State Removing License Plate 'Hate' Words

[JODO 2]

MACON, Ga. -- A central Georgia driver's discovery that his license plate contained an anti-Semitic message has prompted the state to stop issuing personalized or hobby plates that suggest the word "hate."

Frank Gumina told The Telegraph newspaper in Macon he was surprised when his auto mechanic asked him if he were a "Jew hater." The mechanic pointed to the license plate on Gumina's 1974 Volkswagen Thing.

It read: HA8 JWZ.

Gumina said he had to stare at it awhile before he understood. "I guess I don't pay attention to the letters and stuff," he said.

Gumina called the Bibb County license tag office, and also called his preacher. His preacher called Rabbi Larry Schlesinger, who serves at Temple Beth Israel and is a Macon city councilman-elect. Schlesinger called the Anti-Defamation League in Atlanta. And the Anti-Defamation League called state officials.

The upshot: the Georgia Department of Revenue has decided to no longer issue prestige plates -- also called vanity or personalized plates -- or hobby plates that start with HA8 or H8.

Gumina did not request his HA8 plate. He had asked for a Hobby Automobile plate for his old car. Such plates all start with HA and will continue to do so. The rest was random numbers and letters that spelled out something unintended, Department of Revenue spokesman Charles Willey said.

"The guy who got that plate, he was innocent," Willey said.

Bill Nigut, Southeast regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement, "The plate may have been created without the intention of spreading an anti-Semitic message, but unfortunately, it did just that. We're glad the ADL was able to help pull the license plate out of circulation, and we especially thank Lt. Governor Casey Cagle's office, which moved quickly to get the state to act after we contacted him."

He added, "Allowing such tags encourages a climate of intolerance and hostility that is simply unacceptable."

[Nagishkaw 510]

[Jenn! 918]

My grandmother, whose first name is Yasuko, has a license plate that says YASUK. I don't think she thought that one all the way through when she found out that YASUKO was already taken.

[NavarreMan 10]

I doubt they would have issued it if her name was not Yasuko. I think it is kinda cute!

I hope they don't take offense to my "LETS RL" license plate. If they make me change it I will send it to Todd Beemer's family.

[mawilson 2,133]

My grandmother, whose first name is Yasuko, has a license plate that says YASUK. I don't think she thought that one all the way through when she found out that YASUKO was already taken.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It took me 10 minutes to get Jenn's YASUK joke

[JODO 2]

It took me 10 minutes to get Jenn's YASUK joke

[Saddle Bronc 124]

So, I guess that if one wants a plat that says "CH0PFK", you'll need to get it now.

[JeanneVictoria 55]

It took me 10 minutes to get Jenn's YASUK joke

[mbdesousa 0]

funny

there were two people from my former country, yugoslavia. they got married and got pregnant. then, they panicked.

Hers last name was Dabich ( da ######) and his last name was Jokich (Jock Itch).... they were freaking out for a while what last name to give to the kid. So they chose father's last name.

Well, the kid will be picked on at school, I tell you.

Hope it made you laugh.