DMV forbids vanity FUMA plate, declares it obscene
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Email to friendFrom the Richmond Times Dispatch
DMV Declares FUMA Obscene
Editor, Times-Dispatch:
The recent article about vanity plates in Virginia called to mind a negative experience.
A young man graduated from Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) in May 2007. At Fork Union, he achieved entrance into college after failing in his freshman year at a public school. He wanted to honor Fork Union and let others know he was proud to be an alumnus of this fine school.
He applied for plates after purchasing a 1986 vehicle with his own money. After applying and paying his fees, he was issued temporary plates and waited to get his FUMA GRD plates. After several weeks, he received a letter from DMV stating that it could not issue his plates because the plates could be considered obscene or represented criminal activity.
The letter was couched in legalese but invited the young man to respond by e-mail, which he did, explaining what FUMA was and mentioning that it was even discussed in the newspaper that way.
He never received a response but did receive a set of regular plates. The point of this true story is that not all is rosy about vanity plates.
Bernard E. Davis. Mechanicsville.
I wonder what their rationale was for declaring the request obscene. The only thing I can figure (as a Spanish speaker), is that the verb "fumar," in Spanish, means "to smoke." "Fuma," therefore, can be translated as "he/she smokes."
Even so, that seems like such a reach. Kind of silly, if you ask me.
and here I thought he went for the "Fork U" vanity plate.
Sorry to invade Alum territory but I had to comment on this one............
There's a car around town with a big FU sticker in the window and Frostburg University is NOT the first thing that comes to mind when I see it.
Even though, it's pretty sad that the DMV couldn't get around that one for a legitimate organization.
Barbara
After the editorial piece appeared in the newspaper a few of us here at the Academy got on the phone with the DMV and inquired as to why this would happen to someone wanting to display their school pride. After speaking with the Media Specialist last week she informed me that there are several steps taken when vanity plates are being reviewed and the department has become a little more stringent in accepting some that could be considered "obscene" or "not in good taste". After explaining what the initials stood for and that many FUMA administrators had it on their vehicle license plates, she said she would investigate the matter further and get back in touch with us regarding the reason why this young man was denied his plate.
Today I received a phone call by the office manager at the DMV in Richmond. She informed me that this FUMA graduate will be issued his FUMA GRD license plate. FUMA has now been taken off the “red flag” list and hopefully in the future it will not present a problem for other proud alums, parents, faculty/staff, etc.
In this instance it did pay to voice an opinion and we are hopeful others won't be denied a FUMA vanity plate.
Elizabeth Liles
Asking for FUMA GRD on a vanity is not obscene. However, having to eat SOS for four years definitely WAS obscene...
My motive, by starting this thread, was to see if FUMA could do anything about the denial. Wanting a few more responses, I had delayed my "call to action". I did not expect the Academy to respond so quickly due to the holidays and to see DMV responded as well...well that make my Christmas and I am sure "FUMA GRD's" Holiday too!
I suspect I know that "cadet" (the background story sounded like a cadet I had spoken with many times). If I am correct, he earned those plates.
Congrats and thanks to FUMA for helping out another Alum.
I'm glad to hear the DMV responded by accepting the request for the plate instead of repealing those already in use :?
Now is FUMA still working on getting their own design of plates through the DMV?
Barbara
This reminds me of the oval FUMA sticker in the back window of my car. One late night I was driving into Yuma, Arizona to photograph an air show the following day at MCAS Yuma and was pulled over by a local policeman, whose first words were: "You military fellows think you're pretty smart don't you? We give you support and you say F-UMA!" After a little explaining I received a nice escort to my motel. :wink:
I remember reading this in Col Hitchcock's class when it came out in the paper. I thought it was such BS, not only because it was displaying school pride and nothing obscene, but also I have a North Carolina plate that says 2008FUMA and it's perfectly OK. This did make me pretty mad though, seeing the bureaucratic crap taking it away. I am glad to know that Matt got his plate though.
Guess MD was more lenient. At one time my license plate was:
XX RX RR
When the DMV lady asked me what it stood for, I was honest:'
Sex (XX), Drugs (RX) and Rock n' Roll (RR)
She simply smiled, and said that I would have no problem. (Mainly, I'm sure because few would figure it out -- although I got MANY who asked, esp. at stop lights.)
Then there was the UNofficial FUMA sticker that I saw back in my day. The letters were highlighted: It said, "Fork Union College of Knowledge") I knew right then, it was a FUMA grad.
Political correctness and stupidity run amuck. If he had requested plates reading, "BN LDN RKS" they would have gone right out to him. At times, I think I've lived too long.