Meet Heather Moriah, proud member of South Dakota's West River Sierra Club. An environmentalist, Heather drives a silver Prius. She bought the 2005 Prius late last summer and ordered personalized plates. Her partner, Curt Finnegan, has a 2004 Prius that also has personalized plates that compliment Heathers.
More below....
But someone was offended by Heather's plates and complained so now the state is demanding that Heather return her plates.
But Division of Motor Vehicles director Deb Hillmer said Thursday that the law clearly gives the state authority to recall the plates and have them forcibly removed if necessary. And although only one person complained about Moriah’s political statement, that’s all it takes to recall a set of vanity plates, Hillmer said.
"I’m following the letter of the law," she said. "It’s offensive to someone and not in good taste and decency. And the plates are the property of the state of South Dakota."
Ms. Hillmer says that it wouldn't matter if it was a different president - if the message would be offensive to the community norms, it shouldn't be issued. And if accidentally issued, they have the right to recall it.
Apparently The state has recalled vanity plates five or six times in the past, but Heather is the first to ever complain.
"I don’t think I’m going to play," Moriah said Thursday afternoon. "The plate isn’t in poor taste. It‘s not sexual in nature or pornographic. To me, a political message should not be considered offensive."
She has contacted the ACLU, who apparently will write a letter to the state on her behalf. It probably won't go any further because Heather is moving to Pennsylvanian in the next couple of months. She does hope to take her plates with her.
Rapid City lawyer Patrick Duffy said there’s plenty of reason to complain. Duffy, who has worked on key civil rights cases involving American Indian voting issues, said action by the state means that any personalized plate must be recalled because of a single complaint, no matter what the message.
South Dakota has a lot of Catholics and Lutherans - wonder how it will go when an atheist or non-Christian makes a complaint about all the license plates referring to Jesus and his dad. The story in the Rapid City Journal has generated over 300 comments.
I love the land I live on, but am glad it is in sovereign Lakota country, not South Dakota - my plates say Rosebud Sioux Tribe.