Score One for Common Sense

You might remember a story I posted on the 16th of May. It was about a woman in Seattle who was pretty angry that her plate had caused someone to complain to the state because the message John 3:16 on a vanity plate was seen as an endorsement of religion.

As it turns out, the state has decided that the woman who complained needs to just cope because the plate is 100% legal:

The Department of Licensing yesterday dismissed a complaint against a vanity plate imprinted with “JOHN316.”

“The plate is not offensive under our rules and was never in danger of being canceled,” said Licensing Department Director Liz Luce.

And that’s that. I guess there’s hope for common sense after all. I wonder how the plaintiff in that case feels? Maybe we should just pray for her to come to her senses. She’ll love that.

Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer

This entry was posted in Followup. Bookmark the permalink.
  • http://www.voodootime.com justis

    I still wonder what would happen if someone tried to register “HAIL SATAN” or something similar. I suspect freedom of expression would not swing both ways…

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com Vinny

    I’d be willing to bet it would. There’s nothing illegal or vulgar about it (legally, anyway), and judging from the standard used in this decision, I think it would have to stand.

    Of course, the truth is we don’t know ;-)

  • http://JackLewis.net Danny Carlton

    Dang, dude, activate your trackbacks!

    Religious vanity plate ruled legal at JackLewis.net

  • http://www.voodootime.com/ justis

    I still wonder what would happen if someone tried to register “HAIL SATAN” or something similar. I suspect freedom of expression would not swing both ways…

  • http://www.insignificantthoughts.com/ Vinny

    I’d be willing to bet it would. There’s nothing illegal or vulgar about it (legally, anyway), and judging from the standard used in this decision, I think it would have to stand.

    Of course, the truth is we don’t know ;-)

  • http://JackLewis.net/ Danny Carlton

    Dang, dude, activate your trackbacks!

    Religious vanity plate ruled legal at JackLewis.net