Teacher designs license plate

Social studies teacher pushes for a Gold Star license plate in Va. to commemorate the Iraq War

By Lucas Higgins
Staff Writer

In honor of what has been a longer-then-expected, very drawn-out war, many states are now approving license plates designs that commemorate soldiers and the war struggle itself. A dozen or so other states, including Wisconsin and Illinois have already adopted these Gold Star license plates. License plates are a good way to keep people constantly thinking about the war. Obviously, we have all been touched by the war in one form or another, but those with family members involved in the war are cursed with never-ending worry and concern until their loved ones come home.

However, even this is a pleasant thought when compared to the worst-case scenario. One of our very own staff members, Social Studies teacher Greg Commons, lost his son, Army Ranger Cpl. Mathew Commons, in 2002. Mr. Commons started pushing for these commemorative Gold Star license plates to be adopted in Virginia, and after extensive and constant effort over the last two years; a victory is finally at hand.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Commons received word from the Virginia Motor Vehicles Department that a designed Gold Star license plate has reached the Virginia state bureaucracy and has been approved. This is a great relief when you consider the draining process of getting this plate signed into law finally.

"I first saw an online article on a Massachusetts website about a woman who got a license plate approved similar to mine. She had lost her son," says Mr. Commons. "So I erroneously contacted Senator John Warner, who referred me to Delegate Amundson. Eventually it was incorporated into a transportation bill and signed into law by Governor Kaine."

Usually, a minimum 350-signature requirement is put on potential bills, but they are exceptions every now and then for cases similar to Mr. Commons'. Very late in the process, Mr. Commons was informed that if he did not have the proper amount of signatures, the license plate did not stand a chance to get passed. "I called Delegate Amundson and explained the situation. Within an hour, I had received an apology," says Mr. Commons.

Now that it has been approved, the license plate will serve well as a constant reminder of where we stand in Iraq. Some of us forget at times what exactly is going on over there, and what exactly our some of our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, parents, cousins and other family members are facing on a day-to-day basis.

By Alan Weintraut |  February 23, 2007; 10:17 AM ET
Previous: Cameras provide increased security | Next: Wii sets high standards

The comments to this entry are closed.