OK, by those token words of wisdom "F_CK YOU" is freedom of expression. Why don't we all put that on our T-shirts and go to the mall?
The point is these are nasty words that have nothing to do with art or expression. Lewd may be a better description. And the general public has a right to expect these words be kept out of public domain especially next to a state's own logo or motto. While they may be kind of catchy or funny they are still unnecessary representations of nastiness.

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Honestly, that is allowed on a t-shirt though there are some places where is would be limited (like a school).

Lewd or not, that is NOT a function of the state. A license plate IS.

Personally, I don't like t-shirts that say 'I have abortions for fun' or 'kill a Jew for Jesus' or 'let's kill fags together' but that is an INDIVIDUAL expression, not one (implicitly) sanctioned by the state in letting it go out on a license plate.

I don't like those either. Or a lot of bumper stickers I see. But I realize the right to say that.

I agree that states are the ones that disburse license plates, and that the issues not dealt with by the US Constitution are relegated to the states.

Freedom of expression is an issue clearly dealt with by the US Constitution. If a state allows the commodity of vanity plates to be purchased by its public, then it is still subject to the scrutiny of federal freedom of speech rights imo. How are they allowed to circumspect that right?

What about plates that are unintentionally raunchy?

I can think of a couple.

A guy in Montana had a plate that simply said "Sheep."

I mean, his family fortune was built on sheep ranching... but c'mon.. talk about hysterical...

And I knew of a fairly hot-looking trophy wife type in one town who had the message "ISELLIT" (I sell it) on the plates of her SUV.

Of course, she worked in sales, but sheesh.. somebody at the DMV should have sat her down and said.."look, lady... have you actually THOUGHT about this?"

The two stupidest T-Shirts I ever saw were a "Nobody knows I'm a Lesbian" T-shirt on a big, beefy guy at the gym... and then a waifish young girl who got on a city bus in Seattle who had a T-shirt that had "FUCK OFF OR I'LL KILL YOU" in big, bold letters on the back.


(hmmm.. it just struck me.. maybe those two got their T-shirts mixed up at the laundromat, and didn't realize it... LOL!)