Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
Friday, November 10, 2000
By STEVE VARNUM
Monitor staff
A Boscawen attorney has lost a year-long battle to keep her "H8DCYF" license plates.
The plates were removed from Paula Werme's Ford Aerostar minivan in her driveway by a pair of Division of Motor Vehicles inspectors yesterday morning, a month after she had renewed her registration.
Werme said she was preparing at about 9:45 a.m. for a court appearance when a state car drove up the driveway at her home on North Main Street.
"I thought somebody was coming about the moose," she said, referring to a large bull moose who had noisily crashed through her yard earlier in the morning.
Instead, two state officials told her they were there to take her plates. Werme said they showed her no court order and offered no plates to replace the ones they removed. She said they did pause so she could take a photograph before they removed them from her Ford minivan, including one beneath a bumper sticker that reads "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."
Werme has refused to surrender the plates since last Nov. 19, when she received a letter from Motor Vehicles Assistant Director Arthur Garlow stating they had mistakenly been issued to her and were being recalled.
"We've waited a year for her to contact us and tell us what she wants to do and will do and that's more than reasonable," said Motor Vehicles Director Virginia Beecher.
Werme said after the plates were taken yesterday she immediately reported them as stolen to the Boscawen police. "I'm going to have to put a 'stolen plates' sign on my window. What else can I do?" she said.
Beecher said yesterday that soon after the plates were issued last year she received a complaint from the state Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) and a letter from a citizen who felt they constituted a hate message that was being authorized by the government.
New Hampshire law says the director of motor vehicles is authorized to design and issue vanity plates "under such rules as he shall deem appropriate." Department of Safety rules state that plates shall "not be morally, ethnically, racially or in any other manner offensive to good taste."
Especially in the aftermath of last August's fatal shooting of a social worker in Nashua, Beecher agreed the plate's message was offensive.
A civil rights lawyer who was a Libertarian candidate for Congress two years ago, Werme said the Constitution is clearer than the state's rules and regulations. "Government cannot restrict political speech," she said.
Werme responded in a letter that the plate "perfectly expresses my sentiments toward the Division for Children, Youth and Families, who violate my clients' rights on a daily basis." She asked for a copy of the rules governing the content of vanity plates "so I may properly choose another appropriate plate without running afoul of them."
She said she never received those rules. Instead, in December, she received a second letter virtually identical to the first except that it included a phone number she could call to request a hearing.
Werme wrote back and repeated her request, saying, "until I have been given some notice of what law or rule I have broken, I see no reason to schedule a hearing, because I don't know what the hearing would be about."
Werme said she received no reply until yesterday's visit.
Claire Ebel, executive director of the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union, said that while courts have allowed states to prohibit some messages, such as racial slurs, Werme's plate appeared to be protected by the First Amendment right to free speech.
"This is very troubling issue," she said. "It is the attempt of a government agency to censor the speech of a citizen and there must be a compelling reason for the agency to do that.
"I think there could be a significant problem with the Department of Safety's attempt to enforce this if the owner of the vehicle wants to pursue the matter," she said.
New Hampshire has a history of constitutional tussles over license plates. Twenty-three years ago the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the state, saying that the First Amendment protected a Jehovah's Witness couple's right to tape over the words "Live Free or Die" on their license plate.
The license plate story is the tip of a harassment iceberg by DCYF against Attorney Werme, who preiviously was successful in defending her advice to a client to secretly tape record conversations with Government workers in connection to a DCYF action. The attorney general's office investigated her for possible violation of state wiretap laws, but declined to prosecute when Attorney Werme pointed out that Government employees aren't afforded privacy protections of ordinary citizens.
Division for Children, Youth and Families. Similar Nazi like agencies pollute every state in this nation. This particular one sounds more NAZI than most.
As opposed to H8, perhaps 4Q would've been acceptable...
My son had "H8-HLRY" and got away with it in the state--but almost got killed by some Yugo nuts. However, the truckers loved it.
Publicity is the best way for her to be removed from crosshairs of a government run amuck.
As opposed to H8, perhaps 4Q would've been acceptable...
I'll pass that one on!
Thank you!
H8DMV H8PBA H8SIN LOVEGOD The list is endless. Live Free or Die! It's coming to that! Go Atty. V!
Publicity is the best way for her to be removed from crosshairs of a government run amuck.
Yup.
And the Dept, of Motor Vehicles just handed her a great PR opportunity.
These bureaucrats have a tin-ear when it comes to PR....
H8DMV H8PBA [snip]
I suggested to Att. Werme that she file a FOIA request for the list of ALL NH license plates that have "H8" as the first two characters. Why haven't all of those been recalled for being "offensive"? Hmmmmm?
It's not sinking in..can you give a phonetic hint....or evben by Freepmail....I'm normally not this dense..
If you had a plate that said "H8 RUSH" you would be given the medal of honor by these communists.
"H8" is license lingo for "HATE"; I couldn't figure out the last part of it - knew it was something the driver "hated", but not what.
