When my papa bought my grandma a Mercedes for her birthday many moons ago, he invested in a vanity plate with her initials on it. Considering my grandma's initials are "GAG," I think she would've enjoyed a modesty plate a little bit more.
And it seems that the Motor Vehicle Division would, too.
Recently, ASU alumnus Scott Spencer was forced to remove his "UAH8R" specialty Sparky plate after someone complained.
Of course, license plates are supposed to be somewhat dignified and not lewd, obscene or offensive. Thus, if "UAH8R" did in fact offend someone, fine. It is not anyone else's place to question this.
But, if Spencer's plate was revoked, why do "1H8ASU" and "BOOASU" exist, according to Arizona Department of Transportation's online personalized plate search?
Whether someone has complained about the anti-ASU license plates or not is irrelevant. If the MVD took Spencer's plate, the others should simply be treated with fairness.
As described today by State Press reporter Brian Indrelunas' page-one article, a committee reviews questionable applications, appeals and complaints monthly. This committee handled the complaint about Spencer's plate and denied his appeal.
With the huge number of personalized plates, it is possible that the few aforementioned anti-ASU plates slipped through the cracks.
As of Aug. 31, there were 6,734 registered ASU collegiate license plates, according to ADOT. Out of those Sparky plates, 1,887 were personalized.
UA has 9,580 total plates, 2,296 of which are personalized. (They are clearly kicking our butts in the license plate pride category. A "friend" claims this is because, "People who go to UA end up having enough money to buy cars." Ouch.)
We must remember that not everyone at ASU has a Sparky license plate. And, considering that over 60,000 attend ASU and non-students are allowed to purchase the plates, too, a small percentage of current students jet around with Sparky on their bumper.
In Arizona, 161,425 of registered vehicles have a personalized vanity plate.
At first, I wondered how many of these plates are actually necessary. Then I realized the answer: None! My boyfriend clued me in to a little secret. Vanity license plates are just that -- in vain.
Granted, while I wouldn't take offense to a car with a "1H8ASU" license plate, I would most likely make fun of it. What a waste of $25.
Instead of dismissing the opposition, why not cheer on your own team? I guess it's not really as fun, but hey, no one loses. Spencer's eventual choice, replacing "UAH8R," was "PT4T2" in honor of Pat Tillman.
And yes, I do believe that I would apply the same fairness (that the MVD is lacking) to Spencer's original license plate.
And every other vanity plate, too. Particularly the one that I sometimes park next to that reads some un-voweled variant of "DARK SITH."
I have a suggestion. If you are willing to spend $25 a year on a license plate, buy a Sparky plate and leave your (OK, my) dream of having "CUTESY" follow your car around (If anyone is wondering, "CUTESY" isn't taken yet -- I checked.), instead of feeding your ego, feed the Medallion of Merit Scholarship.
Seventeen dollars of the $25 for the license plate will go directly to the ASU Alumni Association's fund to "keep Arizona's brightest students in Arizona," according to their Web site.
Support the cause, not the h8.
Celeste Sepessy is a journalism and Italian freshman. Reach her at celeste.sepessy@asu.edu.
