One Oneonta man is now threatened to revoke his vehicle registration because of his custom license plate that contains “objectionable language” according to the Alabama Department of Revenue.
Nathan Kirk purchased a new vehicle in October 2021 and decided to personalize his tag for the vehicle. The design of the license plate contains the words “Don’t Tread on Me” along with the distinctive snake from the Gadsden flag. Kirk chose the personalized letters “LGBF JB” that Many people deduced these letters were meant to stand for the anti-Biden phrases “Let’s go, Brandon” and “F*** Joe Biden,” a conclusion seemingly supported by the “Let’s Go Brandon” license plate frame Kirk put around it.
According to the Western Journal report, the personalized license plates in Alabama could take two to six weeks to arrive, but Kirk noticed that his tag took much longer. After the temporary paper expired he then contacted and asked as to why he had not received his license plate yet. He was informed that it was because of the shortage of aluminum.
This made him order a new license plate in December 2021 which he finally received in January 2022. He then assumed that his headache was over and installed his new tag, unfortunately to his surprise he received a letter from the Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division in February 2022 stating that his license plate “contains objectionable language which is considered by the Department to be offensive to the peace and dignity of the State of Alabama. Registration for this personalized license plate message will not be issued/renewed.”
Alabama recalls a “Let’s go Brandon” license plate, calling it “objectionable.” https://t.co/qHYFcNaIVi pic.twitter.com/r6ls4ICjI5
— AL.com (@aldotcom) February 28, 2022
Kirk was warned in the letter that he only have ten days to return the license plate before his vehicle registration would be revoked, and it was dated Feb. 17. He said that a fine would be issued to him “$500 for the first offense and $1,000 for the second or subsequent offense.” If the vehicle registration is invalid, it could lead to his truck being impounded.
“It’s been on the road for a month, and it was approved a long time ago; it was approved immediately when I bought it,” he told the Tribune. “They didn’t have any issue taking the six or seven hundred dollars it cost from me.”
Personalized tag in Oneonta recalled for ‘objective language’https://t.co/WNDMLeemtK
— The Trussville Tribune (@TrussTribune) February 25, 2022
“It’s 100 percent suppression of First Amendment rights,” Kirk said. “It could stand for anything; I just kind of like those letters. I could get the letters FFFFFF, and it could stand for anything.”
The letter states that there is an appeal process that Kirk could pursue if he doesn’t agree with the Alabama Department of Revenue.
“If you are dissatisfied by the above action of the Department of Revenue, Section 40-12-275, Code of Alabama 1975, as provided in Act 2019-305. ‘An appeal concerning the denial of the issuance or renewal of a license plate shall be made with the circuit court of the county where the motor vehicle is registered.’”
Sources: The Western Journal, Truss Ville Tribune
