The Volokh Conspiracy
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Life Imitates Seinfeld (Sort Of): The "Assman" License Plate Controversy
From CBC News:
It's his name, he's proud of it, and he wants it on his Saskatchewan licence plate.
But Dave Assman of Melville, Sask., says SGI [Saskatchewan driver's licensing and vehicle registration agency] has rejected his request to allow him to use "Assman" on a personalized plate, calling it an "unacceptable slogan." …
SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy said SGI does have guidelines for slogans, and pointed to its website, which says SGI won't approve licence plates the general public may find "offensive, suggestive or not in good taste."
"Even if a word is someone's name and pronounced differently than the offensive version, that's not something that would be apparent to other motorists who will see the plate," he said in an email….
Thanks to David Sokasits for the pointer.
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. . . and Dr. Michael Fucker's hopes were quickly dashed . . .
"Norm MacDonald, everyone!"
The late former CA Court of Appeal Justice Morio Fukuto probably had his hopes dashed too.
Could Beatrice Ling get a personalized plate so long as she uses an initial in place of her first name?
No. The slogan is not available!
Although ASS and ASSMAN are not available, ASSHOLE has not been pre-rejected.
I was expecting the pointer to be from Hugh Jass or I.C. Uranus.
Or the personalized plate for Hugh G. Rection.
Just put an "ASSMAN" bumper sticker right next to the license plate.
Nobody is going to discuss getting rid of license plates altogether?
Driver's licenses have been abused by government from a certification that the driver is skilled enough to meet the basic rules of the road to National ID card.
What are parents to do . . . keep their small children at home? Please.
Oh, I don't know....teach them that just because they see or hear a word elsewhere its use in your household is not acceptable behavior?
I know, that's crazy talk...
And then sometimes the government screws up and makes "offensive" plates accidentally.
Someone in FL was issued A55 RGY, and Florida plates have an orange in the middle. This wasn't a custom plate.
https://i.imgur.com/g0gA4O6.jpg
It's funny because it wasn't my car. If it were I'd sue.
In the early '90s, CA's regular series of plate issuance produced the following: 2WLN269
Professor, are state bans on offensive or derogatory license plates presumptively unconstitutional now after the Slants case?
They distinguished it from Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans, so no.