"IM GAY" Tag Denied

[BBatesokc]

I've seen a couple of stories about this and wondered your thoughts.

Seems a local gay Oklahoma resident tried to get a personalized tag reading "IMGAY" but it was denied.

The response was that Oklahoma does not allow any personalized tag that might offend the general public.

My personal feelings are that even though I may have my own opinions regarding homosexuality, I do not think this should be considered an offensive tag. Especially since it was reported a man was allowed to get a tag reading "str8."

I personally have seen questionable personalized tags that were allowed, including "MR HUMP" and "UNCUT" (referring to the driver not being circumcised).

Thoughts?

[Thunder]

Hmmm, I would say that the state or tag agency violated the man's Freedom of Speech.

Whoever denied that tag application is clearly an EXTREME HOMOPHOBIC FULL OF HATE. That's pretty much it.

How recent was this news? Is the man filing a lawsuit?

[adaniel]

If they ban "IMGAY" as a tag then they should ban those god awful truck nuts as well, considering that DPS wants to be the morality police.

[ronronnie1]

This is Oklahoma afterall.

[Duckslammer]

Where did this story come from? Do we know for sure it's true?

My position, unpopular as this is likely to be, is that any blatant reference to sexuality doesn't belong on a tag. But that should apply equally to all displays, not just to this one. If they allow one, they have to allow all.

I want to know whether it was denied by the tag agency or by a state employee. If it was the state, at what level was the decision made? Do they have a formal policy? Agencies can be held accountable. They dislike bad publicity as much as anybody.

dd

[PennyQuilts]

I personally don't recall seeing a tag - anywhere - that referenced anything that is remotely sexual - straight or otherwise. Anyone else ever see one?

I think it is an extreme jump on the basis of a simple denial to accuse the person who denied that as being extremely homophobic. I live near Washington D.C., right off I-95 (the main interstate for the eastern seaboard - I could throw a rock and hit it). We see license tags from everywhere. Never seen one that made any kind of sexual reference.

And who would want that nonsense on their tag, anyway? Who is so egotistical that they think the whole world needs to know their sexual business? Sounds like something a 14 year old would want. "Notice me! Notice me! I'm provocative!"

Boring!

Here is a link I found regarding license tag laws by state: http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/....aspx?id=16337

[Midtowner]

They should just go to a different tag agency. Was it the tag agency who denied the application or DPS?

[Easy180]

And who would want that nonsense on their tag, anyway? Who is so egotistical that they think the whole world needs to know their sexual business? Sounds like something a 14 year old would want. "Notice me! Notice me! I'm provocative!"

Completely agree...Not a big fan of any personalized tags...Many of them are attempting to come across cool but normally come across as douchey

[Martin]

they should just go to a different tag agency. was it the tag agency who denied the application or dps?

dps. when it comes to vanity plates, the only thing tag agencies do is hand you a form to fill out and mail into dps.

-M

[Karried]

That is silly.

No one needs to advertise their sexual orientation on their car.

ImStr8 - who cares?

But again, gay means happy too. Maybe he is just a happy person?

[oneforone]

The guy that wanted the plate was on a news story on Fox 25. He was clearly one of these people that is the attention seeking type. Honestly, he could convey the same message with a bumper sticker or graphics on his windows. Not to mention he already had the rainbow stickers which are the traditional for advertising your gay. so I really do not see the need for a specialized plate.

I was going to get one for the truck I drive now. Then I found out you have to keep the assigned standard license plate in the vehicle at all times. When it is time for renewal you have to pay the fee for both plates each year. I hate extra crap in my car. I said to heck with it and just went with the state issued tag.

[jsibelius]

There's no such thing as free speech when it comes to vanity plates. Not in any state. The license plate issuers don't always do a good job of catching the problems, though, and it *is* possible to catch some pretty offensive plates out there, especially those that are hard to read the meaning among all the letters and numbers. UNCUT could mean just about anything. There's one I've seen around that says CMUNK8. It took some real staring to figure that one out. If you're creative enough, you can hide some real offensiveness in your license plate. And it's one thing to put something obscene in a book, magazine, or video where it can be put away, but it's a whole other thing to put it out on display in public where everyone HAS to see it, whether they want to or not.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Completely agree...Not a big fan of any personalized tags...Many of them are attempting to come across cool but normally come across as douchey

*goes outside and removes "d-bag" from his car*

[BailJumper]

Anyone remember "ASSMAN"?

YouTube - Kramer is the Assman

Personally, I think the IMGAY is an obvious public safety concern. C'mon, isn't someone driving around with IMGAY on their tag just begging to be REAR ENDED?!!?

Bates, didn't you have a vanity tag on your Wes Lane van?

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

Baaaaahahahahaha!

[PennyQuilts]

Personally, I think the IMGAY is an obvious public safety concern. C'mon, isn't someone driving around with IMGAY on their tag just begging to be REAR ENDED?!!?