Having been a government employee from time to time over the years, I have always been aware that there are dangerous parts of the country to avoid in a government car - e.g. just about anywhere in the Appalachians unless preceded by large vans carrying checks, or gated communities!
I am going to guess that ol'gal with that plate lives in a state where it is unusual for folks, particular government employees, to run around with permits to carry personal firearms.
Frankly, most of this "H8" business in Virginia disappeared with the change in the state "permit to carry a concealed weapon" law. Now folks are much more polite. After all, you never know who you are going to meet.
Sometimes a Second Amendment "one of a kind" trumps a First Amendment straight flush!
It's not sinking in..can you give a phonetic hint....or evben by Freepmail....I'm normally not this dense..
pronounce it slowly.... "h-eight DCYF" (h-a-t-e.....)
bumping for anyone interested in non-election stories this Saturday....
New Hampshire's state motto? "Live free or die". At least when I still lived there, it was printed on the license plates.
New Hampshire's state motto? "Live free or die". At least when I still lived there, it was printed on the license plates.
And still is, I might add.
BTW, two new statues of Gen. Stark were recently unveiled; one in Manchester, near where he lived, the other was erected adjacent to the Bennington Battle Monument in Bennington, VT. I drove by that one last month; it looks great. He is pointing with his sword, and I believe the caption is his words to his troops at that fateful battle: "There are the British; defeat them, or Molly Stark sleeps a widow tonight!"
DMV inspectors? What the he...? Talk about adding to the swarms of officers harrassing the people. Do you know anything about their job description or authority?
Do you know anything about their job description or authority?
I'm not sure what you're asking, but the DMV has officers who wander around with baseball-style caps on their heads and semi-auto sidearms on their belts. I guess they're some sort of pseudo-cop, with some sort of enforcement authority with respect to DMV regulations.
The woman in the story took pictures of them removing the plates. I've seen them. They were armed.
That said, they were very pleasant and didn't give her a bad time. But..... they showed no warrant, no court order, no nothing. They simply showed up and removed her plates and left. They didn't announce themselves, or knock on the door. It was straight to the plates with a screwdriver.
What makes it all the more curious is that the DMV accepted her check a month or so ago to RENEW these exact same plates.... Now isn't that interesting?
I thought it referred to Hilliary. I read it as Hate DC Wife, you know, the first wife in DC? It works for me!
but the DMV has officers who wander around with baseball-style caps on their heads and semi-auto sidearms on their belts.
I was scratching my head until I read this. Cop or no, if someone turned up at my house to remove ANYTHING from the premises without a court order, I would have to resist quite a bit more than she did. It was clear that she was outnumbered by armed thugs.
I couln't figure it out at first either. I got H8 part, but didn't know what DCYF was.
Then I thought it must be: Hate D.C. Wife = Hillary!!!!!
didn't see your post....great minds think alike!!!
Frankly, most of this "H8" business in Virginia disappeared with the change in the state "permit to carry a concealed weapon" law. Now folks are much more polite.
Yeah, this would never happen in OK. Particulary stepping onto someone's lawn against the wishes of the homeowner w/o i.d. or a warrant. Of course, she'd have to deal with civil suits from their survivors.
All it takes is a few 'tradgedies' and the beaurocrats get the message: "You want the license plate, YOU go get it".
Cop or no, if someone turned up at my house to remove ANYTHING from the premises without a court order, I would have to resist quite a bit more than she did. It was clear that she was outnumbered by armed thugs.
Not only outnumbered 2-1 (two armed DMV officials vs. a middle-aged lawyer/housewife armed with a pet rabbit) but taken completely by surprise as well. She hadn't heard a thing from the DMV for almost a year, and was still waiting for them to inform her as to what regulation or rule of which her plate was in violation. She was essentially speechless, although she did have the presence of mind to snap a couple of photos of them unscrewing her plates.
I read it as Hate DC Wife, you know, the first wife in DC? It works for me!
As the author of "H8DCYF", I can assure you that wasn't what I had in mind when I conceived of it, but hey, if it works for you, it's ok with me!
a middle-aged lawyer/housewife armed with a pet rabbit
What sort of a permit is required to carry a concealed rabbit and how can I get one? LOL in the midst of chaos.
What sort of a permit is required to carry a concealed rabbit and how can I get one? LOL in the midst of chaos.
Last time I checked, the state of NH had NOT yet trampled the rights of rabbit-carrying citizens by imposing permit and licensing requirements, though I do anticipate a major debate in the legislature of those cheap, imported, "Saturday-night special" bunnies so often used to commit crimes. I suppose it will fall under the heading of "Lagomorph Legislation." I suppose they will also consider a mandatory five-day waiting period to buy a bunny, during which a background check can be made of the buyer, to ascertain whether or not you've bought too many bunnies that month, or if you have prior felony convictions; we can't be too careful, you know — there's nothing more dangerous than a convicted felon armed with a rabbit.
If the states start making chewing Gum illegal then we will have more rights in Singapore then we do in the U.S. !!
If the states start making chewing Gum illegal then we will have more rights in Singapore then we do in the U.S. !!
