I will admit it. I would have been up all night trying to figure out why this license plate was racist. I still wouldn’t have gotten it.
VA License Plate: 14CV88
It seems that Virginia uses a computer to root out off color, racist and other types of messages that the state doesn’t want dotting its hiways and by-ways. Sometimes, however,, expressions that aren’t quite as obvious slip through.
According to the Washington Post:
The owner of a Ford truck bearing the license plate 14CV88 will have to find a new message after the DMV on Wednesday canceled its earlier approval of that series of letters and numbers.
A photo of the truck hit the Web a few days ago, went viral on car and other blogs and finally came to the attention of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an advocacy group for American Muslims. On Wednesday morning, the group complained to the DMV that the plate contained a white supremacist and neo-Nazi statement.
A few hours later, the DMV agreed that the plate contains a coded message: The number 88 stands for the eighth letter of the alphabet, H, doubled to signify “Heil Hitler,” said CAIR’s Ibrahim Hooper. “CV” stands for “Confederate veteran” — the plate was a special model embossed with a Confederate flag, which Virginia makes available for a $10 fee to card-carrying members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. And 14 is code for imprisoned white supremacist David Lane’s 14-word motto: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.”
“If the license plate had been on a VW Beetle with nothing else on it, or a Volvo station wagon, no one would probably have noticed,” said Hooper. “But when the Confederate flag is thrown in . . . it shows the convergence of anti-government and anti-Islamic sentiments that unfortunately seem to be growing.”
The DMV would not release the identity or location of the vehicle owner, citing privacy laws. Virginia has the highest percentage of personalized plates in the nation
The giveaway that something was amiss, Hooper said, was the truck itself. An enormous photo of the burning World Trade Center towers covers the entire tailgate, with the words: “Everything I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11.”
It certainly wouldn’t have offended me. I wouldn’t have gotten it. I have a hard time decoding plates that are n’t even off color or racist. I am sort of impressed that VA has the highest percentage of personalized plates. That is sure making some money for someone. On many of the plates, the addtional fees are due each year.
A panel can convene to judge ‘expressions’ that might not be too obvious. I don’t think that would be a good job for me. How many people on this blog have personalized plates or vanity plates? I am too cheap. And why is 88 a reference to Hitler? [best Jon Stewart voice: sillll eeeee]
Since I have worked in corrections and learned this in gang training, I know the answer, the 88 stands for hail hitler, which both start with the letter “h”, which happens to be the 8th letter of the alphabet. Gangs and white supremacist groups love using codes like that, where numbers corresponds, with that letter of the alphabet.
But, I have no clue how the plate was anti-Islamic, racist yes, anti-Islamic, is a far stretch, since the middle eastern countries during WWII, were some of hitler’s biggest supporters, the photo on the car and comment were maybe, but then again we still have free speech, I do believe.
The DMV needs to do a better job to get some of the plates that have gang codes on them off the street, but I suppose, they have no clue what the codes are, I have seen some that have codes and words representing “Blood” affiliation, all over the Fredericksburg area lately.
14/88 is a widely used greeting among white supremacists– you’ll lose track if you try to count how many times that appears on racist sites like vnn or stormfront. 88 was coined as a neo-nazi symbol by the same guy who coined that 14 words garbage– david lane. Of COURSE this is all silly– it’s a code developed by a bunch of racist idiots who like to play dress up and goose step! 🙂
I like how the DMV wouldn’t give the man’s name, but Hooper gives a vivid description of the painting on the tailgate, as if hundreds of people have the same on their truck. I’m sure all will know his name in short order. Maybe that’s good, maybe that’s bad.
That’s a giveaway? If the license plate has read “Go USA,” CAIR would still complain. Their entire reason for existence is to get Americans oversensitive about any treatment other than fawning agreement about Islam and Muslims. The fact that CAIR is on the case makes me want to support this man, white supremacist, or not. CAIR has a history of supporting terrorists and terrorism. They have whitewashed 😉 their reputation because those paragons of PC in DC and the press don’t want to show how badly they’ve been scammed. They support the following of Sharia in America. Talk about a prejudicial system. Anyone not a muslim is a 2nd or 3rd class citizen.
One one side, hey, 1st Amendment and all that, especially an obscure reference like that. Personally, though, if the evidence is accurate, he’s a bigot and gets what he deserves.
http://wap.jalopnik.com/site?t=cs4eYYo3YeF0V5jEGU9P2A&sid=jalopnikip
just plain ignorance on so many levels. And parked in a handicapped spot to boot.
