4 ms·

After Lawsuit, New Jersey Allows Driver to Get ‘8THEIST’ License Plate

33 points by ranit 10y ago

gaur 10y ago
> her application had been denied because the plate "may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency," Who determines what "connotations" a particular plate has? Some random religious person in the DMV? This is why it's important to make sure people understand what it means to live in a secular society.
- pmarreck 10y ago
  Very related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_repugnance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_repugnance
jasonkostempski 10y ago
I'm picturing a car shared by the 8 members of some church.
- maxaf 10y ago
  Church van.
  - swsieber 10y ago
    Paint a picture of an ark on the car (8 people were on the ark...)
- l_zzie 10y ago
  I can't believe New Jersey would let someone brazenly advertise religiously-motivated cannibalism.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- sevensor 10y ago
  And I was picturing an eight-member pantheon!
- QuercusMax 10y ago
  Or a cannibal.
c3534l 10y ago
I think this is important: > “Yes, there was an initial denial, but as soon as it was brought to our attention it was rectified immediately,” Ms. Bellack said. “She has the right to apply for the plate, and the plate is available to anyone, including this individual.” So the person complained that some minimum wage worker at the DMV inappropriately denied a vanity license plate, which was overruled by the person in charge and they still had to spend 3 years in court and pay out $75,000. Fuck that. A low-level person made a mistake and it was immediately fixed, but this person apparently saw it as an opportunity to get some free money out of the government.
- dublinben 10y ago
  Perhaps they cared more about setting a precedent that this should have never been denied in the first place, and won't be in the future. Without the lawsuit, this could just continue to happen to other residents who are unable to complain as loudly.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- gaur 10y ago
  "As soon as it was brought to our attention" is probably code for "as soon as we received certified mail from an attorney intending to sue". In other words, the DMV will sit on its ass and let low-level workers discriminate against atheists (and, let's be honest, any other minority who is disfavored by the majority religion in the US) unless lawyers get involved. That's why these kinds of test cases are important.
- zeeboo 10y ago
  The article paraphrased. The court document showed that the person attempted for months to get the plates and never did. Also the money was to pay for court fees which the government required the person spend in the first place to get the plates.

33 points by ranit 10y ago

gaur 10y ago

> her application had been denied because the plate "may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency," Who determines what "connotations" a particular plate has? Some random religious person in the DMV? This is why it's important to make sure people understand what it means to live in a secular society.

pmarreck 10y ago
Very related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_repugnance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_repugnance

jasonkostempski 10y ago

I'm picturing a car shared by the 8 members of some church.

maxaf 10y ago
Church van.
- swsieber 10y ago
  Paint a picture of an ark on the car (8 people were on the ark...)
l_zzie 10y ago
I can't believe New Jersey would let someone brazenly advertise religiously-motivated cannibalism.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
sevensor 10y ago
And I was picturing an eight-member pantheon!
QuercusMax 10y ago
Or a cannibal.

c3534l 10y ago

I think this is important: > “Yes, there was an initial denial, but as soon as it was brought to our attention it was rectified immediately,” Ms. Bellack said. “She has the right to apply for the plate, and the plate is available to anyone, including this individual.” So the person complained that some minimum wage worker at the DMV inappropriately denied a vanity license plate, which was overruled by the person in charge and they still had to spend 3 years in court and pay out $75,000. Fuck that. A low-level person made a mistake and it was immediately fixed, but this person apparently saw it as an opportunity to get some free money out of the government.

dublinben 10y ago
Perhaps they cared more about setting a precedent that this should have never been denied in the first place, and won't be in the future. Without the lawsuit, this could just continue to happen to other residents who are unable to complain as loudly.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
gaur 10y ago
"As soon as it was brought to our attention" is probably code for "as soon as we received certified mail from an attorney intending to sue". In other words, the DMV will sit on its ass and let low-level workers discriminate against atheists (and, let's be honest, any other minority who is disfavored by the majority religion in the US) unless lawyers get involved. That's why these kinds of test cases are important.
zeeboo 10y ago
The article paraphrased. The court document showed that the person attempted for months to get the plates and never did. Also the money was to pay for court fees which the government required the person spend in the first place to get the plates.