OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 15, 2005) — Legislation that would create a specialty license plate to help purchase body armor for Oklahoma’s military personnel has been approved by a House committee.
If the measure becomes law, Oklahoma drivers would be able to purchase “Patriot License Plates” to demonstrate support of local troops while contributing to their safety. For every $35 plate purchased, $20 would be deposited into a fund administered by the Oklahoma Military Department for the purchase of body armor for Oklahoma soldiers.
State Rep. Ryan Kiesel, D-Seminole, originally proposed the idea through House Bill 1420, but Monday the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security chose to integrate his measure into House Bill 1286, which establishes new requirements for creating specialty license plates.
Committee members unanimously supported an amendment to include Kiesel’s proposal in HB 1286. “I am thrilled to see that the Patriot Plates are receiving support,” the freshman lawmaker said. “This is a simple, voluntary and cost-effective way for Oklahomans to show their support for our men and women in uniform.”
He said the idea for the legislation stemmed from visits with soldiers in his district. “They were being sent to Afghanistan or Iraq with no body armor or Vietnam-era body armor.”
You know what? I don’t want to hear righties explaining why sending soldiers into a war zone without adequate equipment is just standard operating procedure, why it’s perfectly reasonable for this to be happening two years into a conflict, blah blah blah — it’s just criminal. Period, end of story, and no specious justification or rationalization will change that simple fact.