Explainer Episode 4 – Civil Rights and Vanity Plates

Jon Kotler, a California fan of the London soccer club Fulham FC, wanted to put the letters “COYW” on his license plate. The letters stand for a common phrase that Fulham fans use to support their team: “Come on You Whites!” “White” is meant to refer to the color of Fulham’s home kits, but the DMV deemed the acroynym offensive and prevented Kotler from using it.

Kotler filed a federal suit claiming that the DMV had violated his free speech rights. In this short episode, Wen Fa, an attorney in the case, describes the details.

Wen Fa

Attorney

Pacific Legal Foundation


Enforcement & Agency Coercion

The Federalist Society and Regulatory Transparency Project take no position on particular legal or public policy matters. All expressions of opinion are those of the speaker(s). To join the debate, please email us at [email protected].

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