And I bet there is a secret hand shake! How do these people come up with this crap? Yes, the Civil War is ong over, but racism is still alive and well in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
I wouldn’t have been able to interpret the tag’s meaning either. I probably would have thought “I foresee…” and then been stumped, but organizations that follow these groups soon become aware of the symbols. Add to that all the crapola on that truck, the expenditure for personalized tags, and one can assume there’s a message in the tag.
http://www.adl.org/hate_symbols/numbers_88.asp
I’ve always been too cheap to buy a personalized plate.
Pat, you are my hero. I looked all over the place for that silly truck last night. Thanks!
Not real subtle is it?
I somehow think the work ‘ferret’ is not the right choice of words after seeing the picture.
Lafayette and I know where this truck’s cousin lives. [evil grin]
Too bad the ACLU won’t protect this guys speech.
BTW, before someone says I’m racist [blah, blah] I’m just pointing out that speech should be protected. If the guy is a tool or not is left to those that view his message to decide. Nothing will stop the guy (probably) from screening or painting the old plate to his bumper or tailgate.
I’m just sad that the rifle rack is missing.
I am all for protecting speech. I am not for protecting ignorance (or stupidity).
Define stupidity. Is it anything that you don’t agree with?
“If you are not free to choose wrongly and irresponsibly, you are not free at all.”
Marinm, I suppose the ACLU isn’t interested unless one side’s argument is denied its free speech ( “Choose Life” and “Trust Women, Respect Choice”, for example). I see a couple tags in this list that I think are one-sided – including the NRA one:
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/exec/vehicle/splates/category.asp?category=S
marinm – the slogan on the back of the truck is ignorant and stupid. And there should not be any of my $$ (court time) spent on a case like this. They have already spent too much in trying to get the plate back (I agree it should be taken back and destroyed). I personally know several Muslims – and welcome them into my home (and no, they are not radical islamic jihadists). The Muslims could say similar things about the Christians – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades
Marin, the state has the right not to print up every bit of stupidity people come up with. We just went through this with the very moderate concept of Trust Women/Respect Choice on a license plate.
If you want to be a white supremist, no one is stopping you from getting a tatoo, a bumper sticker, or spray painting it on your truck. That state has the right not to help you do this though. The state represents all of us, even the people that this clown is attacking.
The ACLU would never touch this case, I don’t believe.
Thanks for that link, Censored. It is a toss up…Robert E. Lee or Trust Women/Respect Choice. Should I flip a coin?
Both guarantee a car keying.
Are we talking about the picture on back of the truck or the plates? Cause, as state property what the government gives it can take away.. So, if they take away the guys plates. Sorry. Sucks to be you. It WOULD be interesting to see if he could argue a 1A violation but I think the state has a case.
I’m more talking about his tailgate. Would it not be interesting if the guy, as a matter of protest, decides to screenprint a replication of the plate onto his tailgate as a 1A protest against the state and groups that are against his message? At that point, if the State tried to interject I think he’d have a really good 1A case, would he not? And, the ACLU has protected the KKK before. Lost a ton of members for doing so but they decided to take a stand and protect speech – even the most vile.
So, I think I agree with much of what your saying MH but maybe I muddled it up earlier in my explanation and hope the above is more clear. Granted, it’s a theoretical scenerio just meant to elicit input, comments, discussion and debate.
Pat, yup. Nothing would or should stop someone from making a depiction of the crusades on a PU truck as well.
I mean, we allow pro- and con- bumper stickers for pretty much anything and everything… It’d be interesting to see if this gentlemen does something like that in protest.
I think we agree Marin. He has a right to put up almost anything other than kiddie porn as long as it doesn’t violate community standards, whatever they are.
Wait. Your against him putting the image of a nude woman on her side covering up the ‘vital’ areas.. Prude!! 🙂
I miss the ol’ school 1970’s vans with air brushed pictures on the side of ’em.. Those so need to come back…and bell bottoms.
Maybe I should build the ol’ A-Team van in my spare time.
Three things:
1. I wouldn’t have known what any of that stood for.
2. I find this offensive: “Everything I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11.” Islam does not equal terrorism.
3. As much as I hate to say it, being a white supremist isn’t against the law unless you can prove harassment or threat. Not sure the state can censor the plates if the drivers pay for them–not when we have some pretty lewd vanity plates floating around out there.
