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Translate the Plate!
I’m not sure whose idea it was to start the “Vanity Plates” program for the State of Virginia DMV but wow! What a money maker it must be! It seems like every other plate I see carries with it some special theme or message these days.
Virginia now offers over 180 special license plates touting everything form the AFL-CIO to “Whitetail deer.” CPA’s and Realtors have their own special plates which makes me wonder why no other profession has jumped in or been allowed. I’m still waiting on the “Christian Educator” plates but I’m not holding my breath. Besides, I’m certain someone would quickly point out the “separation of church and state plate” issues surely anticipated by our forefathers. You can just imagine the conversation between Jefferson and Adams at the Second Continental Congress . . .
“You know Tom, if we don’t do this separation of church and state thing, the next thing you know people will be running around hanging signs on the back end of their horses touting religion in lieu of Greyhound Adoption and we just can’t have that . . .
“That’s what I’ve always liked about you Sam – you’re not much at brewing a beer but you have just foresight this country needs . . .”
Oddly, there is a “Most Worshipful Prince Hall” plate that apparently has something to do with Free Masons that are, as I understand it, all about "belief in a supreme being based on a system of morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols." Thus, as folks who are all about symbols, sporting one on one’s sporster must rate pretty high. So high, in fact, that the Freemasons have a second plate that simply says “Freemason” on it. I’ve no idea how the state plate powers-that-be work all of that out.
In addition to the 180 plus groups / themes / catagories, Virginians also have the lovely option of spelling out anything that comes to their wandering little minds. Some, of course, are creative beyond words, while others are, shall we say . . . stupid. OK, not stupid, our mom’s won’t allow that, but at least nonsensical. Or maybe they just reveal our own lack of intelligence. I hate sitting at a light for five minutes agonizing over what the plate in front of me might mean only to depart completely clueless as to the authors intent.
“GR82BZQ.”
“Let’s see . . . Great . . . Great to . . . Great to be . . . Zoiked?? Arghhhhhh!”
Recently I spotted a plate that made me think. It was “GODSWER.”
The meaning came pretty quickly – at least I thought so at first . . . “God’s, we are” as in, “We belong to God and we know it.” Which is a nice message and reminder that brought a smile to my face. But then a moment later my wandering mind stuck the emphasis in another place and it came out “gods we are” as in “we are little god’s in control of everything that happens to and through us – the supreme rulers of our own world . . .”
Wow. What a difference in meaning. At first I wondered what the driver was trying to say, but I quickly concluded that their intention must have been the first translation. But the three words seemed to speak so simply of the way we as human beings tend to approach life.
“God’s we are,” or “gods we are.” One translation leads to one perspective and one leads to quite another.
How do you read it?
The answer makes all the difference.
- Stuart