist licence plate; the ones who write complaint letters for this sort of thing, for any "objectionable" thing they read or see because they have nothing better to do.

[Skitchr4u]

not only does this totally and completely suck, but it only took 10 people complaining to get it done. why don't people complain about other plates to get them off the road as well...no religious statements at all if you can't have an atheist plate...

[inkgrrrl]

i am kind of christian.. but in a very bass acwards kinda way.. but this is rediculous... if the plate said "christian" noone would care.... this is so stupid.

[IkeaBoy]

Fuck bastards. there is no Atheism Belt or thee Atheism Coaltion so there is no one to defend them but you really think that if someone complained over theose God damn fucking Jesus Fishes or "Honk if you like Jesus" they'd be gone!? hell NO

[Keyser Soze]

Lakeland resident Kenneth Vickery understands why. For 15 years, he has owned two personalized plates dear to his heart: "ALL4GOD" and "GOD4All."

Vickery was concerned to learn of Miles' run-in with the DMV. "They may cancel mine, too."

Miles should be allowed to display his message, he said, "if that's what they want to advertise."

Even the pro-God license plate owner agrees with the Atheist's right to free speech. Thats what America is all about. People with dissenting opinions respecting one anothers right to express them.

[virgingrrl]

well now that is quite the ridiculous. i was raised a catholic, but i have never been a "jesus freak". not once have i ever imposed my religious thoughts and beliefs on anyone. on the other hand, one of my best friends is a born again christian...the past few months she has gone hard-core jesus, and to be honest it is driving me crazy, almost causing a riff in our friendship. every word out of her mouth has something to do with her religion, telling me what i should and shouldn't be doing...and how im going to hell (nice right?). my whole point being i don't think it is right to force ones views on other, religious or otherwise

[AdolescentMasturbator]

I have stated that you cannot take down religious bumper stickers because it would abridge freedom of speech and that applies to the Atheist thing as well. You know what's the sad thing this probably will fly too considering both parties are religious. Do not be deceived by the Democratic Party's "secularism". Al Gore has stated that there is freedom of religon not freedom from religon.

It's ok to parade religon out in public. But once you say Atheism everyone is up in arms. Atheism is up there with murder with some of these jackasses.

[crx girl]

...and how im going to hell

my sister does that.

if they're gonna object to "atheist" they might as well do away with personalized plates altogether. it's fucking ridiculous that some people have their heads shoved so far up their asses that they have nothing better to do than complain about something they read on the highway. jesus fucking christ, i see a van sometimes that's completely covered in jesus bumper stickers and shit. the plate just says a word. but these bumper stickers say all kinds of things that i don't care for, i find some of them quite threatening actually. i think next time i see it i'm gonna run them off the road and paint over all the stickers. i mean, that's ok right?

i can't see this not getting over turned, if the aclu gets a hold of it, they're not gonna risk a law suit over 10 complaints, are they? :crackhead:

[fbd]

this got me thinking...can anyone say "scopes trial"?

hopefully, this time the side of not-religion will win

[Sluggo]

Un fucking believable.
:burnfucker: :fuckoff: :burnfucker:

[The Sleeper]

I wonder if "Agnostic" would also be considered offensive. what happened to separation of church and state?

[GonzoStyle]

It's all bullshit anyway, whatever will be. There's nothing to prove it nor disprove it so why spend all your life in fear of something that may or may not exist? Then there would be no point in living. That's why I am gonna hunt down Ladi and rape her repeatedly, cause life was meant to be enjoyed.

[IkeaBoy]

It's all bullshit anyway, whatever will be.

Gonzo learned this when he was just a little girl

[Sephiroth]

Religion : my Anti-Logic

[inkgrrrl]

there is no longer seperation of church and state... i leaned this in high school... i refused to say the pledge, claiming that i didnt believe in god.... i was suspended for 3 days.

[SLASH]