Yea they can censor the plates because they print them. If you see a plate that is lewd then you write it down and send in a complaint to DMV. They will pull it if they agree. There is first the computer model then the lewd panel of 20.
I would have never figured out that white supremist stuff or the Hitler stuff. How does 88 translate into Nazi?
M-h, the 88 = Nazi is explained in the link I mentioned above:
The eighth letter of the alphabet is “H.” Eight two times signifies “HH, ” shorthand for the Nazi greeting, “Heil Hitler.” 88 is often found on hate group flyers, in both the greetings and closing comments of letters written by neo-Nazis, and in e-mail addresses.
Or, the guy could argue that he likes Tony Stewart (#14) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88) and the CV is just part of the license plates he bought (Confederate Sons) and that the numbers were spaced apart to make them more equally recognizable.
/shrug
Just so many conspiracy theories about the Masons and Aliens (not the ones in Arizona) and how if you look at the Last Supper at a 20 degree angle….. 😉
I agree with everything except your last line. The Crusades were a REACTION to Muslim aggression. Remember, they invaded Spain, attempted France, took Eastern Europe, Jerusalem, and Constantinople. The Muslims CANNOT say the same things about Christians. The only “Christian kingdoms” in Muslim lands came after the Muslims had conquered it, first, from the Christians. Fundamental Muslim writings demand the return of any formerly “Muslim” lands, or Jihad is approved. That would include Spain. Spain was a Muslim “nation” for over 700 years.
Muslims are allowed to worship wherever there are Christians. Not so, in Muslim countries. Sharia is strictly anti-democratic and definitely not “multicultural.”
The first amendment protects freedom of speech and gives this individual the right to have this image on their truck tailgate.
But it DOES NOT give anyone the right to not be offended, if you don’t like the message, turn away – don’t look – or, like it says in the Bible “if thine eye offends thee, pluck it out”.
Also, if David Lane’s quote were “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for black children”, nobody would bat an eye.
And speaking of Sharia:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lachlan-markay/2010/04/22/comedy-central-caves-censors-south-park-even-saying-mohammed
Apparently Jesus and every other prophet are fair game for offensive gags. But NOT Muhammed. I certainly hope the FBI is investigating the not-too-subtle death threat against the SP creators.
I am not comfortable bashing major religions. Obviously there are good and bad people of all faiths. I would not like to be judged by the murderer of Dr. Tiller or Westboro Baptist Church.
Ancient Christians have some real black marks against them also.
I wonder if people would have been so disgusted by the painting on say Sep 12, 2001? Hmmmmm
I’m sure they do. But they’re all long dead now. That doesn’t make modern Christians liable for 1,000-year-old sins or reparations for those sins. And all it takes is a few death threats to silence any parody or criticism of Muslims, but the Pope and other Christians are fair game–in our own country.
I don’t like religion-bashing, either. But death threats from a NY-based Muslim organization toward Americans is scarily effective in silencing critics.
Moon,
this isn’t bashing. That is an accurate description of Sharia and of history. Bashing would be saying that “all muslims, blah blah blah…..” That is not what I see.
Ancient Christians, during the middle ages, yes. But the Church evolved. And no matter what political leaders did its name, the central message of Christianity was love. The central message in Islam is submission. And if you decide to “interpret” the Koran, you might find yourself catching a bad case of death by fatwa.
“And if you decide to “interpret” the Koran, you might find yourself catching a bad case of death by fatwa.”
Interesting that the FBI in the SouthPark incident sees it as a First Amendment issue. Death threats for depicting Muhammed or mentioning him by name is a First Amendment issue, but banning ambiguous license plates is not?
I need someone to explain to me why Islam gets immunity, while all other faiths are fair game. Oh, yeah, right, because they might kill us if we criticize or parody them.
this raises the interesting question of whether, if no one understands the message except those likely to agree with it, can it be offensive?
That is a great question,, NOVA Scout. I wondered the same thing myself. It seems like a great deal of energy to spend over very esoteric code.
I think the FBI is all over the South Park situation.
Let’s look at they will kill us remark. Has it happened before? Were the perps caught and imprisoned?
I can’t sit here and say all Christianity has been good and all oif Islam is bad. I can think of blights on Christianity throughout history. Abuse didn’t stop with the middle ages. Hell, the Pope just apologized over Galileo 10 years ago. The Westboros are still going strong.