Oh, that makes me laugh - no offense to gay people but surely they think that is funny, too!?

[GWB]

This is kinda funny in a way. Seems like an offensive plate until you realize what it really means.

Vegan wants ILVTOFU on license plate. 2BAD, state says.

Fearing the vanity plate could be misinterpreted in an offensive manner, Colorado officials put the request on a list of banned letter combinations. The ACLU has entered the fray.

By DeeDee Correll
May 10, 2009

Reporting from Denver -- All Kelley Coffman-Lee wanted to do was broadcast her love of tofu to the driving public.

So the Colorado vegan applied to the state's Department of Revenue for a vanity license plate for her Suzuki SL7 carrying the message: ILVTOFU.

Clerks at her local motor vehicle office approved the plate -- but it did not escape the discerning eyes of state revenue officials, who detected another way that Coffman-Lee's penchant for tofu could be read.

"It could be misinterpreted in a way that suggests that she likes something other than tofu," explained revenue department spokesman Mark Couch.

Application denied.

Not only that, but Coffman-Lee's pithy ode to soy went straight onto the department's list of letter combinations banned under a state law that permits authorities to weed out those applications deemed "offensive to good taste or decency."

Others that haven't passed muster: OBITEME, 2EROTIC and PASSGAS.

The list has grown to 2,744 entries over the years as residents apply for creative letter combinations to express their personal preferences. "Ever since we've had vanity plates, there's been someone trying to slip one by us," Couch said.

Coffman-Lee, who could not be reached for comment, has said that ILVTOFU does not deserve to be listed. "My whole family is vegan, so tofu is like a staple for us. I was just going to have a cool license plate, and the DMV misinterpreted my message," Coffman-Lee told the Denver Post after the application was denied.

Now the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado has entered the fray, questioning what it calls censorship by the state.

The ACLU has obtained the list of banned phrases. The list reveals "the more serious ways in which this attempt to purge offensive words has wound up being an effort to censor ideas and viewpoints," said Mark Silverstein, legal director of the Colorado ACLU. He noted that the list includes: BADUSA, 4HEMP and OK2BGAY.

Silverstein noted the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in a 1971 case that a profane message on a California man's jacket had free speech protections.

The courts are divided in their rulings on states' rights to restrict license plate messages, said Gene Policinski, executive director of the Tennessee-based First Amendment Center.

Some have ruled that governments can regulate such messages as long as the restrictions aren't based on viewpoints. Others have held that motorists have the right to express what they wish with little restriction.

The next step in Colorado? STYTUND

Source: Vegan wants ILVTOFU on license plate. 2BAD, state says. - Los Angeles Times

[BBatesokc]

Anyone remember "ASSMAN"?

YouTube - Kramer is the Assman

Personally, I think the IMGAY is an obvious public safety concern. C'mon, isn't someone driving around with IMGAY on their tag just begging to be REAR ENDED?!!?

Bates, didn't you have a vanity tag on your Wes Lane van?

Yeah, I had ANTIWES on the back of the Vote Out Wes Lane van.

I have JohnTV on one of my personal vehicles.

[kevinpate]

... have JohnTV on one of my personal vehicles.

Couldn't slide HOHOCAM past the thought police?

[BBatesokc]

Couldn't slide HOHOCAM past the thought police?

Could be mistaken for a Christmas theme or that I was a fan of Ho Ho the Clown (which I was).

Considered BUSTED, but went with JOHNTV.

[Thunder]

Bates, are you that guy that film people out on the streets and appeared on the Maury Show?

[FFLady]

Anyone remember "ASSMAN"?

YouTube - Kramer is the Assman

Personally, I think the IMGAY is an obvious public safety concern. C'mon, isn't someone driving around with IMGAY on their tag just begging to be REAR ENDED?!!?

Bates, didn't you have a vanity tag on your Wes Lane van?

Bailjumper - I TOTALLY agree....as much as we hate to admit, there are really too many individuals who do NOT condone this lifestyle. I am almost positive this is the agency's main concern....

And was the REAR ENDED - no pun intended???????

[circuitboard]

Man who sued for 'IM GAY' tag found dead in Norman
BY NOLAN CLAY
Published: March 31, 2010

A Norman man who wanted "IM GAY" on his Oklahoma car tag has died.

Keith Kimmel

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IM GAY plate stirs debate thumbnail

IM GAY plate stirs debate

Feb 12A Norman man wants his vanity plate to read IM GAY, but the tax...
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Keith Kimmel, 28, sued the state Feb. 10. His lawsuit asked an Oklahoma County judge to order the Tax Commission to grant his application.

He later dropped the lawsuit but said he was changing attorneys and would refile his request in Oklahoma City federal court.

Norman police reported a friend found him dead this morning. He had stayed overnight at the friend's apartment.

Read more: NewsOK

[Matt]

Oh, he's gonna get his tag, alright. . .on one of his big toes.

[PennyQuilts]

What a shame. He wasn't very old, was he?