Historical, hate or other plate?

Today in traffic, I was behind a tan with gold package S500 with the vanity plate 'AXISPWR'. Am I crazy or is that a WWII reference on the German saloon? I wonder if it was plated with stolen gold?

Driver was woman in late 50's to early 70's.

Could easily be a business. But yeah, that..... Is questionable on a car of that heritage.

Totally a historical reference. If you are Jewish, I think you could be acquitted for any acts of road rage perpetrated upon said vehicle.

mndsm wrote: Could easily be a business. But yeah, that..... Is questionable on a car of that heritage.

Naming a business Axis Power is in itself pretty questionable taste.

I think that means that it would be okay to strafe it from a Spitfire or Mustang.

My wife still works at the company where I worked prior to retirement last year, and I occasionally take her to work. I've been seeing a scruffy looking MINI in the parking lot which wasn't there when I worked there. It has RI state vanity license plates over German tags, and German flag stickers on the windows (not swastika). The RI state tags are a shortened version of the word "blitzkrieg." It's six letters but I can't remember which six. It's definitely a reference to blitzkrieg. My wife says the car belongs to a "young" person, late twenties or early thirties. By itself the RI "blitzkrieg" vanity plate wouldn't be offensive. But coupled with the other German references, I think it's in poor taste, and could possibly be offensive to anyone with ancestors and relatives affected by Wehrmacht blitzkrieg activity in the late thirties and early forties ... or any patriotic American for that matter.

Hard to see it as anything but a historical reference...which is pretty distasteful.

I guess... it's also kind of clever.

So, is this in poor taste, then? http://www.solomatters.com/event-coverage-dixie-regions-axis-v-allies

I wonder if she was born in Argentina.

Tom_Spangler wrote: I guess... it's also kind of clever. So, is this in poor taste, then? http://www.solomatters.com/event-coverage-dixie-regions-axis-v-allies

I was just going to mention that. There's a similar event up here.

Tom_Spangler wrote: I guess... it's also kind of clever. So, is this in poor taste, then? http://www.solomatters.com/event-coverage-dixie-regions-axis-v-allies

Maybe the flags in use at the event...but otherwise no.

Also, it's a good thing WW2 wasn't fought with cars

Not cool.

It's a funny joke on a Lemons car where you know it's a joke.

Not sure about on a daily driver. It would help if the driver was Jewish.

I think people spend entirely too much time being offended by things in general.

HappyAndy wrote: I think that means that it would be okay to strafe it from a Spitfire or Mustang.

Edit : Lightning, Hellcat and Avenger should be added to that list too.

I'd like to hear what the owner/ driver had to say about it. Does not sound good as described tho.

DaveEstey wrote: I think people spend entirely too much time being offended by things in general.

Inappropriate activity and poor taste, such as the examples mentioned here, do not necessarily make it offensive. Some people are so completely unaware, or maybe think they're being clever, they don't even realize that they're doing something of questionable social behavior. Then there are the others who are so self centered they don't care how it appears to others. So I think this discussion is less about certain people being offended, and more about there being some type of behavioral issue with the perpetrator.

I hear you on the ignorance. I had a neighbor (Mexican gentleman in his 80's) who wore a Star of David necklace everyday. Here in AZ most Mexican dudes are Catholics (please forgive the stereotyping). When he wished me a Merry Christmas, I asked if he celebrated Christmas or Hanukkah, he looked at me strange and said Christmas. I asked about the Star of David and he told me his nickname was star and his kids gave him the necklace. He had no idea (and still doesn't) that it had religious significance. I think he had been wearing it for at least 4 decades.

mndsm wrote: Could easily be a business. But yeah, that..... Is questionable on a car of that heritage.

There's an S4 'round here that says PJ ME262 or somesuch.

(It's not me.)

I also saw one of those generic cube-utes with the plate HK MP5.

DaveEstey wrote: I think people spend entirely too much time being offended by things in general.

This...I've participated in the Axis vs. Allies autocross before, some things aren't meant to be taken seriously. Even my old German friends participated and thought it was cool. We spend WAAYYY too much time worrying about how to be offended rather than getting on with life.

DaveEstey wrote: I think people spend entirely too much time being offended by things in general.

Agreed.

On the topic of number plates. I saw a little red Mazda 2 the other day. driven by a young female driver with the number plate missdp... While I'm sure it doesn't mean what immediately sprang to my mind.... Wow, poorly chosen plate.

AXIS POWER would be equally appropriate on Japanese and Italian cars(half the time) as well. Everyone assumes it just means Germany. Shame on you.

In reply to daeman:

Maybe it does mean what you thought and you missed a chance to make a new friend.

Wally wrote: In reply to daeman: Maybe it does mean what you thought and you missed a chance to make a new friend.

2 new friends....

HappyAndy wrote:

HappyAndy wrote: I think that means that it would be okay to strafe it from a Spitfire or Mustang.

Edit : Lightning, Hellcat and Avenger should be added to that list too.

So a Triumph, two Fords and two Dodges then?