The point is there are bad representations in every religion. There are also good ones. When my mother was critically ill, the very kindest person to her was a muslim woman who was working a job well below her training. The other very kind woman was a Mexican lady named Maria. She was very Catholic.
It sounds like the south park thugs might fit in well with the westboros. I would not want to be compared to either.
The thing is that the Westboros are an aberration. The current Church and other Christian sects, as a whole, promote peace, love, and in general, tolerance. Yes, I know, they condemn homosexuality and abortion. But they do not promote death for either. Nor do they state that those that convert, should be killed. Or those that criticize the Christian religion be killed. Or that other religions should not worship.
I’m sure that you found her to be kind. There are millions of kind people throughout the world. There are probably thousands of muslims in America that would never think of harming another being. Unfortunately, to fit in with western society, to conform, they must deny fundamental teachings of the Koran. Islam is not just a religion. It is a political system that controls every aspect of one’s life. And in every corner of the globe, where Islam abuts an non-Muslim country or group, there is conflict.
I hope that Muslims, as a whole, can coexist with the modern world, will eventually “liberalize” enough that abuse of women and children will not be considered normal, that death will not be considered a civilized course of action for religious disapproval or offended sensibilities. I do not advocate the overthrow of Saudi Arabia for their abuses any more than I advocate invading North Korea for starving their millions. Unless those peoples export danger to me and mine. And exporting and promoting sharia, and using our laws and sensitivities against us, to gain special privileges and immunities, upon pain of violence or lawsuit, is dangerous to the US.
For some reason, too many in our society and government, are afraid of offending Muslims, when they are not afraid of offending anyone else. Actions condemned in others are waived for muslims. Fear is dhimmitude. This is cultural conflict. The one with the most vibrant, resistant, and aggressive culture will win and that is the culture, in the long run, that will determine the course of this nation and the world.
Amazing, the convolutions that these discussions take. From DMV restrictions to discussions about the course of the world’s civilizations…..
It is not a religion I would be racing out to join but I try to not make judgements. Live and let live.l Now when the living stops I get critical. more later. I am trying to raise the bar in my own mind.
I think the FBI is all over the South Park situation.
Let’s look at they will kill us remark. Has it happened before? Were the perps caught and imprisoned?
I can’t sit here and say all Christianity has been good and all oif Islam is bad. I can think of blights on Christianity throughout history. Abuse didn’t stop with the middle ages. Hell, the Pope just apologized over Galileo 10 years ago. The Westboros are still going strong.
The point is there are bad representations in every religion. There are also good ones. When my mother was critically ill, the very kindest person to her was a muslim woman who was working a job well below her training. The other very kind woman was a Mexican lady named Maria. She was very Catholic.
It sounds like the south park thugs might fit in well with the westboros. I would not want to be compared to either.
Cargo, I have only read bits and pieces of the kuran. I suppose it is like any other holy book …people can interpret it any way they choose. Christians certainly don’t agree on behaviors and principles. Not even close. Many Christians just don’t consider people who don’t think like them to even be Christians.
My own religion, Christianity, has too many wackos in it for me. Islam has its wackos too.
@Garrett Watson
Well Garrett, if you know those gang codes, have you made DMV aware of them? If not, then shame on you.
While I find that I do not always agree with CargoSquid, his thoughts on Islam on on the mark. Islam is not just a religion–it is an absolute way of life and refuses to modernize. We had Muslim neighbors who were born and raised in this country, yet they did not seem to give an inch. While the wife did not wear a burqa, you rarely saw her in public by herself. A couple of time I saw her outside but when she saw me,she went into the house. Of course, it could have been my looks, but I don’t think so. I once read that wherever Islam takes root, freedom dies. Britain has allowed sharia law to take precedence in some instances and I think that is a huge, huge mistake. There are predictions that in a few decades, England or the Netherlands will become Islamic states. The Islamic goal is world domination and they are not going to relent and they are not going to modernize. And idea that they will “modernize” is foolishness.
And I agree with CS that this discussion has gone WAAY off course.
Sharia law has no place in the United States.
Its ok to go off course this far down the line 😉 I believe that topics can evolve as they get longer. I will post Jon Stewart on this topic.
A couple of months ago a car in front of me had a plate that read U STFU. I remarked to my daughter that I wondered how that plate managed to slip through.
@George, what is the point, I would be on the phone for hours with the DMV, trying to explain something to them, that they have no concept or understanding of. I figure it gives local deputies and cops, an easy car to pull over, if they have the training to know what it means, since gang participation is against the law in Virginia.