DMV Says No to GETOSAMA Plates

There are 9.3 million vanity license plates in the United States, but every now and then there is one person whose choice of to proclaim on his/her plates causes some problems. Typically, the problematic plate is weeded out thanks to the DMV’s “blue list”of banned letter and number combinations ranging from the obvious, like GOD, NYPD and POL1CE, to the less so, like 3M TA3. Still the NY State DMV’s online plate lookup allows for things like HATE, H8-BUSH and UARSEHOL.

Hauppauge resident Arno Herwerth got angry when the DMV sent him a letter saying the vanity license plates for his crudely painted-up- as-an- American-flag minivan, which also sported things like “Kill Bin Laden” on it, were not approved. The plates were to read GETOSAMA.

The letter stated that the DMV prohibits anything on a license plate that is "in the discretion of the commissioner, obscene, lewd, lascivious, derogatory to a particular ethnic group or patently offensive.” Herwerth claims that his first amendment rights are being violated, although that is a slippery argument since there seems to be conflicting legal opinions on whether license plates are a public or non-public form. Plus, Herwerth looked a little, uh, odd while wearing a Kill bin Laden t-shirt while being interviewed by CBS 2.

We checked several permutations of OSAMA in the DMV vanity plate on line ordering system and most seemed to have been put on the blue list, although we would suggest BADOSAMA to Mr. Herwerth, since it was the only one with a similar message to his. He may also want to consider NUK-IRAN. And for the record SADDAM isn’t taken.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Toby von Meistersinger in News on November 21, 2007 9:51 AM

Comments [rss]

getosama

diluting the meaning? i love that comment. so a flag burning case can go all the way to the supreme court but a patriotic message to "get" the worst terrorist in the world is diluting the 1st amendment? dmv represents state government and if they say "getosama" is offensive, then they need to remember september 11th.

getosama

the 1st amendment, it must have been important since it was the first one. they will bend and i will win the case, and they know it. by the way, dmv knew nothing about the way my van was painted. sadly, this article implied this. dmv's decision was based solely on the 8 letters on the plate, something even crackpots want. free speech applies to those who want to be patriotic, as well. lately i've been leafletting inside dmv locations and protesting at the pakistani consulate on 65th street. join me.

JacqueMehoff

maybe he's volunteering? nah, didn't think so.

they did raise the recruitment age to 42, they always need convoy drivers.

McGG

Someone should be getting Osama, especially since our Pres says he doesn't waste too much time thinking about him.

JenChungsBaby

Cool, the rearview mirror effect!

Toby von Meistersinger

Take a look at this and then reflect a little on why 3M TA3 was banned.

Snoopy

There was also a guy in Nevada that had the plates "None". He got cremated with fines.

RatherBeBiking

I read a story about a guy who had plates that read "notags" and ended up getting tickets meant for people who actually didn't have any tags.

smitty

3M TA3.

What does that mean? I must be having a "slow" day.

Spirit of 76

Beware anyone who would wrap himself or his minivan in the flag.

ed_Extinct

looking over the list, why is "avw4u2nv" banned?

JenChungsBaby

Maybe it was another guy named Osama who objected. Bin Laden's not the only person in the world with that name.

I know I'd be pissed if I say a license plate that said GETJENCHUNGSBRA.

bxbrian

@aydiosmio:

Exactly. That's why I recommend the Toby Keithian "Shock'n'Yall" theory of hostile bloviating and hurtling of jingoistic embarrassment for the rest of the United States.

If you're driving that hoopdee I think the license plate is almost redundant---unless that guy dug it as the metaphorical cherry on top of the steaming pile of free speech.

aydiosmio

^^^Do you really thing Osama is going to come out of hiding and file a libel suit

Some would argue that indirectly threating to kill someone is obscene.

Snoopy

^^^Do you really thing Osama is going to come out of hiding and file a libel suit in small claims court against the owner of the plates? I can just see him getting out of a black Escalde on Long Island going into the court to claim it's unfair to take his name in vain.

aydiosmio

So much for free speech.

You have a right to free speech with the exception of libel and obscenity. This is long established in the United States. You can freely express yourself without using either.

Crying first amendment violations on petty things like license plates is a good way to dilute the meaning and the value of that right.

jonrossjan

WACKBUSH is available, as is:

EETMEE

WACKSAMA

WAKOSAMA

And GETUSAMA which is actually the way his name is pronounced, with U not O, which is why the rest of theworld thinks we're wackos anyways....

People on L.I. shouldn't be allowed to own cars, let alone have kids to put in them!!

p.s.- DUMBBUSH is also available...

nycat

When I saw the URL of this post, I wondered why "DMV says no to PHP"...

navinjohnson

DUMBPREZ is available... as is:

BUSHDUMB

GWBONEH

HATEPOOR

HATEGOP

GOP POOP

IRAQWON

IRANNEXT

BUSHBINL

this the perfect thing to do before a holiday weekend.