Man's request for a vanity plate denied because his last name could cause offense

A Canadian man says that his request for a personalized license plate has been rejected on the grounds that it contains an “unacceptable s...

A Canadian man says that his request for a personalized license plate has been rejected on the grounds that it contains an “unacceptable slogan.”

The CBC reports that Dave Assman, who pronounces his last name as “Oss-men,” has been prohibited from putting his last name on his license plate — and he’s determined to fight the ban.

“It’s my last name. I’ve always had it,” the Saskatchewan resident told the CBC. “I’m not ashamed of it. There’s nothing bad about it.”

For Assman, his name carries a proud legacy. His great-grandfather, an Assman himself, would help other farmers during hard times.

“Farmers would come in the early ’30s and they borrowed money from him,” Assman said. “Instead of him foreclosing on their land, he just either forgave it, or let them pay when they could.”

But according to government officials, a license plate featuring the name could offend others.

“Even if a word is someone’s name and pronounced differently than the offensive version, that’s not something that would be apparent to other motorists who will see the plate,” SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy explained.