Folks who know me well know that my typical reaction to the term “politically correct” is anything from a smirk to a scream. I think these are two of the dirtiest words in the English language, overused by the comfortable to scoff at things they don’t understand, or employed in such ridiculously hyperbolic situations as to render them meaningless.

That being said, I have to admit that I’m tempted to use the term in conjunction with a recent development here in the Evergreen State. A driver here recently received a note from our Department of Motor Vehicles requesting that she come in to discuss a complaint made against her vanity license plate. The offensive phrase in question? “JOHN316“.

I’m not posting this entry to ponder the dangers of political correctness, the debate over the double-edged sword of intolerance, or the collapse of representative government. If I were, I’d have probably put this in the “Rants” section. (Although I do wish someone would have the delicious sense of irony to have a vanity plate that read, “MATHW66“) No, my reason for posting this story has solely to do with my first reaction upon hearing this news.

Maybe the person filing the grievance, I thought to myself, felt the license was a violation of the separation of church and plate. 😛