Alabama License Plate

AKAtude · #1 04-21-2002, 09:28 AM

Alabama professor fighting 'Dixie' license plate in court

The Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A criminal justice professor is fighting a ticket she got for putting tape over part of the "Heart of Dixie" logo on her Alabama license plate.

Karen Taylor, who teaches at historically black Alabama State University, was pulled over for speeding by a Montgomery police officer last month and also cited for covering the word "Dixie" on her tag.

"I find the word 'Dixie' to be historically offensive and I don't feel I have to advertise a word or slogan I ideologically disagree with," said Taylor. "It's the fight song of the slave-holding South, and as a black person, I find it offensive."

Taylor's case was originally set to be heard Wednesday but it was postponed until Aug. 23.

Taylor said she placed a piece of red-and-white tape over the word "Dixie" 10 years ago in protest of the song's racist heritage. When she was pulled over last month and issued a ticket for having an illegal tag, it was the first time her tag protest caused a problem.

She paid the $118 speeding fine for going 51 mph in a 35 mph zone but fought the tag violation.

"I told the officer I had a constitutional right to alter the tag and he said I didn't and wrote out the ticket," she said.

Police spokesman Sgt. Huey Thornton said Taylor broke the law and the officer acted properly.

Alabama's criminal code requires that all plates have "a conventionalized representation of a heart and the words 'Heart of Dixie' on them," Thornton said.

AKA2D '91 · #2 04-21-2002, 01:03 PM

Dayum, she drives like me.

Is that the ONLY plate 'bama has? She should fight that mess.

stillwater15 · #3 04-21-2002, 04:37 PM

i went to school in alabama and one reason i didn't switch to 'bama plates had to do w/'heart of dixie' being on the tags. we'll see how this turns out.

AKA2D '91 · #4 04-21-2002, 08:05 PM

Is the plate in question, the "general" 'bama plate? I see many plates around here. Is it the plate where at the bottom, it's kind of blue and ALABAMA is written in a light red or pink?

I've never paid too much attention to it, but I will.

ladybug1116 · #5 04-22-2002, 02:14 AM

Yes, that's the standard AL plate. It's been around for quite a few years, but there are alternative plates that may be ordered.
However, the license plate is changing this year and several of the new tags are already on the road. The new one is red, white, and blue with the slogan "Stars Fell on Alabama" (from the Frank Sinatra song) on it. All of the Heart of Dixie tags will be off the road by December.

thesweetestone · #6 04-24-2002, 12:53 AM

This story was on my local news the other night. I found it odd they they show her whole tag. they show the tag number and everything. they showed the her whole car. They even told were the woman worked. she said she absolutely refuses to pay for the tag violation. she said she would be willing to go to jail before she pays it.