Shhh! Don't give them any ideas!
Time to form the National Rabbit Association!
Why haven't all of those been recalled for being "offensive"? Hmmmmm?
Ha ha
Betcha a cookie that all the "hate speech" plates directed at conservatives are purring along the highways unmolested.
Betcha a cookie that all the "hate speech" plates directed at conservatives are purring along the highways unmolested.
And if they are, she has cause for "selective prosecution" and violation of equal protection.
Ought to be good for a couple of mil. Civil rights violation, a Federal crime.
Ha ha Betcha a cookie that all the "hate speech" plates directed at conservatives are purring along the highways unmolested.
That's why I urge the reporter who wrote the article to file FOIA request with the DMV for a list of ALL "H8....." vanity plates. Should make for interesting reading in a followup article!
Time to form the National Rabbit Association!
NRA by golly!
Elmer Phudd ("Kill the wabitt, kill the wabitt....") will NOT be allowed to join.....
Here's an update to the story, direct from Attorney Werme's website; her replacement plate is especially delicious:
This story has spawned three editorials we know of. One from Fosters Daily Democrat on November 11th is somewhat out of character and sounds like it was written by the thought police. I had thought better of them, as they often cover both sides of DCYF issues, even though they clearly side with DCYF and foster parents. For example:
Werme's license plate crosses boundaries. It is an insult to the state and to the people who are served by the New Hampshire government.No doubt, the Division of Motor Vehicles was wrong to have issued the plates to Werme in the first place. It did the right thing by confiscating them.
Yet Fosters calls attention to the issue in a region where the plate rarely travels! It's often said that bad publicity is better than none.
On the other hand, The Concord Monitor editorial department fully understands what's going on. While they admit to a much better opinion of DCYF than I have, they understand the serious side of this too and commented on November 15th:
The whole episode might seem comic but for the serious issue of freedom of speech that lies beneath it. Any attempt by the state to censor political expression is cause for real concern.
The Monitor also takes the opportunity to link this to the DMV's right to dole out low numbered license plates to the politically connected. Owners of these plates will defend them as vigorously as H8DCYF and I think a Judicial Conduct complaint was filed against new Supreme Court Justice Linda Dalianis by a lawyer who felt intimidated one morning seeing her low numbered plate at court. The lawyer may have been Peter DeVere, who has carried on a campaign against low numbered plates.
The Union Leader's lead editorial for November 20th is titled NH's Thought Police: DMV: Give Paula Werme her license plate back. Never one to mince words, they extend our opinion of DCYF to the DMV:
A lot of people in this state - many of whom have contacted us with their gut-wrenching allegations against the Concord agency that inserts itself into family issues - share Werme's feelings about the controversial DCYF. We hope those people and civil libertarians from all over the state will join us in denouncing this discriminatory action by Beecher and the DMV.
2000 Nov 30
A week or so ago the DMV sent me a pair of ordinary number plates. I guess
they expect me to put them on the van, but they're so boring I don't.
Instead, I go to the town hall to try to snare IH8DCYF. However,the clerk
says that the computers haven't caught onto the seven character vanity plates
yet and she'd have to call Concord and deal with a human. I figure that would
be a waste of time, so I fall back on Plan B and ask for GAGGED. That's
available, so I walk out with a temporary paper plate officially gagged.
This is okay, as the back of the van has enough signs to leave no doubt as
to the details.
The metal plates arrived yesterday! Clearly it would be disingenuous for my plate to sport the state motto "Live Free or Die", so I'll just cut and fold over the part of that. As for the Old Man's profile, he needs a padlock over his mouth. The US Supreme Court decision should extend to that without difficulty. Time to declare victory. The campaign is not over, we have a couple projects left....
What could I do? I was outnumbered and outgunned; it was two DMV officers armed with semi-automatic pistols and a screwdriver, against a middle-aged housewife with a camera and a pet rabbit!
Last updated 2000 Dec 1.
I'm happy to report that in addition to being the originator of the idea for "H8DCYF" as a license plate for Attorney Werme, I was also the one who suggested the padlock through the lips of the image of the "Old Man in the Mountain" on her replacement license plate ("GAGGED").
bttt
37 Posted on 01/05/2002 18:17:47 PST by DCBryan1
38 Posted on 01/05/2002 18:21:52 PST by rwfromkansas
read reply #13 for a big clue on what the "H8" part means.....
If you want to know what "DCYF" in "H8DCYF" stands for, the article will tell you everything you need to know.
39 Posted on 01/05/2002 20:16:37 PST by longshadow
Hmmm.... let me guess.....
..... that plate must be from ..... Key West?
40 Posted on 01/05/2002 20:19:59 PST by longshadow
No, ma'am, we're coming about the cheese.
41 Posted on 01/05/2002 21:07:58 PST by jrherreid
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
[
Top
|
Latest Posts
|
Latest Articles
|
Self Search
|
Add Bookmark
|
Post
|
Abuse
|
Help!
]
FreeRepublic , LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794 Forum Version 2.0a Copyright © 1999 Free Republic, LLC |