Virginia is for “Traditional” Lovers

Virginia is for Lovers, that’s the long standing tourism pitch here in my home state. It’s a pitch that’s been in use for 36 years, so it’s certainly demonstrated some shelf life. Don’t mess with Texas, but come screw in Virginia. It make me feel good about which state I live in.

Another means by which Virginian’s can display our pride in various qualities of our state, our membership in an organization, or support for a cause, is on the license plates we wear on our cars. The Virginia DMV currents offers 180 specialized plates, and our General Assembly is hard at work on a new option promoting ‘Traditional Marriage’.

With only a week remaining in an overloaded session (and just in time for Valentine’s Day), the General Assembly in our state for Lover’s has passed HB 660 which requires that Virginia “shall issue to the applicant special license plates for supporters of traditional marriage. The design of such special license plates shall include the legend: TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE and two interlocked golden wedding bands over a red heart.”

But does this go far enough? I had in mind that perhaps the new plate should specify that our Virginia values can only support the missionary position (for purposes of procreation only thank you). And Waldo Jaquith has done a fine job with a proposed design along those same lines. Well done Waldo.

That our elected officials would waste a moment with such hateful nonsense to promote this opportunity to proudly display our intolerance on our cars is an embarrassment to all Virginians, and a warning to others that Virginia may be only for ‘Traditional’ lovers.

Thanks to Eric Folley for pointing this travesty out